One Month, Two Very Different French Beaches

Bouncing between Marseille and Cap Ferret.

Last month, I visited two very different coastal destinations in France: Marseille in the south and Lège-Cap Ferret in the west, just outside of Bordeaux. You’ve probably heard of the former. The Greek-founded port city, which is actually the oldest in France, has become an increasingly popular destination for Parisians and Salomon-wearing American coastal elites who relish its grittiness (read: real estate). Chanel even hosted its runway show there in May. The latter has also gotten a wave of recent press for its soaring dunes and abundance of oysters. The New York Times called it the “Cape Cod of France” in a guide published this summer, and France’s “answer to New York’s Montauk.” As a Salomon-wearing, oyster-loving gal, I was very curious to see both for myself.

They are not close together. I took an eight-something-hour train with multiple transfers and a 30-minute ferry to get from one to the other, but I’m glad I made the trek. Below is my diary.

What I Did In Marseille