Toulon
Toulon's story is a bit like Marseille's, only on a smaller scale: industrious, noisy, busy, a melting pot - a wonderful place if you like to live in a vibrant city, not so great if you are looking for peace and charm. In other words it does not have to be on your list of sights you absolutely need to visit in the Provence. But there are some interesting places in town and the villages of Mourillon to the east and Saint Mandrier southwest are quite beautiful vacation locations well known to the French. The scenery is supreme: Toulon is situated between a mountain range topped by Mont Faron and Mont Caume and the Rade de Toulon, a large bay protected from the sea by two peninsulas. It is the major naval port of the French fleet in the Mediterranean.
Toulon's population is about 170.000, the metropolitan area counts roughly 520.000 inhabitants.
History
The first immigrants on record were the Greeks in the 7th century BC, then the Celto-Ligurians in the 4th century BC and finally the Romans in the 2nd century BC. They called the small settlement Telo Martius - Telo, either for the goddess of springs or from the Latin tol, the base of the hill - and Martius, for the god of war. Telo Martius became was known for producing the red dye used in the purple color of imperial robes. It was made from the murex, a local sea snail abundant on the rocks around here. The area provided an excellent natural harbour for ships and the settlement and changed its name over the centuries from from Telo to Tholon or Tolon in the Provençal language and Toulon in French. In the 5th century, the Roman Empire was about to end, Toulon was christianized like the rest of the Provence. During the following centuries it suffered terribly from invasions by pirates, barbarians and finally the Saracens. In the 11th century the Counts of Provence took control and in 1486 most of the Provence and with it Toulon became a part of France. In 1494 Charles VIII had the first military shipyard established here and from then on Toulon became the main naval port in the Mediterranean Sea for France. The construction of the Tour Royale, protecting the harbor, was finished in 1524. In the 17th century, under Louis XIV and his Minister Colbert, naval fortifications were significantly expanded. During the French Revolution, Toulon is handed to the British fleet by its Royalist inhabitants. But the British are expelled by a French force whose artillery is led by a certain Napoleon Bonaparte. From 1803 to 1805 Toulon was blockaded by the British fleet under Admiral Nelson. When the German Army occupies southern France in November 1942 the French scuttled their fleet in Toulon. One year later the Allied bombings destroys most of the port at great loss of life. Finally, in August 28, 1944 Toulon is liberated by the Allied Forces.
The Town
The place where most visitors end up is Quai Stalingrad between the inner port and the Vieille Ville, the old town. The buildings directly at the inner port with its pretty quay are non-descript modern - the result of some unfortunate decisions made when rebuilding this area after World War II. But walking along the quay with many boats and yachts on one side and cafés and restaurants on the other side is relaxing and you overlook the architecture behind it. The Rade de Toulon, rade means a protected place for ships to anchor, is one of the best natural anchorages on the Mediterranean, and after Rio de Janeiro the world's second largest. The Peninsula of Giens and the Peninsula of Saint Mandrier sur Mer protect it from the sea. The Rade shelters the port of Saint Mandrier sur Mer, the port of La Seyne sur Mer, as well as both the arsenal (naval port) and the commercial port of Toulon. The arsenal, home of the French Mediterranean fleet, is not open to the public. But you can visit the Musée Naval de la Marine, Naval Museum at the western end of Quai Stalingrad with its impressive doorway. You will be amazed even if you are not into naval history by the remarkable collection of enormous ship models from the 18th century as well as other naval memorabilia, such as figureheads and carvings. You find a number of works from Pierre Puget (1620 - 1694), a sculptor, architect and painter, a native of Marseille. Amongst the paintings is a huge fresco of old Toulon is by Joseph Verner. From Quai Stalingrad boat trips take you to the Petite Rade, a trip that includes the arsenal and dry docks. You can have a good look at ships of the French fleet or rather what's left of it after decades of underinvestment.
If you are interested in Trompe l'Oeil art we suggest to take a look at La Corderie on the walls of the former Hotel du Port on Rue Chevalier Paul (behind Quai Stalingrad near the Naval Museum). The mural represents a workshop for making ropes and sails from the late 19th centuries and on the higher floors shows us the lives of the occupants of this building. It is relatively new, a part of the restoration efforts of the old town. There are other interesting trompe d' oeil murals in the old town, but the one on the Hotel du Port is the largest and best.
