France - between mountains and at the sea

I visited a friend who did a semester abroad. I visited him with other friends in January and we stayed at an AirBnB. It`s a lovely small city where you can do skiing, walk next to the river, hike in the mountains or just sit in a cafe and enjoy the view. The city has a great french charm. In the morning we got our bread at a boulangerie (bakery). It's always great.  For two days we were skiing in the mountains - we had a lot of fun and could enjoy the incredible view. You don't need your own ski-clothes, you can borrow them for a daily fee.  Another day we just drove to a mall and did some shopping (It's a good place to do that). 

The next stop was Marseille. I visited my sister and nephew. I have been there a couple times and it never got boring. Marseille has a lot to offer: You can visit Notre-Dame de la Garde (best during sunset), Vieux Port (the old port), the Mucem, Fort Saint Jean, Palais Longchamp, ...

Or if you want to get out of the city center, you can take a bus to the Calanques. It is stunning! You can hike there and in summer it is perfect to go for a swim.

Another option is to take a boat to get to a close island. There are some very pretty ones!

Marseille has a great nightlife too. But you should always take care of your stuff and it's best when you are not on your own! 

My last stop was Bandol. It is not far away from Marseille. I prefer spring time there because during summer it's a lot going on. It's a great place to just sit next to the port in a small bar and drink a cocktail during the day. 

Besides that you can do lovely hikes in the nature. The view at the sea is just beautiful.

If you want to get some tan or go for a swim you can visit a nice beach. It's best during summer time because it is not warm enough at the spring time.

As a day trip you could take a boat to one of the islands who are not far away. If it's not the time for tourists you should take some food or snacks because often the restaurants are closed then.