The Town of Toulon, France

Located in southern France and spread out on the Mediterranean coast, Toulon is the base port for the French navy's Mediterranean fleet, and after Brest is France's second-largest naval port. It is said that Toulon is settled on the well-protected and most beautiful natural harbor in Europe. This is an important town for fishing, naval construction, wine making, and also for the production of maps, armaments, aeronautical equipments, tobacco, paper, shoes, electronic equipment, and printing.

The role of Toulon, France as a seaside center of trade has been continuing since centuries dating back to the Roman and Greek times and then during the Barbarian raids. It later became the Mediterranean gateway for a unified France. With its very long naval tradition and extensive naval history, it is no wonder that Toulon, France is one of the prominent France naval bases and has a legacy of 600 years old naval history displayed in the naval museum.

Toulon saw a new beginning when the then Mayor, Hubert Falco in 2002 started renovating and developing the city. The creation of Charles Garnier, the 1862 Opera de Toulon was restored back its glorious state after the overhaul.

Today, Toulon, France has ferry as well as train services, an international airport, and a new bus station.

Places to Visit in Toulon

When you visit Toulon, you will see ships, ships, and then more ships. This busy harbor also has exciting museums, great shopping venues, and the ancient fortresses. For some great shots for your camera, visit the peak of Mont Faron on a cable car and bask in its beauty. You can then make a stopover at the museum that has a rich collection of World War II items, which have great historical interests. The museum is known as Mémorial du Débarquement en Provence. The National Naval Museum, Musée National de la Marine is another popular attraction.

If you are a beach person, enjoy the Mediterranean sun in the town's most visited beach--the Plage du Morillon . You can also experience the thrill of this exciting harbor-town by taking a boat tour. While in Toulon, France, feast your eyes on the vast collection of Italian, Provencal, and religious items of immaculate quality dating back to the 16th century to the present in the Musée de Toulon.

You can also shop to your heart's content and bargain away to glory for exquisite jewelry, designer fashions, and French perfumes. The town has a three story supermarket along with a movie hall.

On the Provence to the west, you can also travel around the fields of lavender, olive grooves, and wooded hills. The art museums and the medieval atmosphere also entice visitors to visit Aix-en-Provence. The region is also popular for vineyards. To get a feel of the life of the local people, you can also visit the Provencal market, which is a giant outdoor produce and food market. Many of the visitors prefer St. Tropez to the east for its famous seaside resorts.