Capital of Provence, cosmopolitan Marseille is France's second city. Radiating out from its 2,600-year-old port, the largest in the Mediterranean, it is vibrant, diverse and opinionated. During the Revolution its citizens popularized what is now the French national anthem, singing with gusto as they marched down the Champs Elysees.

The Vieux Port, or the old harbour, now docks fishing craft, stately yachts and ferries. Its southern side, the Place Thiars, is stuffed with atmospheric seafood restaurants and raucous pubs and bars. For culture, the stark Chateau d'If was the inspiration for Alexandre Dumas' Count of Monte Cristo, and the city's number of fine museums includes the Musee d'Histoire de Marseille, which houses a 2,000-year-old Roman merchant vessel found at the bottom of the harbour in 1974. Around the city, in 1178 Frederick Barbarossa was crowned the king of Arles in the medieval Eglise St-Trophim, and Aix-en-Provence inspired Paul Cezanne for several years. Atelier de Cezanne, his former residence, now displays examples of his life's work.