What are the most beautiful calanques in Marseille?

What are the 12 most beautiful calanques in Marseille?

1- En-Vau

The calanque of En-Vau is certainly the most iconic of all! And for good reason, it is truly magnificent. Surrounded by large steep cliffs, it reveals turquoise water that rivals the most beautiful paradise beaches. An impressive and intact nature that makes it an incredible setting for swimming. A small pebble beach is located at the end of the calanque.

Accessibility:

To access the calanque of En-Vau, you will need to walk a bit:

• Either starting from the parking of La Gardiole or Bois Joli: you then cross the forest and the Col de la Gardiole in about 1h50. This is the easiest path to reach the calanque. However, remember to come well in advance in summer as the parking fills up quickly.
• Or starting from the calanque of Port-Miou: a paid parking (€8 per day) is located on the peninsula of Cassis, on Notre-Dame avenue. From here, you can reach the calanque of Port-Miou from where you will start your hike to En-Vau. Count about 1h15 of walking. This is the most beautiful path to reach En-Vau, but know that it is also more technical than the first: you have to walk through rocks and stones to get there. But the viewpoints are really worth it!

In both cases, the paths are very busy, especially in summer! Remember to take water, a cap and sunscreen with you during hot days.

Practical information:

• There is no restaurant on site, remember to bring your picnic.
• There are no toilets on site.

2- Sugiton

Located rather on the Cassis side, the calanque of Sugiton offers a breathtaking spectacle. It is actually designed as two small calanques that form a scenery not to be missed, whether on its pebble beaches or from the high cliffs that surround it. Don't forget to visit its belvedere, perched at 250 meters altitude, to enjoy a magnificent view of the calanques and the sea. It is one of the most visited calanques: to fight against overcrowding in summer, it is now necessary to reserve your ticket in advance to be able to access it during this season.

Accessibility:

• If you are by car, you can park at Luminy and, starting from there, you will have 45 minutes of walking to go down to the calanque. You will pass by the belvedere then take a path that descends in switchbacks to reach the beach. As you go back up on the return, count 1h of walking to reach Luminy.
• You can also take the RTM B1 or 521 bus in the evening from Marseille and stop at Luminy – PN des Calanques to then join the hike that will take you to the beach.

Practical information:

• There is no restaurant on site, remember to bring your picnic.
• There are no toilets on site.

3- Callelongue

Callelongue is undoubtedly one of the calanques to see! It is a bit different from the others, as it actually has a tiny port and huts that give it the appearance of a fishing village. It is nicknamed the "calanque at the end of the world", because it is from here that the wildest part of the Calanques massif begins, and because it is a dead end. It has no beach, but is still accessible for swimming: you will have to get into the water from the rocks.

Accessibility:

• There are a few parking spaces along the calanque, but they are quickly occupied. Otherwise, you will find space on the road that leads you to Callelongue, or directly at Les Goudes, which is located 11 minutes on foot.
• From Marseille, take RTM bus n°19 towards Madrague de Montredon to the terminus, then bus n°20 towards Callelongue, to the terminus.

Practical information:

• You will find a bar-restaurant that serves Marseille dishes
• Toilets

4- Port-Pin

Neighbor to the sublime En-Vau, the calanque of Port-Pin is also one of the most beautiful in the park. Lower than in the first three, its cliffs are however populated with Aleppo pines that give it beautiful green colors that blend harmoniously with the deep blue of the sea. A sand and pebble beach awaits you in this small haven of peace that marks the end of the Marseille calanques before moving to the commune of Cassis. You can, from this calanque, access the calanque of En-Vau thanks to a trail that presents magnificent belvederes. Be careful though, this is not an easy trail to walk (see the info on the calanque of En-Vau).

Accessibility:

• Park on the Cassis peninsula (€8 per day), next to the calanque of Port-Miou, then reach Port-Pin in about 30 minutes. Access is easy and suitable for families with children. Expect to find many people during summer, it's one of the most visited calanques in the park: parking spaces are therefore quickly saturated.
• You can also start walking directly from the center of Cassis: you will have about 45 minutes of walking to reach the calanque and will therefore have no difficulty parking!
• You can otherwise opt for the Gorguettes parking, located at the entrance of Cassis, and take a shuttle to reach the city center then walk to the calanque.

