France is known for amazing food and wine, but the natural scenery of France’s rolling hills, mountains, and coastline is something to be rivaled.
I had never heard of the Calanques until this year, when I started googling places to hike in Southern France. When I realized I would be close enough to visit on a day trip, Calanques National Park quickly became a top priority for me on my trip to France.
The Beauty of the Calanques
A “calanque” is an inlet on the coast of the sea surrounded by steep cliffs. In France, the calanques are characterized by having limestone cliffs that create a spectacular color contrast against the bright blue water of the sea.
Calanques are created over time and formed by the erosion of rock by wind and waves crashing the water over and over again into the cliffs to create the deep pockets.
Calanques National Park Tours and Tickets
Natural Beauty of France
It’s no secret that France is beautiful. From the well-known Alps to the northern coast to the never-ending vineyards and fields of lavender, France is full of natural beauty.
But the Calanques? It was something I would have never expected in France. When most people think of the south of France, they think of its sandy beaches, ritzy hotels, long walkways by the sea, and casinos in Monaco. It’s Nice and Cannes and the French Riviera, or Côte d’Azur.
But the Calanques are something a bit wilder. They are rugged and natural and, dare I say, soulful? Only 2 hours from Nice, but it’s like you’ve entered a completely different world.
In the outer rings of gritty Marseille, the Calanques match the energy of the surrounding cities. They are real and raw–a place where you can reconnect with nature and with yourself.
There are 26 calanques in this park between Marseille and Cassis, and each one has something a little bit different. The biggest calanque is Calanque de Sormiou, which has a sandy beach and facilities like restaurants and parking, making it one of the more easily accessible calanques.
How to Get to the Calanques National Park
The easiest way to get there is by car, but it is also possible to get there via public transportation.
You’ll want to base yourself either in Marseille, Cassis, or Aix-en-Provence for the easiest access to the park. If you want to focus your entire trip on the Calanques, then stay in Cassis. If you’re looking for day trips into the park, then Marseille or Aix-en-Provence are great options.
From Aix-en-Provence, you’ll need to make your way to Marseille either by bus or by train. It’s about an hour-long journey, and the train station in Aix-en-Provence is very easy to find.
From Marseille, you’ll take either the M1 or M2 metro all the way to the end of the line to Castellane or Perrier, where you’ll catch the B1 bus that will take you all the way to just outside the entrance of the park near the Luminy College Campus.
If you are unfamiliar with public transit, you can buy a metro ticket at a kiosk in the metro station, and you can pay for the bus with a tap-to-pay credit card or with euros.
Use Google Maps as your best friend to help you navigate public transit! Google will tell you which direction to go, which line to take, and where to get on and off.
It can be a trek to get here, but it’s most definitely worth it!
If you want to explore more areas of the park further out than this area, then you’ll need a rental car to get to the trailhead of the other calanques. Otherwise, if you are based in Cassis, you can actually hike to many of the calanques from town.
Tips for Visiting Calanques National Park
If you are new to France or you are a first-time visitor to the Calanques, one of the best ways to get a taste of this area is to book a guided hiking tour.
There are several different calanques that you can hike to, but the closest ones to Marseille and most accessible are Calanque de Sugiton and Calanque de Morgiou.
Other popular calanques are Calanque d’En-vau and Calanque de Port Pin, which are closer to Cassis.
With a guided hiking tour, you don’t have to think about where to go, and many tour companies will even pack lunch for you, so all you need to do is pack a bag and show up.
I booked a guided tour through Get Your Guide, and it was the best way for me to get familiar with the area. If you want to spend multiple days exploring this park, book a guided tour on the first day to get your bearings and then do some exploring on your own.
The guide also showed us the plants that naturally grow in this area, including rosemary and thyme–something I would have never noticed if I were on my own!
If you want to plan your own day, do some research on which calanque or calanques you want to visit. Do you want to just hike to beautiful viewpoints? Do you want to swim? Will you rent a car or use public transportation? All questions that will need to be considered to plan your day in this magical place.
In March, the water was freezing, but I still couldn’t resist and had to get in the water. With my tour, we took a break at the beach near the Calanque de Sugiton, where we had lunch, popped in the water, and soaked up the early spring sun.
After the official guided tour, I ventured off on my own to check out Belvédère de Sugiton, which is a 360-degree viewing platform of the Sugiton and Morgiou calanques. If you want a great sunset view, my tour guide said this is her favorite spot to watch the sunset in the area!
If you need a sign to visit France and explore the natural beauty of this area, this is it!
If You Go:
Discover Marseille’s Calanques
Calanques National Park Official Site
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Author Bio: Stephanie Mork is a freelance writer, travel blogger, and communications strategist based in Portland, OR. She writes about solo travel, soft adventures, and meaningful experiences across the U.S. and abroad. Find travel planning tips and follow her adventures on her blog and Instagram at https://travelinginreallife.com/.
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