FRENCH JOURNEY - PROGRAMME 1

MARSEILLE - SWIMMING & BOAT RESTORATION

Mediterranean Marseille is France’s most ancient city - founded by Greek traders over 2,600 years ago on this very spot. The Vieux Port still lies at the very heart of Marseille.  It retains the unexpected charm of a fishing village.

All of life unfolds around the Vieux Port - and the daily fish market is a great place to soak up Marseille’s unique atmosphere.

David went to meet a lady who knows the port area pretty well. She and her friends swim here every day.

Clémence:  David

David:  I was waiting for you.  How are you?

Clémence:   Well, thank you, and you?

David:   Yes, I'm going swimming.

Clémence:  Let's swim.  

David:   How long have you been coming here Clémence?

Clémence:  Since I was 9 or 10

David:  And you're how old…I don't want to ask your age, but..?

Clémence:  So that's 70 years

David:   And in winter?

Clémence:  Sometimes, when it gets to 12°, we go swimming.

David:   It's not 12° now.

Clémence:  No, it must be 20°.

David:  Let's go?

Clémence:  Let's go!

David:  Let's go.

Clémence:  It's slippery!

David:    I'll give you my hand.  It's not cold.  You have to throw yourself into the water, otherwise it hurts!  1..2..3..

David:  We're the Marseille whales!

Although much of Marseille’s commercial activity has long since moved elsewhere, the Vieux Port is still a place where people work. Here traditional craftsmanship is kept alive, particularly when it comes to the repair and restoration of boats.

David:  Are you Denis?

Denis:  Yes, hello

David:  What are you doing?

Denis:  Restoring a boat which used to sail the Brittany coast.  We're remaking the hull completely - stripping and refitting it.

David:  Do you use traditional methods?

Denis:  Yes, the right methods for repairing wooden boats.  They've been sailing for years,  and need a lot of work.

David:  What's the difference between a plastic boat and a wooden one?

Denis:  Personally, I think the feel of the sea is completely different.  And the mobility. A plastic hull is much faster.  With a wooden hull,  it's more of a pleasure trip.  There's more of a human feel than with plastic.

Traditional Marseillais fishing boats are coming back in to favour.  This boat is the Monte Cristo. Its owner, Thierry, offered David a guided tour of the islands. And they were barely out of port when David was spotted by Clémence and friends.

David:  How old is this boat?

Thierry:  It's 42 years old.  It was originally built as a fishing boat.  It caught tuna, sardines - it did a bit of everything.

David:  Why is it called the Monte-Cristo?

Thierry:  Because of the Château d'If, where the Count of Monte-Cristo
was imprisoned.

David:  Is the story true?  Was he really in there?

Thierry:  No, it's a legend. But even so, you can see the Count's cell.

The hero of Alexandre Dumas’ novel escaped the Chateau d’If after five years. Most of its other - non fictional - inmates weren’t so lucky.

Copyright BBC 2000.