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Toulon,
where Provence and French Riviera Meet...
Toulon
is the ideal departure point for a large choice of
excursions to discover Provence's beautiful scenery.
Marseilles, Aix-en-Provence, Cassis, Saint-Tropez,
Cannes, Nice and Monaco - to name just a few! –
are all located within a 180 km radius of the city
by car, coach or train.
The
Var region and surrounding areas are also home to a
multitude of ancient, typically-Provençal villages. |
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Toulon boasts a packed year-round events program and
an excellent choice of venues, including the Opera
House, Zenith Omega concert hall, Chateauvallon Dance
and Theatre Centre, café-theatres and the Palais
Neptune convention centre. Main cultural events are
the Chateauvallon Dance Festival, Toulon Jazz Festival,
Rythm'Estival R&B festival, Toulon Classical Music
Festival, International Maritime Film Festival and
Regional Book Fair. Visitors will also enjoy visiting
the city's many museums and art galleries.
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Mayol stadium, set right in the heart of the city,
welcomes some of France's top rugby and football competitions.
Sports fans will also appreciate the new "Palais
des Sports" built by the Regional Council in
partnership with the City Council and French Navy.
The Palais welcomes mostly local youngsters but is
also open to associations and sports clubs during
the holidays, and is the venue for a number of top
level sporting events. |
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Toulon's turbulent history and diverse architectural
influences have lent the city centre its multiple
faces:
The historical quarter, with its little, ochre, yellow
and pink houses, narrow, winding streets and famous
Provençal food market, spans out around the
ancient Cathedral. Heading West from Place d’Armes
square to Porte d’Italie gate are two sets of
narrow but straighter roads, corresponding to the
city limits and said to date back to 1589, to the
reign of Henry IV. This area also forms part of the
old town, which is often referred to as the "basse
ville" or lower town.
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In sharp contrast, the light and airy "haute
ville" or upper town, designed by the famous
architect Haussmann, stretches North towards Mount
Faron, and abounds with monuments built by order of
Napoleon III, including the Opera House, railway station,
Place de la Liberté and many bourgeois buildings.
During this era, the constricting city walls were
demolished, a tramway was built to simplify city life,
the new railway station made Toulon readily accessible,
and the shows at the local casino began to attract
large crowds. The people of Toulon still differentiate
the "upper" and "lower" towns
forming the city centre, and visitors will find both
areas well worth a visit.
Brimming with delicious colours and scents, and buzzing
with the verve of the South, our local food markets
are one of Provence's most charming attractions. Toulon's
Provençal Market, held every morning except
Mondays on Cours Lafayette, is undoubtedly Provence's
largest and most widely acclaimed. A number of smaller
but equally typical markets are held outside the centre
itself in the Pont-du-Las quarter (place Martin Bidouré)
and Mourillon quarter (Place Emile Claude and Place
Monseigneur Deydier), respectively to the West and
East of the city centre.
The famous Provençal actor Raimu - the hero
of Pagnol's famous "Trilogy" - was born
in Toulon and is widely honoured by the city. Three
monuments are dedicated to this inimitable artist:
a bust on Place des Trois Dauphins square, a fresco
and statue on Place du Théâtre square,
and a sculpture of Pagnol's famous Card Game on Place
Raimu square, where visitors can pose for a souvenir
photo in one of the free chairs opposite cheating
Cesar and Panisse! |
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Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle
(Natural History Museum)
The only museum of its kind in the Var region, focusing
on regional fauna, mineralogy and palaeontology.
Musée National de la Marine
(Naval Museum)
An exceptional collection of original scale models
of the Mediterranean fleets up to the late 18th century.
A number of works retrace the history of the Port
and Bay of Toulon, and the French Navy's finest hours...
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Musée Mémorial du Débarquement
(Allied Landings Museum)
Housed in Tour Beaumont tower, the museum includes
several rooms dedicated to the armies who took part
in the August 1944 Allied Landings in Provence. Mock-ups,
photos, films and slide shows allow you to live out
this unforgettable moment in France's history.
