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Toulon
Right on the cusp of the Mediterranean Sea, the city of Toulon in the southeast of France city is the country’s principal naval headquarters.
It is no wonder that Toulon is considered an important commercial port, with facilities of shipbuilding and ship repair that provide a boost to the economy. This tie to the sea is evident in the sing-song accent of locals and some wooden boats anchored to the shores.
Heritage sites such as the Tour de l'horloge have maritime histories—it is a monumental clock a the entry of the naval base (at the west of the port), used to ring at the beginning and at the end of the working day in past civilizations.
Other than serving as a prime location for the French navy, the town dates back to the middle ages, in fact known as vieille ville (old town) because of its age, and basse ville (low town) because it was at the lowest altitude of town closest to sea.
North to the port is the city’s historical center, with its narrow labyrinthine streets, culminating in the main wide Algiers and Lafayette streets which house shops and restaurants busy on the weekends.
Place Puget in the ancient center of the town showcases a fountain with sculptural detail build in the 18th Century. Nearby, visitors are encouraged to drop by the Saint Marie de la Seds Cathedral built in the 11th Century but never finished, with its numerous art.
The newer part of the town called haute ville (high town) as it is found on a higher altitude is north to the old town center. The area features buildings in the late 19th Century style most noticeably those which surround the main public places, the Place de la liberté (Liberty plaza).
The town features several beaches just south of the Mourillon quarter.
