The Calanques: Marseille to Cassis
7 days: Guided hike through unique and beautiful coastlines
- The Calanques : emerald fingers carved in the cliffs
- Marseille and Cassis: Enjoy the Mediterranean climate
- French professional certified guide
- Hike without carrying the luggage
- Full board, picnic lunch
Calanques, l'Estaque, Côte Bleue, La Ciotat – have you ever dreamt about those places in the South of France?
The Calanques are narrow rocky inlets composed of scrubland habitat that are situated in close proximity to Marseille and extend all the way to the charming Port de Cassis.
Creeks are overlooked by spectacular limestone cliffs that drop vertically into the deep blue sea. The coastal hiking trip takes you above the most superb mountaineering routes in an area internationally renowned for its magnificent white cliffs, overhanging the sea.
Marcel Pagnol's replicas are revived. Hikers can enjoy the pine scents that are distilled by heat. The mild Mediterranean climate outside of the extremely hot summer season brings visitors amongst pine forests and Provencal perfumes.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Marseille
Meeting point at the train station Saint Charles in Marseille. From there you will take the bus or the metro to the horel, where you will spend 3 nights. You can also come directly at the hotel with your own car at 7.30 pm.
Day 2: Chateau Pastré – Col de la Selle – Plateau de l'Homme Mort
In the morning, you leave the hotel to go hiking in the direction of the Chateau Pastré, which hosts since 1995 the Musée de la Faïence. Then the way leads you to the small valley of the Trois-Gancets over the Col de la Selle. You continue the hike on the Plateau de l'Homme Mort and climb up through the valley of the same name, passing by the Fontaine de Voire towards the _Pointe Rouge.
Duration: 4 h 30 – Ascent: 400m – Descent: 400m
Day 3: La Madrague – Marseilleveyre – Les Goudes
The hike today guides you in direction of Madrague, and then, through the cave Roland, to the summit Marseilleveyre_(432m), the second highest point of the _Calanques . After that you will go towards the sea via the la Galinette pass and the rocks Les Goudes to Callenlongue and to the cove of the fishing village of Les Goudes. After this exhausting day, a bus will bring you back to the hotel in Marseille.
Duration: 5 h 30 – Ascent: 600m – Descent: 600m
Day 4: Les Goudes – Calanques – Cassis
Fristly, the bus takes you to Les Goudes. Then you begin the hike on the coastal trail over the Calanques of la Mounine, Marseilleveyre, Podestat, Cortiou and Sormiou. Then you will climb uphill via the pass Les Baumettes and the adjoining narrow valley. A taxi will take you to Cassis where you will spend 3 nights in a hotel with full board and picnic lunch.
Duration: 5 h – Ascent: 500m – Descent: 300m
Day 5: Luminy – Missif de Puget – Cassis
After a small taxi transfert to Luminy you will go across the Puget Massif, the highest montain in the Calanques with a height of 564 m. Along coastal trails and over ridges, you will walk above the Calanques of Morgiou, the pass la Candelle, the footpath Chaudronniers, the Oule pass and the Portalet to finally reach Cassis.
Duration: 7 h – Ascent: 750m – Descent: 750m
Day 6: Cassis – La Colle – Cap Canaille – Cassis
From Cassis you will walk towards La Colle , following a ridge that will take you over the cliffs of Soubeyranes and the Cap Canaille, almost 400 m above the sea level. Then, a descent leads you downhill towards la Ciotat, via the summit Grande Tête and the Sainte-Croix chapel. A bus will bring you back to Cassis at the end of the day. Please Note that the itinerary may change according to bus timetables.
Duration: 5 h – Ascent: 500m – Descent: 500m
Day 7: Calanques En Vau and the Belvedere Doigt de Dieu
Today the programm offers you a short walk through the forest La Gardiolle between Marseille and Cassis. You walk across the Mussuguieres plateau and return to Cassis via the Calanques d'En Vau, the panoramic viewpoint of Doigt de Dieu, and the Calanques of Port Pin and Port Miou. The trip end at approx. 3 pm.
Duration: 4 h – Ascent: 300m – Descent: 300m
Travel dates
- Oct 21st, 18 – Oct 27th, 18
- From 860,- €
- guaranteed departure
- Enquire now
- Apr 01st, 19 – Oct 26th, 19
- From 830,- €
- Please contact us for further information.
- Enquire now
Indication of price per person in double room occupancy
Price surcharge for a single room : 270,- €
Our hiking programm begins at the train station of Marseille_and ends in _Cassis.
Your organise the arrival and return by yourself and extend your trip on your option.
For groups of 6 persons at least, we can arrange dates and content for the trip.
An organised guided tour in english can also be set.
With your enquiry, please let us know the number of your party and the dates of your holiday.
Services
Included:
6 nights in double or triple bedrooms in 2 stars hotels, full board (Picnic lunch), french licenced guide, transport of the luggage, transfers according to the programm, visitor's tax
Not included:
Travel to/from Marseille, drinks, personnal expenses, insurance in case of cancellation
Number of participants
Can be booked by individual travellers!
Guaranteed departure: 6 persons (max. 15 persons)
Not accessible to persons with reduced mobility.
Last possibility of cancellation from the tour operator: 21 days before the beginning of the trip
Accommodation
3 nights in double or triple bedrooms in a 2 stars hotel in Marseille, well situated for the beginning of the hike
3 nights in double bedrooms in a 2 stars hotel in Cassis (You can ask for a triple bedroom)
Price surcharge for a single room : 270,- €
Breakfast at the hotel, dinner in a restaurant next to the port, picnic lunch.
Level: Medium
Not suitable for beginners
Average duration of the hike: 4 to 6 hours a day with an difference in altitude of 300 to 600 m a day.
The trails are well-marked but in rough terrain.
No major technical difficulty, apart on the 5th day of the tour when you may require a metal ladder to scramble on rocky outcrops (about 4 to 5 m).
The 5 th day will be the most challenging of all, involving a 7 hour walk and a 750 m difference in altitude.
It is forbidden to travel to and from the Morgiou, Sormiou and En Vau calanques due to special protection of this mountain area, which is only accessible on foot.
Walking with French people, an authentic experience
French speaking licensed guide
For groups of 6 persons at least, we can arrange dates and content for the trip.
An organised guided tour in english can also be set
The Natural Environment of the Calanques
Magnificent white rocky cliffs overlooking the sea stretch for 20 kilometres between Callelongue and Port Pin. You cannot resist taking in the glorious surroundings. You can admire the infinite blue sea and sharp rocky formations that extend towards the sky as well as observing huge fortress-shaped cliffs.
The Calanques (emerald fingers carved in the cliffs) were formed around 120,000 years ago, as a result of flooding of the valleys by a sea level rise, following a slow period of global warming after the Ice Age. This is how the Archipel du Riou Islands came into existence.
High sunny spells, windy weather and drought conditions have brought about a rich diversity of flora, including some rare and fragile species that need to be well-preserved. The Gouffé grass is not found anywhere else in the world.
Over the past centuries, humans have herded goats, built sheepfold and lime kilns. You can still see some of the remains today. However, only one type of traditional human activity has survived- the fishing chalets of Sormiou and Morgiou.
How to get there?
We recommend you an eco-friendly journey with the train TGV to Marseille-Saint-Charles.
You can find more information on our detailed info sheet, that we send you gladly on enquiry!