Unfortunately, our time in Marseille will forever be overshadowed by the single worst occurrence of our trip to date: our rental car was broken into and all of my belongings were stolen. Early on Thursday Alex and I drove up to Notre-Dame de La Garde to check out the beautiful church and hillside views before heading further south for a hike. Because the freezing wind was so intense, we only stayed 20 minutes – apparently enough time for a brazen criminal to smash the window, unlock the car and grab my purse, both of my backpacks and our iPhones. We realized we still had Alex’s belongings – including our camera, laptop, passports and his wallet – so we tried not to panic and immediately involved the church staff and police.
These are professionals who have done this before - they got in by breaking this small window and using a coat hanger to open the door from inside. BUT THE UPSIDE: The only thing of mine not taken? The dress I bought for a friend’s upcoming wedding. Not very helpful right now but I’m sure I will appreciate it later!
After a harrowing, stressful and emotional two days in Marseille, we made the difficult decision to cancel the France road trip we had planned for the next two weeks. Beyond the obvious rental car damage and logistical challenges we faced, the driving experience in Marseille was also miserable. Instead, we booked two relaxing weeks in nearby, sunny Portugal to try and shake off the darkness of the past 48 hours. Not exactly how we planned to end the European part of our adventure, but hopefully a vast improvement over our time in Marseille!
P.S. Below are some “highlights” from our time here; while we did get to see some impressive sights, neither Alex nor I really feel up to the task of showcasing a place that caused us so much misfortune.
Looking up at Notre-Dame de la Garde from the Old Port. (Yes, alright, it's beautiful).
The Marseille Cathedral.
Did Dali design this gazebo?
Blissfully ignorant that at this exact moment, we were being robbed. (Thought Alex's only problem at the time was not wearing pants!)
Up close at Notre-Dame de la Garde.
Inside the church. Very nautical-themed, if you ask us.
Looking out to sea from Notre-Dame de la Garde. Beautiful...but we just won't remember this view favorably...