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Toulon, the underrated Med port with a proud naval history – an expert guide
Why go?
Toulon is the most underrated port on the Mediterranean. A major naval base, it suffered badly during the Second World War, but has been extensively renovated and now has lots to occupy travellers on a day trip. It’s also a convenient base for exploring Provence, from hill villages and coastal resorts to elegant Aix-en-Provence and the Côte d’Azur.
Cruise port location
The port of Toulon is right in the city, with three berths for ships up to 300 metres long. Across the bay, sister port La Seyne sur Mer has one berth for larger vessels (up to 340 metres). Additional ships can anchor offshore with tenders to the centre of Toulon.
Can I walk to any places of interest?
You can walk from the port of Toulon to the centre of town in five to 10 minutes. The beaches are a 25-minute walk or short bus ride. To get to central Toulon from La Seyne, take either the boat shuttle provided by your cruise company, a taxi, a public bus or a boat-bus.
Getting around
Within Toulon, you have plenty of options: bus, cable car, petit train (little tourist train) and boat. Getting around is easy and very cheap, especially if you buy the abonnement jour day pass (see below). There is a fairly frequent rail service to Hyères, Sanary-sur-Mer, Bandol, Cassis and Marseille (but do beware the unreliability of French trains) and a network of buses serves towns and villages in the region. La Seyne-sur-Mer has decent public bus and boat connections to Toulon, but you’re better off using private transportation if you want to go further.
Read more: Telegraph Travel's Mediterranean Cruise Guide
What to see and do
Stick to Toulon for shorter stays: there’s a lot to see, especially for families with children. The Tourist Office has a special page aimed at cruise visitors. If you have a full day, you might consider Aix-en-Provence, a seaside resort such as Bandol or Cassis or an inland hill village.
What can I do in four hours or less?
Start with a 50-minute ride around town on the petit train: it stops right on Toulon’s cruise port. Then wander over to the street market, one of the biggest in Provence. It operates daily, except Mondays. Given a recent facelift, the Old Town is a warren of squares and backstreets; watch out for the Rue des Arts with its galleries, craft shops and cafés.
The fascinating and impressive Musée de la Marine is a must for anyone interested in the city’s proud naval history while the Mourillon district has a village vibe and excellent sandy beaches, with plenty for kids. Alternatively, take a boat trip around the bay or the little red cable car up Mont Faron for stupendous views.
At the summit, the newly revamped Mémorial du Débarquement tells the inspiring story of the Allied landings and liberation of Provence in August 1944. A hike and/or picnic up here are mighty pleasant too, but don’t bother with the zoo. La Seyne’s main attraction is the beaches, also superb. A seafood lunch (mussels are farmed locally) is always a good idea.
Options for half-day excursions are limited but there’s just time to catch the medieval hill village of Le Castellet, though you’ll need longer for the Paul Ricard racetrack, new home of the French F1.
What can I do in eight hours or less?
Toulon is an easy jumping off point for self-guided trips by rail, bus or boat. However, if your ship is docking in La Seyne, you are best advised to take an excursion to reach the wider area. Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Cassis, Bandol, Sanary-sur-Mer and Le Castellet are the most popular destinations and offered by most cruise companies.
Princess Cruises also has a nice tour combining the flower-filled hill village of Bormes les Mimosas and the genteel Victorian resort of Hyères. Wine buffs must not not miss one of the packages combining vineyards and villages: Celebrity Cruises and Viking both do tours to Le Castellet, in the heart of Bandol wine country (there are no vineyards within the town of Bandol itself, however).
The fleshpots of Saint Tropez are seductive, but a good three-hour round-trip drive: P&O Cruises offers a full-day excursion. Set up to promote cruise tourism in the region, the Var Provence Cruise Club has devised a very wide range of unusual or specialist excursions, such as golfing and canoeing or behind-the-scenes tours of Toulon’s magnificent Opera House: check whether your cruise ship is offering any of these.
Eat and drink
The local speciality is cade, a savoury snack made with chickpea flour and olive oil. Nearby Bandol might not be as famous as Bordeaux or Burgundy, but it produces some of the best red wines in France. In Toulon, the Mourillon district teems with good restaurants, while Les Sablettes is the best area in La Seyne.
Don’t leave without...
Lavender, soap, olive oil and those mighty Bandol wines should be on every shopping list. Rugby fans can score some smart red and black Rugby Club Toulonnais (RCT) memorabilia with the club’s signature lily of the valley logo. The two ports’ “Cruise Friendly” scheme offers visitors discounts and free gifts at over 100 participating stores.
Need to know
Flight time
Flybe is the only UK airline with direct flights to Toulon-Hyères airport (from Southampton). Air France involves a change in Paris. Marseille (55 miles) and Nice (89 miles) both offer more options.
Safety
Toulon is France’s main naval base, so there is a very high military presence (though this might theoretically also makes it a terrorist target). Its image as a rough-and-tumble port city has been greatly spruced up and it’s perfectly safe to meander around the centre of town.
Best time to go
Spring and autumn are best for touring, while summer is the time to chill out on those beaches. Toulon is prone to strong winds at any time, though they’re not as dominant as in Marseille and point west. The RCT is the major rugby club in South East France, so you might time your visit to catch (or avoid) a home fixture.
Closures
Museum opening times vary. Check with the tourist office for current details. Many shops close Sundays, but those in the “Cruise Friendly” network pledge to be open whenever a ship is in port.
Save money
A top bargain, the abonnement 1 jour card gives you unlimited travel for a day on Toulon’s buses and boat-buses. The slightly more expensive abonnement 1 jour téléphérique gets you on the cable car as well. On sale at the Tourist Office or local shops such as newsagents with the sign “point de vente Réseau Mistral”.