Thursday I took the bus to Marseille. I have heard about this city that you love it or you hate it. I didn't find much to hate, but not much to love either. Just another big city, from what I saw strolling in the center.

Friday I rode my new bike to Martigues. The little I saw on Wednesday made me curious to see more of it. Especially the historic center is very nice, but the whole town looks attractive and prosperous and have everything you can expect from a city that big (50 000 residents). Here (like in Port Bouc) they regulary vote for communistic mayors, from old school Parti Communiste Francais, and so they have done since the last war. All the time with absolute majority. Both towns looks very well maintained and organised, maybe there is an alternative to neoliberalism after all?

Martigues is not very well known among cruisers, but to me it seemed like an interesting alternative for wintering. By boat you reach the town via a canal from Port de Bouc that leads into the lagoon Berre L'Etange. The marina is inside the canal, before you reach the lagoon. I guess that makes it more sheltered from the Mistral.

Tomorrow I plan to leave Port du Bouc. I had to change my plans for La Ciotat, they are setting up the marinas there for a Boat fair, and they don´t take visitors for the rest of the month. My alternatives are Cassis, a short distance before La Ciotat, and Bandol, around 10 miles to the east. It´s impossible to tell from the forecasts what the winds will be like, everything from a fresh gale to quite moderate winds are predicted. All the forecasts says that I will have the wind from the back though, so I think I take off in any case.