Frioul/Marseille

The Frioul archipelago is about 70 NAutical Miles from Sete and is a group of 4 islands located off the Mediterranean coast of France, approximately at 4 km from Marseille. The islands of the archipelago cover a total land area of approximately 200 hectares. The islands of Pomègues and Ratonneau are connected by a mole built in 1822.Frioul (island) is situated in the ‘rade de Marseille’, not too far from the Vieux Port and can be reached by Ferry from Marseille as well. The picture above shows the island from the south to the North, with the small island Ile d’If and Marseille (background). The Château d’If is a fortress (later a prison) located on the island of If, the smallest island in the Frioul Archipelago situated  about a mile offshore in the Bay of Marseille. Frioul Harbour looking towards MarseilleEsprit de Co(r)ps in Frioul Harbour, may 2012Ile Ratonneau is relatively long and thin, approximately 2.5 km long but at most 500 m wide and generally much narrowerFrioul seen from the aeroplane, just before arriving at Marseille Airport, Marignane MP2

Frioul has a harbour and there are several places around the island where you can anchor. In the harbour there are several restaurants where a variety of fish dishes can be eaten. Best time of the year to visit Frioul is around spring, flowers are blossoming and the island is not so ‘drie’, it’s colourfull and not too busy than. Frioul can be crowded around weekends where Marseillais go there to meet and organize BBQ’s on the quai. because of its scale Frioul is nice to go walking, with lots of beautifull panorama’s, also for walking, spring (or Autum) are the better periods. If you don’t like crowds to much avoid august….                                                                                                                      Frioul consists of two islands, Ile Pomege and Ile Ratonneau. In the past the ‘Marseillais’ built a dam between the two islands, where the Harbour is situated now. During its history the island was used as a place where sailors were kept in Quarantaine, later it was a place where ill people were kept aside from populated Marseille so their illness would not spread… And also for a long time it was a Militairy Island, still some parts belong to the Militairy and cannot be accesed.Esprit de Co(r)ps in the Harbour of Frioul, looking towards Marseille. september 2011Frioul, looking West, direction of Carro and the Gulf of Fos sur MerFrioul, looking Northeast, towards MarseilleFrioul (Pointe Pomegue) looking SE, towards Calanques / Cap CroisetteFrioul, Ile Ratonneau, looking SouthFirst 40.7 Esprit de Co(r)ps in Frioul Harbour, near Marseille, april 2011Frioul Calanque de MorgiretCalanque de Morgiret, anchoringPointe Pomegues, deeper in the bay there is a fish-farm, but otherwise good anchoringthere is a variety of flowers on the island in spring, the best time to visit Frioulseagull with eggseagulls with puppies..(may 2012)Frioul, Port de L’Eoube, on the North side of the island (ile Ratonneau)Ancient ’terrain Militaire’, in the background the pilot house, also on Ile Ratonneaunearby on top of the hill, an ancient fortress with these militairy remains as well…….Frioul Pointe Pomegues, fish farm

On the other side of the Rade de Marseille…Entrance of the ‘Vieux Port‘, Marseillecleaning the hull in the Vieux Port, MarseilleMarseille, Vieux PortMarseille, square next to the Vieux PortMarseille, Vieux Port and Notre Dame de la Garde