Behind the port is the Vieille Ville, the old town, also called la Basse Ville, the lower town. It escaped the Allied bombing of the port. Before we move into the old town let's first pay a visit to the Hotel de Ville (town hall), rebuilt after the war. The entrance of the annex has two of Pierre Puget's most famous sculptures, the Cariatides that support a balcony. They are named Force and Fatigue and it is said that local dockworkers stood model for them. They are definitely masculine and therefore should be called Atlantes. Cariatides are feminine statues supporting building structures. Old habits die hard - the Toulonnais continue to call Mr.Force and Mr.Fatigue Cariatides. Also on Quai Stalingrad is the Genius of Navigation, a statue by the local sculptor Daumas. The statute is supposed to represent the high ideals of seafaring. Let's move into the old town. It stretches from the port to Boulevard de Strasbourg and the Cours Lafayette with many pedestrian only streets. The area has been rejuvenated in the 1990's and a number of new shops have since opened up. Walk along Rue d'Alger, turn right into Rue E. Zola to the Cathédrale Sainte Marie Majeure, originally in Romanesque style but renovated and enlarged in the 17th and 19th centuries. The bell tower is from the 18th century. Inside several fine pieces by Pierre Puget and a large 19th century organ where many important organists have played. Further east is the Cours Lafayette where one of the liveliest Provençal markets takes place every morning. The Musée du Vieux Toulon (Museum of Old Toulon) is the town's history museum. Turn left to Place Pavé d'Amour, left again into Rue P.Landrin and you will be on Place Puget with its 18th century Fontaine des Trois Dauphins, the three Dolphins' Fountain. Nearby is Toulon's Opera House (1850), an elegant building from the outside and even more splendid inside.
La Haute Ville, the upper town, between the Boulevard de Strasbourg and Boulevard Tessé and Boulevard P.Toesca with the railroad station, was built in the mid 19th century under Napoléon III. You will immediately notice an architectural style familiar from Paris, "le style haussmannien", the Haussmann style. Georges Eugène Haussmann (1809-1891), the later Baron Haussmann, actually started rebuilding this area of Toulon when he was prefect of the Département Var in 1849, before he was put in charge of the massive reconstruction efforts in Paris. Noteworthy amongst the elegant buildings are the Toulon Opera, the Place de la Liberté, the Grand Hôtel, the Gardens of Alexander I, the Chalucet Hospital, the Palais de Justice, the train station, and the Galeries Lafayette building. In case you have time it is worthwhile to visit the Musée d’Art in a beautiful 1887 Italian Renaissance style building on Boulevard Leclerc. They show paintings from the Provençal schools from the 17th to the early 20th centuries.
Toulon Environs
Mount Faron with its height of 584 meters (1.900 ft) dominates the city of Toulon. You can reach the top by cable car from Toulon. The cable car does not operate in case of strong winds (inquire with the cable car company at Tel. 04 94 92 68 25). Another option - less fun though - is to take a narrow road which ascends from the west side and descends on the east side. It's one of the most challenging stages of the Paris - Nice bike race each spring. On top of Mount Faron is the Tour Beaumont tower (Allied Landing Museum) and a memorial dedicated to the 1944 Allied landings here.
Mourillon, situated southeast of the city, was Toulon's chic quarter since the late 19th century. The promenade is lined with well preserved turn of the century type residences. There is a pretty church, a daily food market, a small botanical garden and attractive boutiques, cafés, some restaurants and the closest and best beach near Toulon. The Tour Royale, constructed from 1512 - 1523 by orders of Louis XII has walls more than 6 m (20ft) thick. It was the first of many fortifications around the Rade de Toulon. Further on is the Fort Saint Louis (1696) and close by the Musée des Arts Asiatiques, an Asian arts museum. It is located in the Villa Jules Verne, where the writer spent many summers, on 169 Littoral Frédéric Mistral in Mourillon. There is a scenic coastal footpath along the southern shores of Mourillon.
In La Seyne sur Mer (pop. 65.000), an outer suburb southwest of Toulon, you can visit Fort Balaguier (1636) and the Fort de l'Eguillette (1680), two fortifications guarding the entrance of the Petit Rade on its western shores. They were part of the extensive fortifications of the Rade de Toulon, which had 24 different defense installations around the bay with the Tour Royale and the Fort Balaguier guarding the entrance to the Petit Rade, where the ports are.
Further south lies Saint Mandrier (pop. 6.800), a charming village on the western peninsula that encloses the Rade de Toulon. There are many walking trails here and from the hilltop you have great views over the Rade de Toulon and the Mediterranean Sea with the lles d'Or as a backdrop. Small beaches dot the rocky peninsula, a good place for scuba diving, especially at the Coudelière and Cavalas beaches.
