Great smallish park for working out or a family stroll. Lots of people jogging during all daylight…read morehours on both paved and natural trails. There are a set of pneumatic exercise machines and an adult size jungle gym for your upper body enjoyment. Fenced playground area for smaller children and a big, softly sloping sunny hillside for basking. Has a gentle, clear stream running through as well. Very beautiful and fun, even in winter.

An incredibly beautiful place! I'm so very glad that we took a private tour from our cruise ship,…read morewhich was docked in Marseilles, France. We rode to Cassis and enjoyed the town, a wonderful lunch, and then the amazingly beautiful Calanques National Park. It is nestled between Marseille and Cassis on the western edge of the French Riviera. Calanques National Park is a stunning maritime refuge. We took a two hour boat ride of the area. It has breathtaking cliffside trails, water sports, postcard-perfect blue water, and is close to cities on the Riviera. The park is unique for its "calanques", which are steep limestone cliffs and coves that meander for miles along the coast of the Mediterranean. Amazingly beautiful blue "sea creeks" flow around and through the park's 26 calanques. Many people were sunbathing, diving, and swimming by the limestone cliffs, in many different places. It has many tranquil beaches and river-like areas ideal for water sports. The park is also a wildlife refuge with many species. The water was so clear that you could see many fish from the boat. This is such a gorgeous area, I highly recommend a tour to this park and be sure to take a long boat ride into the Calanques!

This is a very easy walk from both Les Catalans Beach and Vieux-Port. The sculptures here are fun…read moreand the views of the Vieux-Port and the ocean are beautiful! The flowers are simply lovely! This is a lovely green space in which many locals and tourists alike sunbathe, picnic, and stroll during the summer months. There is a small carousel and a small cafe as well. If you want a bit of an escape that is not the beach while staying in Marseille, definitely check out these gardens!

There are only a very few green spaces in Marseille. Most of those your will find when looking at a…read moremap o Marseille are cementaries a bit away from the city center. Jardin du Pharo is one of the few green spaces that exist reasonably close to the city center. The locales most definitely have discovered this place. On weekends when the sun is shinning the park fills up with locals playing soccer, having picnics, families with kids playing on the playground and those that just like to enjoy the view of the city from up here (and the view is really good from up here). It's creates an almost electric atmosphere, though still with room to spare is you would just like to sit down and enjoy a bit of sunlight. Be aware that some of the busses that stops nearby also continues down the coast stopping at the nearby beaches. Practical is you want to go there too, but it also means that they are pretty packed with people and getting off can be a bit tricky.

From the owner: Marseille 2600 ans d'histoire Le parc est emblématique de la cité phocéenne avec 26 séquoias…read morereprésentant les 26 siècles d'histoire de la ville. Le lac est entouré de quatre jardins thématiques (provençal, oriental, africain et asiatique), de fontaines et de belvédères avec vue sur Notre-Dame de la Garde. Trois aires de jeux sont prévuées pour les enfants, ainsi que plusieurs boulodromes.

From the owner: A l'abri de la ville Le parc est ouvert du 1er avril au 30 septembre entre 8 et 20h. Créé au XIXe…read moresiècle ce parc était à usage privé. Aujourd'hui, le parc s'étend sur 12 hectares de châtaigniers, palmiers et autres chênes verts.

I was completely enchanted by all of Nîmes, but the Jardins de la Fontaine truly took my breath…read moreaway. Even just the approach to the garden is magical--a beautiful allée with a water channel that reflects the trees, and people leisurely chatting and strolling. It was a refreshing change from the car-dominated Bay Area where I'm from! The garden itself was also a delight. We saw an adorable (but feisty) swan who chased off a few people who got a bit too close, which had everyone around laughing as they scrambled away. It's a perfect place for people-watching *or* finding a peaceful spot to relax. I visited in the sweltering summer, and we actually ran out of water, so make sure you bring plenty! Though, a heads-up--the bathroom in the garden is less than ideal. This garden is a must-see if you want to experience Nîmes' Roman influence beyond the famous arena. Imagine yourself back in time, grab a good book, and just soak it all in. On the day we visited, they were setting up for an outdoor movie screening with a massive projector and seats for the community to enjoy. I'm so curious how Nîmes feels in the fall and winter--hopefully, I'll get to find out one day!

A gem of a park within the diminutive city of Nimes. Not to be missed if you want to get a good…read morerendition of Roman architecture during their occupation. The park represents the wealth of the city with its resplendent sculptures and fountains. If you wish to hike up the hill, you will get to the Roman lookout point which is ticketed admission. However, there multiple free views overlooking the city along the way.