Calanques National Park’s Guide

(You will find below Calanques National Park’s guide. Marseille’s guide is here, click to read the guide.)

Calanques is a playground. Trust me, this National Park is unique. First of all, it is near from Marseille’s city-center. Secondly, the highest point of the mountain massif is not higher than 563 meters. However, this National Park is technical, it would be a huge mistake to under estimate it. Indeed, you start from zero to go easily in more than 500 meters. Furthermore, there are a lot of erosion too, it means that the floor is not easy to hike and you can slip on the rocks. Calanques are dangerous as Alps, Pyrenees or any other mountains can be. Finally, you have to understand that you are (or will be) walking in one of the most beautiful French Park. You have to respect it.

Through this article, I will try to give you the best tools in order to make your visit unique and easy. I will advice you what I think are the easiest point to go, the most beautiful, and some unknown spots from tourists.

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How to go to Calanques National Park?

1- By bus

You have four ways to go to Calanques National Park from the city center:
– To go to Sormiou Calanques : Catch the 23 from Metro Rond Point du Prado to la Cayolle (be careful, la Cayolle and Sormiou (on the Marseille side, not Calanques) are not safe districts). From Cayolle, be prepared to walk, approximately two kilometers to join Sormiou Calanque.
– To go to Morgiou Calanques : Catch the 23 from Metro Rond Point du Prado to Beauvallon (be careful, this side is not the best of Marseille too). From Beauvallon, be prepared to walk, approximately three kilometers to join Morgiou Calanque.
– To go to Callelongue Calanques: Catch the 29 starting in Castellane to Madrague de Montredon. Then catch the 20 which directly goes to Callelongue. Other itinerary, you can stop at les Goudes and go to la Baie des Singes, then join directly by walk Callelongue.
– To go to Sugiton Calanques: Catch the B1 or B1 Jet from Castellane, Périer or Métro Rond Point du Prado to Luminy Parc National des Calanques. From this bus stop, you have to walk approximately three kilometers to join Sugiton Calanque.

2- By car

You can access to Sormiou and Morgiou Calanques directly by car between the 4th of November to 29th of March. Parking in Sormiou Calanque is charged. Except these dates, you can park your car at the free parkings which are at the entrance of both Calanques. Be careful of your car, do not let something visible inside. Even if it is not visible, please, do not let anyhing expensive or personal as a passeport, ID or computer inside. I have already been witness of a couple who found their window car in pieces.

From Cassis, you can access to Port-Miou and Port Pin easily by car. Port Miou parking is just as few hundred meters from the Calanque.

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What should you know before to go to Calanques National Park ?

• Small – Let’s assume that Calanques National Park is small. In fact, from Madrague de Montredon (western part of the park) to Cassis (eastern part of the park) there is approximately 25 kilometers. We did a trail once with a friend, it means that it is possible in a day. Even if you start from Morgiou or Sormiou and you want to join another Calanque close to this one, it is possible, do not worry.
• Peaceful – The park is touristic. During the summer time, it is even impossible to enjoy the silence of this place. Try to understand that you are not alone and to see some people turning on their speaker at a high level is just sad to hear. If you want to enjoy to its maximum, whatever the season, wake up early. You cannot imagine what it is to be alone in Sormiou beach at 09h00 a.m, swimming there. Definitely one of the best moment I spent in the Calanques.
• Slippery – Touristic means a lot of people walking on the rocks. Be really careful when you walk around Sormiou, Marseilleveyre or Port-Pin, you can slide. That’s really dangerous.
• Network – The park is not really high, it means that in most of the Calanques, you can find network in order to send messages to friends or share your experience through social media.
• Mont Puget – It is the highest point of the Calanques National Park. It is at 563 meters above the sea.
• Season – Every seasons are good in order to visit Calanques. If you can avoid week-end, holidays or summer time, obviously your experience should be even better. During summer, be really careful of fires which are common in the Park. Do not smoke or whatever linked to fire.
• Dogs – You can go to the Calanques National Park with your dogs. However, they have to be keep on a leash.
• Restaurants and coffees – The Park offers few spots where to have a drink. From my memories, there are stuffs where you can buy foods and drinks in Callelongue, Marseilleveyre, and Morgiou. I am not sure about Sormiou, it is a village, indeed, but I do not have memories to have seen any shops here.

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What is the best between Sormiou and Morgiou ? 

Sormiou

I would definitely suggest you to go in Sormiou. First of all, there is a sand-beach in Sormiou that you will not find at Morgiou. Then, the water color in Sormiou is incredible. I have rarely seen something like that in my life. Morgiou is essentially an fisher harbour. You can obviously set up your towel in rocks as you can also do in Sormiou but water and landscapes are not the same.

