The Quai Cronstadt fish market is one of the best in Provence, and certainly the least polished. Fishermen sell directly from their boats from early morning, offering the day's catch from the waters between the offshore islands and the Giens peninsula. Come before 9am for the best selection — by midday much of it has been snapped up by restaurant buyers and local housewives.
The streets behind the quay are the oldest part of Toulon, a labyrinth of narrow alleys with small restaurants, bars, and market stalls that cater mostly to locals. The architecture is undistinguished — much was rebuilt after heavy wartime bombing — but the atmosphere is genuine. This is a working city first and a tourist destination second, and the old port quarter shows it.