Musée du Vieux Toulon (Heritage
Museum)
Various works of art, objects and souvenirs portraying
the social, economic, religious and artistic history
of Toulon and the surrounding region.
Maison de la Photographie (Photography
Museum)
A genuine springboard for regional photographers,
this museum also exhibits international works representing
contemporary photographic trends.
Musée d’Art (Art Museum)
Built in 1887, this beautiful Italian Renaissance
style property exhibits works by the Provençal
schools from the 17th to the early 20th centuries,
plus a contemporary art collection.
Hôtel des Arts (Art Museum)
Forming part of the Mediterranean "arts route"
stretching from Marseilles to Menton, with works ranging
from the 20th century to current day.
Musée des Arts Asiatiques
(Oriental and Asian Arts Museum)
Dedicated to China and Japan, and also featuring collections
from South-East Asia, India, Tibet and Mongolia, this
museum underlines the influence of Buddhism throughout
the Far East. |
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Situated to the southeast of the city, the Mourillon
is a genuine little village within the city and became
Toulon's chic quarter in the late 19th century. The
promenade lined with impressive bourgeois residences,
pretty church, daily food market, botanical gardens
and attractive boutiques make it a great place for
a relaxed stroll.
The Mourillon Beaches are a favourite year-round haunt
for locals and holidaymakers, and feature children's
games, luxuriant gardens, and pretty waterside bars
and restaurants. |
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The Mourillon also remains one of the city's best
quarters for eating out: the village streets and sea
front are packed with attractive restaurants serving
specialities from the five continents – plus
of course Provence!
The Mourillon is the venue for many evening events
in summer, including the "Nuit des Pêcheurs"
celebrating Toulon's ancient fishing heritage, the
traditional firework display at Saint-Louis fort commemorating
the siege of Toulon in 1707, and an international
Jazz festival held on the beaches.
Also attracting big crowds, the packed daytime schedule
includes various boat races, the famous "Voiles
Latines" regatta confronting ancient sailboats
from throughout the Mediterranean, and the lively
"Fête de l’Oursin" sea urchin
fair.
A whole program to enjoy with friends or family! |
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Plan your Group Excursions and Holidays from A-Z with
the Toulon Tourist Office.
The Toulon Tourist organises guided tours with qualified
guides, excursions and full holiday packages for groups
including a wide range of sightseeing itineraries
around Toulon.
Our Groups Service caters fully to your requirements
and clientele, helps you select restaurants and plan
your menus, provides you with an exhaustive choice
of accommodation tailored to your criteria - and of
course answers all your questions on your stay in
our City!
Toulon Tourist Office Guided Tours |
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Tours on a wide variety of themes in French or other
languages.
Customize your schedule thanks to our 2-hour, half
day or full day guided tours.
Our professional guides are hand-picked and fully
qualified.
To obtain our "Groups" brochure.
please
contact: Toulon Tourist Office – Groups Service
- Cindy Bolorinos - Tel: +33(0)4 94 18 53 01 - Fax:
+33(0)4 94 18 53 09 info@toulontourisme.com
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Plan your group excursions or holidays from A-Z:
Discovery tours
- city tour with qualified guide or narrator,
- full range of excursions,
- holiday packages including itineraries around Toulon.
Tours on a wide variety of themes in French or other
languages.
Customize your schedule thanks to our 2-hour, half
day or full day guided tours.
Catering
- Advice, menu composition and quotes from an exhaustive
list of local restaurants,
Accommodation
- Advice, quotes and guaranteed personalised welcome
The Toulon Tourist Office offers a wide range of tailored
packages, in-depth knowledge of the city and local
amenities for tourism, a friendly, personal contact
and detailed answers to all your questions. |
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To
obtain our "Groups" brochure, please contact:
Toulon Tourist Office – Groups service - Cindy
Bolorinos - Tel: +33(0)4 94 18 53 01 - Fax: +33(0)4
94 18 53 09
info@toulontourisme.com
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