My suggestion is that you can do both Calanques. Indeed, they are not far from each other. Starting from Sormiou parking, then go to Sormiou Calanque and walk to Morgiou. Then, take the same path in order to go back. It will allow you to make some exercice and get a great views on the entire National Park.

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What are the easiest Calanques to reach ? 

From Marseille

Any Calanque which is close from a parking or a bus stop is easy to reach. If I really have to tell you the easiest of the park, it is Callelongue Calanque because the bus stops directly in the Calanque. However, Callelongue is not the Calanque you dreamt for. It is beautiful, of course, but it is more like a village than something else. If you are ready to walk a bit and reach a more natural Calanque from Callelongue, walk to Marseilleveyre Calanque. This one is cool.

If you have a car and you are in Marseille between the 4th of November to the 29th of March, you are this kind of people who is lucky to go directly in one of these Calanques with your car. Even if it is not in this period, you have to walk less that an hour on a road in order to reach Sormiou or Morgiou. That’s really easy, it is just boring to walk on a road without using a car but still. It is easy. Be careful of your car, do not let anything visible inside. Even if it is not visible please, do not let something expensive or personal as a passeport, ID or computer inside. I have already been witness of a couple who found their window car in pieces.

Same reason that the other ones. Sugiton is easy to reach because its proximity from the bus stop. You have to anticipate that it will take, approximately, an hour from the bus stop to access to the Calanque. The advantage compared to Sormiou, Morgiou and Callelongue is that Sugiton is the more natural and you will walk in a path during all the way.

From Cassis

The parking is next to Port-Miou. Actually, you can see the Calanques from your window car. Moreover, you just have to walk twenty minutes in order to reach Port Pin which is more beautiful and natural. Be careful, it is slippy on this side.

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What are the most beautiful Calanques ? 

These choices are just my point of view. I have to be honest, every Calanque are great and you will definitely enjoy your time everywhere.

Sormiou, En-Vau, Pierres Tombées

Sormiou Calanque – This choice is just my point of view. It is based of what I like. As I explained above, Sormiou is magnificent. Even the harbour at just few meters from the sand-beach is awesome. I would recommend many people to go. I have been with a lot friends and you cannot imagine their face when they have seen this place for the first time.

En-Vau Calanque – I suppose that a lot of people were waiting to read the word En-Vau in this article. That’s true, this place is great and really beautiful. The fact is that this Calanque is NOT easy to reach, the floor is not good at all and if you are going during the summer time, it will even be more dangerous with the traffic. If you can, go during the off season.

Pierres Tombées Calanque – Many people stop their “hike” in Sugiton. I cannot say that it is not a beautiful one. It is. However, from my side I would recommend you to set up your towel few meters away, in Pierres Tombées Calanque. If you are scared to receive a rock into your head, do not go there. The cliff that you have overhead is impressive. Short comment about this Calanque, it is mainly known as a naturist beach.

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What are my recommendations to get off the beaten track ?
(Maps in Appendices)

(Appendice 1 – Map) From Callelongue, this place is amazing. You will see one of the most beautiful rock of the National Park. It is cut in such an impressive manner and the view that you will get from the “top” is crazy. If you are not fear of emptiness, go there.

(Appendice 2 – Map) Okay, THIS IS MY HEART STROKE in the Calanques National Park. From Sormiou or Morgiou Calanques, reach one of the Southern Point of the Calanques to be amazed. The cliff under your foot is so impressive and the sound of the waves going on the cliff is really crazy and scary. That’s also such a great spot to watch a sunrise or sunset. I have seen both there and trust me, that’s crazy. The access is probably easier from Morgiou.

(Appendice 3 – Map) This is the most beautiful point of view of the Calanques National Park. At only some meters to Mont Puget (where the view is not really nice), you will have a magnificent view on the Eastern part of the Calanques National Park. As you are high you can really see many things, even the azul water color of Sugiton. Go there if you can, that’s crazy. You should spend around two hours to go there from the bus stop “Luminy Parc National des Calanques” (bus B1 or B1 Jet).

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What is the best trail itinerary ?

That’s definitely the best trail itinerary that you can get in Calanques National Park. It is around 25 kilometers starting from Madrague de Montredon bus stop to Cassis. You will see almost everything of the park, going to Marseilleveyre, la Grande Candelle, etc.

(Appendice 3 – Map) Everything is in the title. I recommend you to go there because, first, it is really really beautiful and secondly, the Pas de l’Oeil de Verre rise is probably the hardest of the Park. You start from 0 meter to rise to 500 meters in a short distance. It is a really good training in order to gain power.

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Appendices