A short distance from Canebiere, this heavenly wilderness of white limestone is now a national park, and provides you with a great opportunity to discover this natural heritage of great beauty.
Book a train ticket
Book a train ticket
The calanques of Marseille consist of 20km of rugged coastline from Marseilles to Cassis overlooking turquoise waters. The calanques are deep narrow valleys, which are so steep that access to them is difficult. The sea rushes into the carved-out rock and creates heavenly landscapes. You can access a true natural treasure, of which the people of Marseilles are justly proud, on foot or by kayak.
The calanques of Marseille by sea kayak
A kayak is the ideal boat for exploring the calanques at your own pace. Twisting and turning between the rocks, into the caves and at the same time preserving the environment. For a family, a half-day trip is ideal. From Cassis, it is possible to get to the calanque of Port-Miou or the calanque of En Vau.
On a day trip from Marseilles you can even push on up to the Archipel de Riou (the Riou Archipelago) which is eight nautical miles south of the old port of Marseilles. Acquired by the Conservatoire du Littoral (Association for Coastline Preservation), it is a complete sanctuary for seabirds such as Cory’s shearwaters or cormorants.
Check out our ideas for visiting the Calanques of Marseille:
Swimming in the calanques of Marseille
It is impossible to come to the calanques without wanting to dive into the turquoise waters... the water is so clear it feels like a natural aquarium.
The bottoms are covered with groves of Posidonia. This underwater plant, which looks like green algae, constitutes a major ecosystem of the coastline. It is very fragile and is frequently damaged by recreational boats every year. The creation of the national park will undoubtedly make it easier to protect this fragile ecosystem.
La calanque d’En-Vau is our favourite
La calanque d’En-Vau is one of the finest and most impressive of the calanques with its high cliffs, clear turquoise waters, and sandy pebble beaches.
On foot, the calanque is difficult to access (do not go there with small children). You can reach it from Port-Pin (1 hour’s walk) or from the car park at la Gardiole (3 hours round trip, trail closed in summer). By canoe, you can access it from the Plage de Cassis or the calanque de Port-Miou.
