Xola Ntshinga says "au revoir" to France after Springboks' Test
Breakfast with Martin Bester sports anchor, Xola Ntshinga, is back home after a whirlwind visit to the South of France, courtesy of Air France and Explore France.
After starting off the trip in Toulon, the touring party travelled down the coast to Marseilles for the Test match between the Springboks and Les Bleus. The Stade Velodrome welcomed over 65,000 very vocal supporters, with the atmosphere electric, even before the gates opened. While Bok supporters will be disappointed with the result, the match will go down as one of the most memorable clashes between the countries.
A taste of the city of Marseilles was necessary before returning home, with the team treated to Bouillabaisse. The dish is popular among locals, originally a stew made by local fishermen. There have to be at least three kinds of fish in a traditional bouillabaisse, with the dish taking two days to prepare.
Also memorable was a visit by boat to Calanques National Park. The Park extends over 520km2 and was established in 1923 to prevent industry development at En-Vau.
A quick stop at the beautiful Notre Dame de la Garde (Our Lady of the Guard), a Catholic Basilica and the city's best-known symbol, was a must! It was built on the foundations of an ancient fort at the highest natural point in the city, with construction lasting over forty years. The first stone was laid in 1853.
Not to be outshone, Marseille Cathedral is also a key part of the city’s history. There wasn’t time to enter the grand building, but the structure is imposing, beautiful, and certainly hard to miss.
Sunday was slightly sad, knowing that we had reached the end of our stay. But our hosts, Air France, Explore France, and the Marseilles Tourism Office, made sure that even the departure was electric. It was a rarity for a bunch of loadshedding-worn South Africans to be transferred to the airport by EV (electric vehicle). We were full of questions and touched ALL the buttons in our Tesla. Even our driver James was bemused by our questions.
I’ve been to France before, but this once-in-a-lifetime experience was made even more special by our hosts - and certainly shone a bright light on the south of France.
So... errm... when can we go again?
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