The Calanques: Marseille to Cassis

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Marseille
Meeting point at the train station Saint Charles in Marseille. From there, participants either take the bus or the metro to the hotel, where they will spend the first 3 nights. You can also go to the hotel directly with your own car at 7.30 pm.

Day 2: Chateau Pastré – Col de la Selle – Plateau de l'Homme Mort
In the morning, participants go hiking in the direction of the Chateau Pastré, which hosted the Musée de la Faïence from 1995 to 2012. Then the way leads you to the small valley of the Trois-Gancets over the Col de la Selle. The participants will continue over 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 of leg: 4hrs 30min – ascent: 400m – descent: 400m

Day 3: La Madrague – Marseilleveyre – Les Goudes
The hike today takes participants in the direction of Madrague. They will pass through the cave Roland on their way to the summit of Marseilleveyre_(432m), the second highest point of the _Calanques .They will finally reach the sea via the la Galinette pass and the rocks Les Goudes to Callenlongue. Les Goudes fishing village is the last stop in a packed programme, a bus will take participants back to the hotel in Marseille.
Duration: 5hrs 30min – Ascent: 600m – Descent: 600m

Day 4: Les Goudes – Calanques – Cassis
Participants will be transferred to Les Goudes once more to begin today's leg on the coastal trail over the Calanques of la Mounine, Marseilleveyre, Podestat, Cortiou and Sormiou. Then they will climb uphill via the pass Les Baumettes and the adjoining narrow valley. A taxi will take them to their next hotel in Cassis, where they spend the remaining nights with full board and picnic lunches.
Duration: 5hrs – Ascent: 500m – Descent: 300m

Day 5: Luminy – Missif de Puget – Cassis
After a short taxi transfer to Luminy, participants cross the Puget Massif, the highest montain in the Calanques, 564m above sea level. The coastal trails Calanques of Morgiou, la Candelle and Oule passes and the Portalet take them back to Cassis.
Duration: 7hrs – Ascent: 750m – Descent: 750m

Day 6: Cassis – La Colle – Cap Canaille – Cassis
From Cassis, participants will walk towards La Colle, following a ridge that takes them over the cliffs of Soubeyranes and the Cap Canaille, almost 400m 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 transfer them back to Cassis at the end of the day. Please note that the itinerary may change depending on bus timetables.
Duration: 5 h – Ascent: 500m – Descent: 500m

Day 7: Calanques En Vau and the Belvedere Doigt de Dieu
Today guests may take a walk across the Mussuguieres plateau via the Calanques En Vau takes them back to Cassis. This bonus walk includes the panoramic viewpoint of Doigt de Dieu, and the Calanques of Port Pin and Port Miou. The trip ends at approx. 2pm.
Duration: 4hrs – Ascent: 300m – Descent: 300m

Travel dates

Indication of price per person in double room occupancy
Single supplement: from €290

Our hiking programm begins at the train station of Marseille_and ends in _Cassis.
Participants are kindly requested to make their own travel arrangments to Marseille and from Cassis. They may extend their stay if they wish.

For groups of 6 persons at least, we can arrange dates and content for the trip.
An English-speaking guide is also available for groups of 6 or more.

With your enquiry, please let us know the number of your party and the dates of your holiday.

Services

Price includes:
6 nights in double or 3-bed rooms in 2-star hotels, full board (picnic luncheons), French licenced guide, luggage transfers, transfers according to the programme and the visitor's tax

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 3-bed rooms in a 2 stars hotel in Marseille, well situated for the beginning of the hike
3 nights in double rooms in a 2-star hotel in Cassis (You can ask for a triple bedroom)
Price surcharge for a single room : from €290
Breakfast at the hotel, dinner in a restaurant next to the port, picnic lunch.

Level of difficulty: Medium

Not suitable for beginners
Average duration of the daily legs: 4 to 6 hours. Differences in altitude range from 300 to 600m 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).
Day 5 will be the most challenging of all, involving a 7-hour walk and a 750m 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 participants boosts cultural exchange
French-speaking licensed guide
For groups of 6 or more, we can arrange dates and customize the itinerary.

An English-speaking guide is also available for groups of 6 or more.

The terrain of the Calanques

It is basically 20km of magnificent white rocky cliffs overlooking the sea between Callelongue and Port Pin, a stunning site. You can admire the infinite blue sea and sharp rocky formations that extend towards the horizon as well as observe huge fortress-shaped cliffs.

The Calanques (emerald fingers carved in the cliffs) were formed around 120,000 years ago, as a result of rising sea levels flooding the valleys 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 an eco-friendly TGV train to Marseille-Saint-Charles.

You can find more information on our detailed info sheet, that we send you gladly on enquiry!

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