Visit the Calanques National Park: tips and ideas for itineraries

Are you on your way to visit Marseille and its surroundings? Don’t hesitate to discover the wonderful Parc national des Calanques!

A turquoise sea with loss of sight, white sand and creeks lined with limestone massifs. Here is the postcard decor offered by the Parc national des Calanques.

This small jewel of nature, nestled in the Mediterranean, inspires mainly the farniente and the sun baths. But, with its terrestrial heart of 8,500 hectares and its marine heart of 43,500 hectares, it is also the ideal place for nature lovers. 10th French National Park, it allows various activities: land, sea and submarine.

Would you like to visit the Parc national des Calanques? Here is our little guide to make the most of its breathtaking landscapes!

History of the Calanques National Park

An emblematic site of southern France, the Parc national des Calanques is relatively young. Known all over the world for its unique panoramas, its tremendous biodiversity and its cultural heritage, it is only in 2012 that it acquires the status of National Park. Only one of Europe’s parks, both terrestrial, marine and peri-urban, it has been benefiting from enhanced protection through special regulations.

In the massifs of Marseilleveyre and Puget, the calanques are in total twenty-six. Five of them nevertheless stand out: the small calanques of Port-Miou , Port-Pin , d In Vau , Sormiou and those of Morgiou .

What to See and what to do at the Calanques National Park?

Do you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and take a bowl of iodized air by doing only one with nature? Set the course on the Marseille coastline and go to the Parc national des Calanques. And, if you don’t have enough water, you can experience various activities.

Hiking

In a group and/or accompanied by a professional, go to explore the construction sites in the mountains. For a safe ride, forget the flip flops and have good walking shoes, litres of water and sun protection. Walk at your own pace and take the time to admire a flora and rich fauna. Admire the unparalleled panorama from one of the many views of the site. On the way, you can cross wild boars that you will not have to approach and even less feed.

Several hiking routes are available according to your expectations and abilities. Here is a selection of five fairly easy and frequented routes:

• Baumettes hike in Sormiou

1. At the start of the parking lot of the Baumettes, count half an hour to reach the Sormiou calanque. 2. First cross the park of the Baumettes, then take the red trail to the bottom left. 3. When you arrive at a wide DFCI track, take the track to the right and walk about 250m to the pass of the Baumettes. 4. Passed the pass, the descent on Sormiou will begin and end at the level of the large sand parking.

• Luminy walk to the Belvedere of Sugiton

Among the must-see hikes to visit the Parc national des Calanques, one finds the one from Luminy and getting to the Belvedere de Sugiton . Also known as the Tour d’Orient, the latter offers a breathtaking view of the Sugiton, Morgiou and the Sugiton and Morgiou calanques. Bec de l’Aigle .

1. Take the trail next to the art school and continue to the Sugiton Pass. 2. Once at the neck, turn right and follow the track until you see the viewer.

• Callelongue hike to the calanque of Marseilleveyre

1. Contourez le semaphore 2. Go along the path that follows the sea and you will be there in a half hour! With a wonderful view of the Riou archipelago .

Watch out for the polished rocks!

• Gardiole hike in En-Vau

If you wish to have as a point of fall the calanque of En-Vau, the hike from the Gardiole is the easiest and the shaded path makes it more enjoyable.

1. Follow the asphalt road descending into the valley and then go up to the Gardiole pass. 2. Then follow the path marked in red. 3. Contour the forest house and follow the path that sinks into a valley to the famous En-Vau calanque.

• Hiking from Cayolle to Sormiou

From the parking lot Cayolle , you can reach the Sormiou calanque after an hour and quite easily. Only days of high heat can make the hike complicated.

1. Take the fire road from the car park of Cayolle and follow the brown path. 2. After taking the slope leading to the Sormiou pass, go down on the calanque by taking the brown path cutting the corners.

A boat ride

Do you want to discover all the layers without making any effort and without being subjected to seasonal limitations in the heart of the mountains? Embark on one cruise on crystal clear waters .

Often commented, you will discover during these boat rides the different secrets of this paradise on earth. A desire to throw you in the water? It falls well, several companies offer tours with a bath at the key. Here too, the circuits will be according to your convenience.

Otherwise, you also have the option of rent your own boat . So you can explore the calanques and stop where you like to enjoy the crystal clear waters.

