TORONTO — Air Transat celebrated the first departure of the new Toronto-Marseille flight at Toronto-Pearson Airport earlier this week with a festive nautical theme.

The new service to Marseille is scheduled from May 5 to Oct. 20, 2014, with departures from Toronto every Monday. This new destination is the 20th to be offered in Europe by the air carrier via direct service from Toronto.

France’s oldest port city and the Notre-Dame de la Garde cathedral are known the world over. Marseille represents Mediterranean lifestyle at its best with its famous bouillabaisse and pétanque; it’s also the gateway to Provence de Pagnol, where clients can discover Avignon and its famous bridge, as well as picturesque cities like Nîmes and Arles, and taste Côtes-du-Rhone wines.

This famed region of France is even more accessible with Air Transat’s new direct flight.

Transat Holidays offers travellers who wish to visit Marseille and Provence several new vacation options, including the nine-day Marseille, Nice & Aix-en-Provence package, which explores the historical port of Marseille, and the wealth and beauty of Monaco and Eze. It also gives travellers a dose of Provençal culture, history and gastronomy in Aix-en-Provence.

Transat Holidays also offers a range of à la carte accommodation in Marseille and surrounding cities.

Travelweek will take a closer look at this region in an upcoming issue.