Marseille, France’s second-most populous city, and Cassis – both situated on the Mediterranean coast – are great places to visit the calanques of southern France.
I travelled there on the TGV – which is a very comfortable and quite cheap way of transport – allowing me to make the most of the beautiful landscapes along the way.
During my short stay in Marseille – the largest port in France – I went to the Basilica Notre-Dame de la Garde, situated at the highest natural point in Marseille, at 162m (532ft). From there is probably one of the most beautiful skylines in France: on one side the sea, with the islands of Frioul and the Château d’If, miles of coastline and the Vieux Port (Old Harbour), and on the other side, the city of Marseille in the midst of a semicircle of mountains.
In the evening, we went to the lively Old Harbour, with its bars and pubs. Having a drink on one of the terraces that line the docks of the Old Port is idyllic.
I have to say, discovering the calanques was the best part of the trip for me. A calanque is a deep valley with steep sides, typically of limestone, in part submerged by the sea – a sort of Mediterranean fjord. I visited the Calanque de Sormiou, which is one of the biggest calanques between Marseille and La Ciotat, and is famous for its climbing spots. At the base of the calanque there is a sandy beach with cabanas and a restaurant, reached by a small, well-hidden road, easily accessible to cars outside the summer season, and there is also a walking path.
I then visited the village of Cassis, which is surrounded by nature: vineyards, calanques, cliffs and the sea. All these elements create a magical panorama of colours. Cassis is also famous for its seafood, which I enjoyed with a glass of wine on one of the sunny terraces in the harbour.
I recommend the IGN map Les Calanques de Marseille à Cassis (1:15,000), or the Michelin Zoom map Provence/ Camargue (113) which covers a wider area.
Author: Violaine Sabot