On vacation in Provence or on the French Riviera, you want to discover the Calanques but do not know how to visit the Calanques of Marseille. Especially since it is important to know what you want so as not to be disappointed and miss out on simply sublime landscapes.
Here are the questions I will answer in this article:
- How to visit the Calanques of Marseille: on foot, by boat, by car, by bus?
- Which calanque to visit in Marseille or Cassis, which are the most beautiful, the most accessible?
- What hike to do in the creeks of Marseille, what itinerary on foot?
- How to access the Calanques from Marseille?
So here are some tips to ensure that your visit to the Calanques of Marseille and Cassis is successful and meets your expectations perfectly.
How to visit the Calanques of Marseille in 1 day?
For those who only have 1 day to visit the Calanques of Marseille, here are the following possibilities of visits:
- To go on a cruise to have a complete overview of the creeks from the sea: Daily departures are reserved directly from the old port of Marseille. Or on Visit of the Calanques by boat.
- Do a guided hike in the Calanques National Park from Cassis. Indeed, there is a beautiful hike that allows you to see several Calanques in 1 day. See itinerary details below.
- Choose a calanque to visit from Marseille, get there by car, bus or on foot and spend the day there (see which are the most beautiful creeks below).
How to visit the Calanques of Cassis on foot?
Here is a hike that remains a classic and a safe bet for visiting the creeks on foot from Cassis.
Where to park to go to the creeks of Cassis?
The start of this hike is from pretty wood parking lot very close to Cassis on the Gineste road. But as this road is often saturated in summer, I advise you to park your car in Cassis and reach the Port-Miou car park on foot (30 minutes on foot).
Otherwise, you can park at Gorguettes relay car park which is free and from where direct shuttles depart for the departure of the Calanques (€1,80).
Hike to the creeks of Cassis
From the Port Miou car park, go down the Calanque de Port Miou to the small beach. Then you have to follow the west bank by the GR51 and GR98 to reach the cove of Port-Pin after passing a small pass.
Arrived at Port-Pin, follow the path heading south marked in blue. It will take you to Pointe d'En Vau and take you back north towards Portalet d'En Vau.
You will climb up to the belvedere of the Calanque d'En-Vau. At 120 meters above sea level, you will enjoy an exceptional panorama over the entire Calanques de Marseille national park.
By a steep passage, you will descend into the valley of En Vau. You can then access the beach by following the path marked in red.
Hiking route in the Calanques of Cassis
This hike represents almost 9 kilometers and is done in 4 hours of walking. I therefore recommend that you leave early in the morning so as not to suffer too much from the heat and avoid the crowds.
The route of this hike in the Calanques of Marseille is on the Visorando website. You can download the application or the PDF to follow the route online.
Otherwise, you can do this magnificent hike by booking an excursion with a guide for a ridiculous price (30 €):
How to visit the creeks of Marseille on foot?
If you want to visit some of the creeks of Marseille on your own, I recommend that you use the official Calanques National Park mobile app.
Indeed, geolocated information is updated in real time. You will find 23 routes to visit the calanques of Marseille on foot ! See info for download the app which also exists in English.
With this application, not only can you follow the hiking routes very easily, but you will be informed in real time about the news and the activities that can be done in the creeks (climbing, hiking, diving, kayaking, mountain biking). You will have online maps and a system of alerts and notifications.
Map of the Calanques of Marseille
To choose your hiking route, the Calanques National Park website has put an interactive map online which allows you to view all the hiking trails in the Calanques of Marseille and Cassis: Interactive map
Which creek to visit in Marseille?
Hard to say, it all depends on your desires and your physical condition. To help you choose among the 27 creeks that go from the Madrague de Montredon to Cassis, here are the questions you need to ask yourself:
- What are the most beautiful creeks in Marseille?
- Among the most beautiful, which is the most accessible calanque?
- Among the most beautiful, which are the creeks where you can swim?
What are the most beautiful creeks in Marseille?
They are all magnificent but, according to reviews on forums and travel blogs, here is the list of the most beautiful calanques in Marseille:
- Calanque d'En-Vau (accessible from Cassis)
- Calanque de Sugiton (accessible from Marseille): Be careful because you have to book in advance (see explanations below)
- The Calanque de Sormiou (accessible from Marseille)
- Calanque de Morgiou (accessible from Marseille)
- Calanque de Port-Pin (accessible from Cassis)
What is the most accessible cove?