Practical information:

• There is no restaurant on site, remember to bring your picnic.
• There are no toilets on site.

5- Morgiou

Morgiou is a small hamlet where we still find the dwellings that once belonged to fishermen. About forty residents still live on the premises. Its port surrounded by the limestone rocks of the calanque gives it a definitively attractive charm. Thanks to its deep waters, it is the ideal place for scuba diving enthusiasts. It is a very beautiful creek that even attracted the King of France Louis XIII, who came to fish here on November 7, 1622!

Accessibility:

• If you arrive very early and outside the high season, you can try to drive to the calanque and park in the few spaces near it.
• Otherwise, you will have to park at Luminy and walk the 50 minutes that separate you from the calanque.
• You can also choose the parking of Baumettes park, located 1h walk from Morgiou.
• It is possible to access Les Baumettes by bus by taking line n°22 from Marseille, direction Les Baumettes. Stop at the terminus and you will have 1h of walking to reach the creek.

Practical information:

• There is a bar-restaurant at the port that serves fish and Provençal products (be careful, it doesn't accept credit card payment)
• Toilets

6- Sormiou

It is the widest of the calanques in the massif, allowing its many visitors to settle on the long sandy beach that borders it. Its crystal clear water, steep cliffs and tiny port for its residents make it one of the most beautiful places in the Calanques park. It is also the only calanque that has a swimming area supervised by lifeguards in summer. A paradise setting and iron security, what more could you ask for?

Accessibility:

• Sormiou has a paid parking (€4.50 per day) located behind the beach. Be careful however to check if the road leading to the calanque is open: it is often closed in high season when there is a fire risk and to avoid overcrowding.
• If the road is closed or you want to hike a bit before accessing the calanque, you can leave your car at Les Baumettes parking, after which you will have 50 minutes of walking left to arrive at the beach.
• The last option for parking is to choose La Cayolle parking, located 1h walk from the calanque. Be careful, the path is quite steep, so the return can be difficult, especially during hot weather. Remember to keep water with you. There is very little shade and the road incline is quite steep.
• By bus from Marseille, you can reach Les Baumettes thanks to line 22 and La Cayolle with line 23, direction Beauvallon, stop La Cayolle.

Practical information:

• There is a bar-restaurant at the port that serves fish and Provençal products
• In summer, the road leading to the calanque remains open for restaurant customers
• Toilets

7- Mounine

The calanque of La Mounine is very narrow and shallow. It thus reveals remarkable aquatic fauna and flora that can be discovered by snorkeling. Here, no beach, but only rocks that run along the narrow stream of water that sneaks to the land. Its very particular layout will give you the impression of being isolated from the rest of the world, as long as the calanque is not invaded by visitors! Outside the summer season, you should be quite peaceful: it's not the most famous calanque in the massif.

Accessibility:

• To access the calanque of La Mounine, you have to start from Callelongue. Follow the hiking trail GR98-51 for about 30 minutes and you will reach this small haven of peace. The path is not difficult: you just have to be careful of the rocks which can sometimes be slippery.
• For those who want a slightly more technical hike, you can climb to the Col du Sémaphore then pick up the GR98-51 for the rest of the route.
• To access La Mounine by bus from Marseille, you have to take line n°19 to the terminus Les Goudes then line n°20 to the terminus Callelongue. You then have a 30 minutes walk left to reach it.

Practical information:

• There is no restaurant on site, remember to bring your picnic.
• There are no toilets on site.

8- Marseilleveyre

Located in the same area, just after the calanque of La Mounine, Marseilleveyre is one of the easiest beaches to access. Because yes, it has a beautiful and long sand and pebble beach, one of the largest in the massif. Its proximity to Marseille and its easy access attract many people, but it remains one of the great must-sees of the Calanques park. It gives a breathtaking view of the Riou archipelago and Cap Canaille. Note that Marseilleveyre is also the name of the summit of the Calanques massif, which rises to 432 meters.

