“…I’ve settled in Cassis, a pretty little port an hour from Marseille. Some white, some blue, some orange harmonically dispersed in pretty undulations. All around mountains with rhythmic curves.”
~ Paul Signac in a letter to Vincent van Gogh, 12 April 1889
The Calanques of Cassis, a series of coves nestled between towering limestone cliffs, dot the coastline of southern France between the village of Cassis and the city of Marseille. The rugged coastal terrain, known as le Massif des Calanques, has been part of the Calanques National Park since 2012, and offers over 12 miles of hiking trails and amazing views of the many inlets and of the Mediterranean Sea.
Consisting of over 20 named inlets, the calanques – several of which are accessible from Cassis – have been immortalized in such works of art as:
La Calanque – Paul Signac, 1906 (Fin-de-Siècle Museum, Brussels, Belgium)
The three calanques closest to the village of Cassis are Port Miou,
Port Pin,
and En Vau.
Of these, the easiest to access on foot is Port Miou.
The site of a former limestone quarry, the inlet today is home to a marina.
The Sentier du Petit Prince, a designated hiking trail looping around the peninsula (presqu’ile) and with access to the marina is named in memory of writer, poet, and aviator, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of The Little Prince.
To reach the trail, or just to enjoy the view from the cliff, follow the coastal road (and the signs) north of the main harbor, heading west.
The walk takes you past cliff-side homes
and a few beaches.
A great way to see the calanques, to appreciate the sheer height of the cliffs and the crystal clear emerald water, is by boat.
There are several excursions per day ranging from 45-minutes to 2 hours in length. Cruise options include 3, 5, 8 or 9 calanques.
Boats depart from the main harbor and tickets can be purchased from the yellow kiosk at Quai St. Pierre.
One advantage of the boat excursion is the fantastic view of Cassis and Cap Canaille on the return trip from the calanques.
Ticket Info:
Adult rate (3 Calanques: Port Miou, Port Pin, En Vau) = 16.00€
Adult rate (5 Calanques: Port Miou, Port Pin, En Vau, l’Oule, Devenson) = 19.00€
Adult rate (8 Calanques: Port Miou, Port Pin, En Vau, l’Oule, Devenson, Oeil de Verre, Sugiton, Morgiou) = 22.00€
Adult rate (9 Calanques: Port Miou, Port Pin, En Vau, l’Oule, Devenson, Oeil de Verre, Sugiton, Morgiou, Sormiou) = 27.00€
Travel tip:
If you plan to hike the trails, be sure to bring an adequate amount of drinking water. As someone who enjoys spending time outdoors, I was excited to come across https://outdoorstack.com/. The website offers a wealth of information for outdoor enthusiasts, including reviews of gear, advice on outdoor activities, and tips. I believe it has the potential to become one of the top resources for outdoor enthusiasts.
Summary
Reviewer
Mike Young
Review Date
Reviewed Item
Calanques
Author Rating
3 Trackbacks
By Things to do in Cassis – Visit the Calanq... 17 Nov ’15 at 5:25 pm
By What to see and do in Cassis 19 Nov ’15 at 7:22 pm
By Restaurant Cassis Port – Juste une autre maison Images Idées 9 Sep ’19 at 12:11 pm