The creeks of Cassis are the most accessible: Calanque de Port Miou, Calanque of Port Pin et Calanque d'En-Vau. See access details earlier in the chapter: Hike to the creeks of Cassis
Among the most beautiful creeks of Marseille, those of Sormiou and Morgiou are the most visited because the easiest to access until today. Indeed, now during the summer, the only access by road is closed to tourists on its last portion. Check on the National Park official website Calanques of Marseille:
« Sormiou, Morgiou and Callelongue roads: seasonal closure by decision of the City of Marseille to allow access for emergency services. In 2022, the roads are closed to motor vehicle traffic:
- Every weekend and public holiday (Monday April 18 and Thursday May 26) from Saturday April 9, from 7:00 a.m. to 19:00 p.m.
- Every day from Wednesday June 1 to Friday September 30, from 7:00 a.m. to 19:00 p.m."
How to get to the Calanque de Sugiton?
To get from Marseille to the Calanque de Sugiton, you can take the bus RTM B1 direction Campus de Luminy and get off at the stop Luminy – PN of the Calanques. Then it takes 30 minutes to walk to the belvedere and 45 minutes to walk to the creek.
Hike to the calanque and the belvedere of Sugiton
But beware, from this summer, access becomes regulated: See below.
How to visit the Calanque de Sugiton?
Access to the Calanque de Sugiton which is one of the most beautiful in Marseille will be regulated from this summer. Indeed, to avoid overcrowding, this summer, you will need book a visit permit to access the Calanque. Only 400 people per day will be able to get there by reserving for free in advance.
The reservation system will be tested on June 26 and July 3, 2022 for a final implementation daily from July 10 to August 21.
How to book to go to the Calanque de Sugiton?
Open to all from 9 a.m., the free reservation to access the Calanque is made online on the Calanques National Park platform.
You can book 3 days before the day of his visit and until 18 p.m. the day before the scheduled day of your visit.
After booking online, you will receive a confirmation email with confirmation of your booking with a QR code. This QR code must be presented upon arrival in the Calanque de Sugiton.
How to get to the Calanque de Sormiou?
From the center of Marseille, take metro line 2 towards Sainte Marguerite – Dromel. Get off at the Rond–Point du Prado stop and take bus 23 towards Les Baumettes to get off at theLa Cayolle stop. Then you have to count 1 hour walk to reach the Calanque de Sormiou.
Go to the Calanque de Sormiou by car
If you have a car, you can park at Baumettes car park in the 9th arrondissement of Marseille. From there, on foot, you will cross the Parc des Baumettes and take the trail marked in red at the end on the left. You will climb up to a wide track and take a path to the right to reach the Col des Baumettes on the left. Past the pass, you will begin the descent to Sormiou beach. Count 50 minutes walk.
Calanque de Sormiou Hike
Here are some ideas:
Hiking route: the Calanque de Sormiou via the Col de Sormiou
Hiking route: the Calanque de Sormiou via the Col des Baumettes
How to get to the creek of Morgiou?
Go to Calanque de Morgiou by public transport
To go to the Calanque de Morgiou, you have to go to the Prado roundabout to take the bus no. 22 to the terminal The Baumettes. Then you will continue on foot to the Baumettes park and then follow the direction indicated Calanque de Morgiou + 1 hour hike.
Otherwise you can also take the bus 21 up to Luminy. Then you will follow the main path as if to go to Sugiton. 500 meters before arriving at the Col de Sugiton, you will turn right on the path marked with yellow dots which goes down to Morgiou. Count 50 minutes of walking.
Go to Calanque de Morgiou by car
The Calanque de Morgiou is accessible by car only out of season and under certain conditions. This is why it is better to park your car in the Baumettes car park and walk for around 1 hour from the car park.
What are the easiest creeks?
All creeks are deserved. Indeed, you cannot arrive by car near a creek and only take a few steps to enjoy the beach and the rocks.
That's why, if you don't like to walk, I recommend you to visit the Calanque of Port Miou near Cassis.
Since Gorguettes free park and ride car park, a shuttle provides direct access to the creek, and (if you have the courage), you can continue on foot to the magnificent creeks of Port-Pin and D'In-Vau.
Do you like turquoise waters and grandiose landscapes? So visit the Gorges du Verdon and do it splendid Martel trail !
And don't forget to book 1 day to visit Marseille