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Departure – The Road to France

· 4 min read
Jieyi Mai
Jieyi Mai
Software Engineer Apprentice

My journey already began on 22 March.
To make the 1,700 km, 16‑hour drive easier, I decided to turn it into a road trip and stop in a few different cities along the way.

First Stop: Freiburg and Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte​

I spent a day in Freiburg, mainly to try different Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte.
The Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte here is quite iconic: the portion is large, the cream is a bit rough and not very smooth, the cake itself is not very moist, and the cherries do not have a strong alcohol taste.
I came for the Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, but in the end I discovered that the passion fruit mousse cake was actually pretty decent.

Kolben Café Blackforest cherrycake and passion fruit mousse cake

Compared to Kolben Café, the Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte at Café Schmidt is different.
Instead of rough cream, they use a smoother cream, the cake is moister, and the cherries have a stronger alcohol flavor.

Café Schmidt Another Blackforest cherrycake and cheese cake

On the way you can also see a regional version of the “Nett hier” sticker that lets you know you are already in Baden‑Württemberg.

Nett hier Sticker Well since you are already in Baden‑Württemberg

Next Stop: Lyon – First Glimpse of French Culture​

The next stop was Lyon, where I got my first real glimpse of French culture.
I started my visit by going to the city cathedral, which is located on one of the highest points in the city – just like in many European cities.

Pic of a map of every European city Pic of a map of every European city

Basilica of Notre Dame of Fourvière is on the top of the hill, and it offers a great view of the city.

Basilica of Notre Dame of Fourvière You have to go visit that cathedral of each european city

Le Bal des Ardents is a lovely bookstore with cozy atmosphere in old town Lyon.

Most beautiful bookstore in Lyon Here is the famous entrance that made with arch of books

Despite the clichés, Lyon is still a very lovely city.
After trying a local Lyon specialty, quenelle (a mixture of creamed fish cooked in lobster sauce), and some French desserts – and yes, you can always trust French desserts – the journey continued towards Marseille.

Iced chestnut soufflé and crème brûlée with vanilla Iced chestnut soufflé and crème brûlée with vanilla

Marseille – Wind, Waves, and Ice Cream​

I spent three nights at the Old Port of Marseille, which gave me time to explore most of the main tourist spots in the city.

Evening by the Old Port Blues moments at the Old Port

Unfortunately, during my stay the wind was quite strong, and even with the sun it still felt a bit freezing.
However, I still had a great time there: the food was great and people were friendly.

Big Waves in Marseille Too bad its still too cold to go swimming in the sea

They also have what might be one of the best ice creams in the world.

Best Ice Cream Truly is the best ice cream that I have ever had

This flavor Fleur d'oranger éclats de pistache even won the World Gelato competition in 2024.

Next to the Marseille Cathedral you can also find one of the best spots in the city to watch the sunset.

Sunset in Marseille Sunset in Marseille