Kayaking tours

Want to explore the coastline as an adventurer and with a less environmental impact? Jump in a kayak and slip silently on the blue waters.

Solo or group, walk along the coasts and discover mysterious places hidden in the rocks: marine caves, flaws, breaches and much more. Once you have finished playing explorers, you can rest in the privacy of a creek, cradled by the clapotis of the water.

Note that the landing on Riou Island is strictly prohibited .

The scuba diving

To your masks... tubas... ready? Dive! Ear the seabeds of the National Park of Calanques and discover its lush fauna and flora. Corals with underwater caves, amaze yourself in front of these immersed beauties and keep them wonderful memories.

Attention : never dive alone!

The climb

Those who have the soul of climbers will find their happiness at the Parc national des Calanques. Wild landscapes, steep cliffs with views of the vast sea. What’s better to get to the joys of climbing? The main climbing sites are grouped in 6 sectors : Les Goudes, Marseilleveyre, Sormiou, Morgiou, Luminy, La Gardiole.

If you want to spend several days exploring the park and climbing these wonderful sites, know that there is Explora Project , the agency that organizes for you unforgettable escapades. With their stay entitled “Initiation to climbing in the Calanques” , you will discover the Calanques as you have never seen them with the program, swimming session in places kept secret, climbing cliffs and nights in a rustic cabanon.

How to go to the Calanques National Park?

From Marseille

• By car

The D559 departmental road connects Marseille to Cassis by the Gineste pass.

• By public transport

To access the bus or metro stops, several options are possible depending on your destination. For a single ticket, count €1.60.

Route 1

Take Line 2 of the metro (Bougainville – Sainte-Marguerite-de-Dromel): Castellane stop. Then cross the avenue du Prado to reach the bus stops facing:

• Bus No. 21 (direction of the Sugiton calanque): descend to the terminus "Luminy"
• Bus n°19 (to the terminus “La Madrague de Montredon”): then take the n°20 towards Callelongue to reach the village of Goudes and the calanque of Marseilleveyre and go down to the terminus

Itinerary 2

Always on line 2, go down to the metro station " Rond-Point du Prado", then:

• Bus No. 22 (direction calanque de Morgiou): descend to the terminus "Les Baumettes" and reach the park of the Baumettes on foot, about 400m further.
• Bus n°23 (Sormiou calanque route): get off at the "La Cayolle" stop and reach the parking lot next to the water purification station, following the road about 650m.

From Cassis

• By car

The D559 departmental road connects Cassis to La Ciotat, passing near the A50 motorway. However, access to parking in the city centre is not recommended due to traffic difficulties in the city.

• By public transport

A shuttle system to the city of Cassis and the Calanque of Port-Miou is available from the large car park of the Gorguettes, easily accessible from the D559 when arriving on Cassis. Note that Port-Miou is also the starting point of the hikes to the Calanques Port-Pin and En-Vau.

From Ciotat

• By car

Parking facilities have been put in place to leave his vehicle upstream. It is possible to access the Figuerolles and Mugel calanques without entering the city centre of La Ciotat where traffic can be complicated, especially in the summer.

Schedules and prices of the Calanques National Park

HORARI

The Calanques National Park is open 24 hours a day.

Attention, however, depending on the season and the weather conditions, various access to the Calanques National Park can be compromised. According to the official website of the Calanques National Park:

“Summer is a season at high fire risk, access to forest massifs In the summer, forest areas are more vulnerable to fire risks. To protect walkers and sites, access to forest massifs is therefore regulated by Prefectural arrest renewed each year 1 June to 30 September .

According to Weather access, including by the sea, and presence in forest massifs can be allowed throughout the day ( levels of green, yellow and orange hazard ) or banned all day ( Red hazard level ). The holding of work in the forest is also concerned by this colour code (restriction in yellow hazard, prohibition in orange and red hazard levels).

To know the level of danger of today go to the site of the Bouches-du-Rhône Prefecture . The information is updated every day at 6pm for the next day! »

RATES

A day in the National Park of Calanques can be quite free if you plan a walk and take your picnic with you.

All in all, rates to visit the National Park of the Calanques vary according to the activities you want to do it. For example:

• A 5-hour catamaran cruise (including breakfast): 75 €/person
• A mountain bike tour: from 28€/person
• A diving session: 120€/person