Accessibility:

• To access Marseilleveyre, you have to start from the calanque of Callelongue and walk for 50 minutes on a marked hiking trail: the GR58-51. The hike is easy, you just have to be careful of the rocks which are sometimes a bit slippery.
• By bus from Marseille, you have to take line n°19 to the terminus Les Goudes then line n°20 to the terminus Callelongue. You then have 50 minutes of walking left to arrive at the beach.

Practical information:

• There is a bar-restaurant on site that offers local products
• Toilets

9- Méjean

This calanque is not on the same side as the others: it is not in the direction of Cassis, but rather on the side of Carry-le-Rouet, on the Côte Bleue. It is divided into two parts: Petit Méjean and Grand Méjean. Both are worth the detour, Petit Méjean reveals a port and a beach, and Grand Méjean, a very beautiful creek with turquoise waters. A beautiful calanque to visit if you are on the other side of Marseille!

Accessibility:

• There is a small parking at the end of the calanque, but there are few spaces. Be careful, access to the calanque and therefore to this parking is forbidden in high season.
• Otherwise, you will have to park at the calanque of La Redonne or at the calanque of Niolon and walk along the GR of the Côte Bleue. Count about 30 minutes from La Redonne and 1h from Niolon.

Practical information:

• There is a restaurant on site that serves fish-based cuisine
• Toilets

10- Port-Miou

We go back to the Cassis side to visit the calanque of Port-Miou, the only calanque that does not belong to Marseille, but to the commune of Cassis. Accessible on foot from the center of Cassis, it is ideal for families who want to discover the calanques without too many difficulties. It also has a very nice port that extends along the calanque, which is more than a kilometer long in total. Its great particularity, although invisible, is that it is the arrival point of a mysterious underground river that flows from the Sainte-Baume massif. It is a cold spring, so don't expect great heat when entering the water at Port-Miou!

Accessibility:

• To get as close as possible to the calanque, you can park on the Cassis peninsula, on a paid parking (€8 per day) which is located only 10 minutes walk from the creek. In summer, traffic is difficult and you are not sure to find space.
• Know that you can otherwise start walking directly from Cassis and follow the GR58-21 for about 45 minutes to reach the calanque.
• You can also park your car at the Gorguettes parking, at the entrance of Cassis, and take the shuttle that will take you to Port-Miou, at the entrance of the Calanques national park. You will then need only a few minutes to reach the calanque of Port-Miou.

Practical information:

• There are several restaurants on the Cassis peninsula, near the calanque of Port-Miou
• Toilets

11- Les Goudes

More than a simple calanque, Les Goudes is a real village by the sea. It consists of a fishing port and a marina that make life easier for its inhabitants. There is a pretty creek and impressive views of the surroundings, especially of Marseille in the distance. From Les Goudes, we have access to Cap Croisette, which marks the entrance to the Calanques national park. A majestic setting that is definitely worth the detour, especially as it offers very pleasant bars and restaurants to eat in a unique setting, but also the possibility of swimming, diving or fishing.

Accessibility:

• You can park in the village of Les Goudes to access the creek. Be careful, there is only one road that leads to the village, so leave early or visit outside the high season to be sure you can park and enjoy the places!
• The best way to reach Les Goudes is to take the bus from Marseille, first the n°19 to Madrague de Montredon, then the n°20 towards Callelongue. Stop at the Les Goudes stop and enjoy the show!
• During certain periods of the year, you also have maritime shuttles that leave from the Old Port of Marseille and take you to the village for €8.

12- L'Oule

The calanque of l'Oule is only for those who want to visit the calanques by boat or kayak: it is not accessible on foot. If you have the opportunity to go on a water excursion, it is unmissable and truly impressive. It is characterized by very high cliffs that give unparalleled calm to this part of the park. If you want to glimpse it other than by boat, you can climb to the En-Vau belvedere which gives a superb panorama of the calanque. It is one of the wildest and most secret places in the national park.

Accessibility:

• Impossible to access on foot: you can however follow a path to reach the cave of l'Oule, but you will have no view of the calanque and you cannot go further.
• You can admire it from afar from the En-Vau belvedere or the Castelviel breach
• You can enter this calanque by boat or kayak and discover its semi-submerged marine cave.