Marseille

Mixed reviews had preceded my initial visit to this port city. I had heard that it was beautiful and I had heard that it contained a large population of problematic Maghrebin immigrants. To be honest, the later is probably true of plenty areas of Marseille that I didn’t have a chance to visit. However, the areas that I did see were absolutely beautiful. Crystal clear water, views of Isle d’If (the prison made famous by residents including The Man in the Iron Mask and The Count of Monte Cristo), clean streets, and a beautiful old port that would make anyone wish they had floated in midway through a sail around the world.

I couchsurfed with three French guys and a girl that lived about 15 minutes outside the city center. They were only a few years older than me but very friendly and helped me ease back in to speaking real French. One of the guys had a laid back job that let him tour half the city with me in the morning after he had showed me his business selling Fair Trade products at an organic market. We had a couple of beers around 10 am as a little pick-me-up before a tour that included La Notre Dame de la Garde, Avenue Kennedy, a large palace, the old Port and Le Panier district. Altogether I probably did a 5-6 hour tour of the city and overall I was very impressed. Its maybe not the quaintest or even most touristic city to visit, but transitioning from Morocco it was the perfect blend of France and North Africa and I felt at home while still enjoying the beauty, food and expensive prices of France.

Lyon

Its hard to really describe my first day alone back in my home town. It was an emotional experience to walk along the same paths I did three years earlier and it became vividly clear to me how much I had changed and grown in such a short time. I remember the fresh taste of excitement as a virgin traveler in that city, how I had learned to live and make myself at home in a completely foreign environment. I’ve since done that in places more foreign than Western Europe, and now looking back is a bitter sweet experience. It’s a little disappointing that the sharpness of such an experience won’t ever really hit me again the same way. But, those memories haven’t, nor will they ever, leave me.

Its was incredibly reassuring to me to visit Lyon after having so many varied experiences and still feel that it is perhaps one of the most beautiful (and undiscovered) cities in France. Perhaps it is dangerous to mention this, but as a generally forgotten city by European tourists, it remains a hidden cultural and gastronomic gem. Croix-rousse, the silk trade, the Basilique on the hill, a kitsch old city, two gorgeous rivers, morning markets and wonderful cuisine – this city should not be missed by anyone. French is recommended since its lack of tourists mean that English has not become quite as widespread as in Europe or the Cote d’Azur.