Cassis and the Calanques day trip from Marseille or Aix-en-Provence
A day trip to Cassis and the Calanques from Marseille or Aix-en-Provence: a morning boat trip along the white cliffs into the calanques, Cassis harbour, the walk to the calanques of Port-Miou and Port-Pin, then the drive up the Route des Crêtes to the sea cliffs of Cap Canaille. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Cassis and the Calanques in 1 day
Day 1
Calanques boat trip from Cassis
Boat trips from the harbour along the white cliffs into the calanques, the easy way to see them when the paths are closed.
Cassis harbour
Fishing port lined with pastel houses and café terraces under the red cliff of Cap Canaille, where the boats to the calanques leave.
Calanque de Port-Miou
Long narrow inlet just west of Cassis, used as a marina, with an old limestone quarry and the start of the coastal path.
Calanque de Port-Pin
Small calanque with a pebble beach shaded by pines, a good swimming stop a short walk on from Port-Miou.
Cap Canaille and the Route des Crêtes
One of Europe's highest sea cliffs, reached by the winding cliff-top road from Cassis, with views over the bay and towards the Calanques.
Getting there
Buses from Marseille reach the centre of Cassis in about 45 minutes; trains take about 20-25 minutes to Cassis station, 3 km above the town, with a local bus down. From Aix-en-Provence it is about 45 minutes to an hour by car, or by bus via Marseille. Cap Canaille and the Route des Crêtes need a car or taxi, and parking in Cassis is hard in summer.
Staying in Marseille or Aix-en-Provence? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Cassis and the Calanques
May, June and September are the best months for walking and swimming. July and August are hot and crowded, and the massif may close on fire-risk days. In spring and autumn the sea is cooler, and the mistral can blow hard at any time of year.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Cassis and the Calanques on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Cassis and the Calanques on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Cassis and the Calanques on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for France from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Cassis and the Calanques
- From June to September the Calanques massif closes by land on red fire-risk days; check the official access map the evening before, and on those days see the calanques by boat.
- Take plenty of water, sun protection and proper walking shoes; the paths are rocky, shade is scarce and there is nothing to buy in the calanques.
- Boats don't sail in strong mistral wind; book the morning boat and keep the walk as a fallback.
- The Route des Crêtes up to Cap Canaille can close on windy or high fire-risk days, and its edges have no railings in places.
- Try the local Cassis white wine with fish on the harbour at the end of the day.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Calanque de Port-Miou: Alessandro Vecchi, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Calanque de Port-Pin: Luu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Calanques boat trip from Cassis: kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cap Canaille and the Route des Crêtes: B.Delpeuch, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cassis harbour: Marion Schneider & Christoph Aistleitner — Contact: Mediocrity, Public domain
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
