Cooking of a Master Chef Met in a 2,600-Year-Old Port, the Breath of Provence

Southern France's Provence and the Mediterranean Sea are places where dazzling sunlight and a unique culture live and breathe. This journey, where tradition and modernity coexist to fascinate gourmets from around the world, begins in Marseille, the largest port city in the Mediterranean. Arriving in Marseille after an 11-hour flight from Incheon followed by another 1.5-hour domestic flight, it serves as the starting point for a journey embracing the charms of Provence.

Marseille, Embracing 2,600 Years of History, Captures the Taste of the Mediterranean

Marseille, a historic city with a legacy of no less than 2,600 years since its first establishment in 600 BC, features the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde, which stands tall on a hill, as its iconic landmark. Climbing the stairs to the cathedral reveals a spectacular view where the azure Mediterranean Sea and the city of Marseille can be seen at a glance. Inside the cathedral, there is a dome painted in brilliant gold and a statue of the Virgin Mary wearing a golden crown, filled with paintings and models of ships that embody the wishes of families for the safe return and well-being of their sailors.

The vitality of Marseille is revealed in the street fish market held every morning. In this market, where fresh fish caught in the Mediterranean at dawn is sold to citizens every morning, plump fish such as cod are particularly popular. The traditional fish dish of Marseille, 'Bouillabaisse', stands shoulder to shoulder with luxury dishes worldwide. Bouillabaisse uses six different seasonal fish, various vegetables, and saffron—a spice brought in by immigrants—as its main ingredients. Once a commoner's food that filled the bellies of poor fishermen, it has now become a global delicacy.

The video features 'Trois Font', a restaurant operated by one of the few Master Chefs, of whom there are only 150 even in the culinary nation of France. The chef here shows a commitment to fresh ingredients, using only the fresh fish caught in the Mediterranean that day and a few seasonal vegetables grown in the region.

Tradition Spanning Four Generations and Île d'If, the Setting of a Novel

Marseille's culture is also connected to family history. The video shows a family where four generations, starting from grandparents and now including a young daughter, perform the same work. They make colored clay dolls called 'Santons'. Santons, meaning 'little saints', began from a tradition where people in Provence would decorate their homes with dolls modeled after biblical figures as Christmas approached, and they have gradually come to be produced as dolls depicting ordinary people of Provence.

Beyond the port of Marseille lies Île d'If. Located 120 minutes away from Marseille, the 'Château d'If' on this island was built in the early 16th century and was used as a prison that imprisoned many political prisoners and notorious criminals for about 100 years. Graffiti carved into the walls by prisoners at that time still remains. The reason Château d'If became as famous as it is now is due to Alexandre Dumas's novel 'The Count of Monte Cristo'. It is in this Château d'If that the protagonist of the novel was imprisoned for 14 years.

Aix-en-Provence, the City of Fountains, and Walking Through Medieval Times

Driving an hour and a half away from Marseille, one arrives in Aix-en-Provence, which, as its name suggests, is a 'City of Fountains' rich in water. In France, when 'Aix' is attached to a regional name, it carries the meaning that water is abundant or good. More than a hundred fountains of various shapes are located in every corner of the city center. A carnival that any citizen can participate in is also held here. This festival, which originated from religious events in the past, continues the tradition where participants throw colored paper at each other to pray for the abundance and fertility of the earth. Once a year, the Cours Mirabeau in Aix-en-Provence grants freedom and happiness to the citizens.

Heading to Mannes, located a two-hour drive away to find another charm of Provence, a mysterious landscape greeted by entirely green nature appears. In this fairy-tale-like village that does not appear on maps, traveling one more hour leads to the village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. Walking through the narrow alleys of this small village, where about 700 residents still live in houses built during the medieval period, a time travel to the Middle Ages begins.