Sansury-sur-Mer, France.

Star Clipper guests will enjoy this lesser-known French Riviera spot located a short 30 miles from Marseilles. A quiet town, Sansury features a pretty harbor lined with palm trees and pastel colored houses and is an inviting place to spend the day discovering.

Shielded from the wider Mediterranean by a bay, the town is circled by hills and its laidback pace offers cruisers a chance to drink an espresso alongside locals at a cafe, watch the fishing boats bring in their catch, head for the nearby beach at Port-Issol, or wander through narrow, car-free back streets lined by boulangeries and boutiques.

Those interested in exploring the architecture will want to stop by the 13th century tower that was once part of an important defensive system for the town during the middle ages. Within town, guests will find Saint Nazaire, a ninth century gothic church and a short, but beautiful, drive away is the Chapel Notre Dame de Pitié, a 16th century chapel.

Sansury dates back to the 16th century, but is probably most well-known for the few years before World War II when it became the capital of German literature in exile. Some of those (German and English) who made their homes here included: Thomas Mann, Joseph Roth, Franz Werfel, and Arnold Zweig, as well as Aldous Huxley, D. H. Lawrence and Frieda and Sybille Bedford.

Divers on board will definitely want to take the plunge and explore the waters off Sanary-sur-Mer where French Oceanographer Jacques Cousteau developed the diving equipment that is still crucial to deep-sea diving today.

Star Flyer will call at Sanary-sur-Mer during its 2010, seven-night Ligurian sailings.