SOCIAL PROGRAMME & EXCURSIONS

Social programme

The following conference events are available to all participants and their companions and are included in the conference fee.

Welcome Buffet Reception on Thursday, 1 April (19.00) The reception will be hosted by Michel Laurent, President of the Université de la Méditerranée, and will be held at the Salon Eugénie in the Palais du Pharo. With a striking Napoleonic decor, the reception room offers a beautiful view over the bay of Marseille. It is located next to the Université de la Méditerranée.

Gala Dinner on Friday, 2 April (20.30) The conference Gala Dinner will take place in the Grand Hall of the Palais de la Bourse (Marseille-Provence Chamber of Commerce and Industry), located on the famous Canebière, near the Old Harbour.

Programme for companions

The following excursions are optional and are not included in the companions' fee.

Friday, 2 April
Les Baux de Provence (9.00 - 17.00)

Between Arles and Saint-Rémy de Provence, Les Baux de Provence is a site rich in culture and discoveries. The day will begin with a visit of the Sarragan Vineyards, located in an old stone quarry surrounded by a rich landscape. Lunch will take place in the Golf des Baux, in a traditional cuisine restaurant, followed by a visit to the flora of Provence and the village of Les Baux and its Citadel in the afternoon.
The excursion will conclude with a visit to the Cathédrale des Images, whose walls, floor and ceilings of are particularly impressive. With Les Baux de Provence close to the village, the cathedral is located in a small valley that has inspired many artists including Dante, Gounod, and Cocteau.

Price: 95 € / person, including transportation by coach, guided tour and lunch.

Saturday, 3 April
Marseille (9.00 - 14.00)

Still representing an important industrial tradition in Marseille, the soap factories have contributed to the city's reputation. The tour includes a history of the factories in the 19th century and a visit to a production site. Lunch will take place in a restaurant in the city centre.

Price: 50 € / person, including transportation by coach, guided tour and lunch.

Post-conference excursions

The following excursions are optional for all participants and their companions, and are not included in the conference fee.

Saturday, 3 April
Cassis (15.00 - 22.30)

22 km east of Marseille, Cassis is a small village located in a sheltered bay between two "Classified Natural Sites": the Cap Canaille and the Massif des Calanques. To the east, Cap Canaille is the home of the highest cliffs in Europe at a 416 m overhang to the sea. To the west, between Cassis and Marseille, the Massif des Calanques offers a beautifully coloured landscape that encompasses the blue sky of Provence, the Mediterranean Sea, green pine forests and white limestone cliffs.

The tour will begin with a boat trip to 3 creeks: Port Miou, Port Pin and En Vau, followed by a visit of Cassis, in a "little train", from which the height of the city with a grand view of the Bay of Cassis, the castle, Cap Canaille and the creek of Port Miou can be seen. The visit will also include a "Cassidain" Vineyard where you will be invited to a wine tasting.

A convivial dinner will take place at a traditional restaurant.

Price: 95 € / person, transportation by coach, the boat trip, guided tour, wine tasting and dinner.

Sunday , 4 April

On Sunday, participants have a choice of two tours.

Aix-en-Provence and Paul Cézanne's studio (9.30 - 12.30)
30 km North of Marseille, the city of Aix-en-Provence is at the foot of the Sainte Victoire Mountain, frequently painted by the famous painter Paul Cézanne. The narrow streets of the old quarter, fountains and private mansions from the 17th and 18th centuries make this town very attractive.

"In Cézanne's footsteps": A tour on foot through the streets of Aix with a guide explores the areas and quarters in which Cézanne lived: the house where he was born, Bourbon College where he became friends with Emile Zola and the studio where he lived from 1899 to his death. The visit will conclude in the gardens of Cézanne's studio with a wine tasting of Côteaux d'Aix.

Price: 35 € / person, including transportation by coach, the guided pedestrian tour in Aix, the visit of Paul Cézanne's studio and the wine tasting. Lunch is not included in this excursion.

Marseille (9.00 - 12.00)
A guided tour of the Saint Victor Abbey and "Little train" tour from the Vieux-Port (Old Harbour) to Notre Dame de la Garde Basilica.

Saint Victor Abbey was founded in the 5th century by John Cassian on the tomb of Saint Victor, a Roman martyr from the 3rd century. After being destroyed several times, the Abbey was fortified in the 14th century by Pope Urban V. Today, it is possible to visit the higher church of Romantic and Gothic architecture, which houses many works of art and the high altar built by Jean Bernard and
the Companions of the Duty (devoted in 1966). The crypt, or lower church, in which the vault of Notre-Dame de la Confession and the statue of the Black Virgin (13th century polychrome walnut) can also be visited. Many sarcophagi were discovered and you can also admire St Isarn (11th century).

"Little train" tour: The "Little train" takes you on a tour of the centre of Marseille. It is a 50 minute trip with commentary. It starts from the Vieux-Port (Old Harbour) and goes to Notre Dame de la Garde, passing by Saint Victor Abbey.

Notre Dame de la Garde: This is the highest point of the city, where the first chapel was built in 1214 and offers an impressive view of Marseille. The present Romanesque-Byzantine basilica, designed by architect Espérandieu and consecrated in 1864, was one of the great building projects undertaken during the Second Empire.

Price : 30 € / person, including transportation by coach, the guided tour of Saint Victor Abbey and its crypt, the "Little train" tour and the visit of the Basilica. Lunch is not included in this excursion.