Travel: Ile d'If of Count of Monte Cristo fame a world apart from nearby Marseille
A 20-minute ferry ride from Marseille's frenetic, tourist-thronged streets lies the tiny, tranquil Ile d'If. Words and pictures by Julian Ryall.
The Ile d'If is just over a mile from the mouth of the harbour in Marseille, but the two are worlds apart.
France's largest port is thronged with people and traffic; the island has just a couple of tourists strolling around. Marseille is a cacophony of car horns, street musicians and voices speaking a dozen languages; the loudest noise on If is the sea breeze as it gently blows in from the Mediterranean. The waterfront of Marseille is a succession of bars and restaurants with a clientele that seems to be constantly in motion; the Ile d'If has a single cafe with a limited menu. You get the idea …
The hurly-burly of the nation's second city can be entertaining, but it does wear thin after a while.
The island is only barely overseas - the ferry ride takes just 20 minutes and costs €10.50 (HK$90) return - but it does transport the visitor to another time.
The city elders of Marseille realised very early on the strategic importance of the Frioul archipelago, of which If is the smallest of the four islands, and fortified the rocky outcrop to protect the mouth of the harbour and its trading ships.