Cassis was one of the nicest surprises when I was living in France. This small fishing town is colorful, quaint and next to one of the most extraordinary landscapes I have ever witnessed: the dramatic limestone inlets that make up the Calanques between Cassis and Marseille. If you’re looking for a relaxing beach holiday in the south of France that’s easily accessible via train or for the hike of a lifetime, Cassis is the spot for you!
Dreaming of a trip to France? Check out my other travel guides to help you plan your trip 13 Towns to Visit in the South of France, Saint Tropez Guide, Nice & Villefranche-sur-Mer Guide
HOW TO GET TO CASSIS
Unlike other small towns along the French Riviera, Cassis is relatively easy to get to! Located next to Marseille, Cassis can be easily accessed via train, bus or a drive.
Marseille has an international airport and train station. From Marseille, the journey is easy! You can rent a car if you plan to travel to other destinations along the riviera, but if Cassis is your only destination, I highly recommend taking the train or an Uber. The train ride is only around 17 minutes from Marseille St. Charles train station and a 40 minute Uber ride. Once you arrive in Cassis, the town is very walkable and easy to get around!
WHAT TO DO IN CASSIS
EXPLORE THE TOWN CENTER
Cassis is a small town, so it is easy to walk around and explore the charm. All of the streets are picture-perfect and have that colorful French Riviera vibe! Our favorite little square was at the bougainvillea-filled Place Baragnon. When we were here, they were hosting local dance lessons in the square!
One of the most picturesque streets of the old town is at Rue Frédéric Mistral. This has a beautiful view of the church bell tower, cobble stone streets and blooming flowers.
STOP AT THE SHOPS & CAFÉS
For such a small coastal town, Cassis is full of local shops and cafés. I loved shopping for beachwear and straw baskets. In France, straw baskets are a staple and a chic way to carry your belongings to the beach or use as a bag for your groceries!
GO TO THE BEACH
There are a few different public beaches in Cassis to soak up the sun and Mediterranean Sea. The Plage de la Grand Mer is the closest to town and by far the largest and most popular. It has stunning views of the cliffs in the distance and the beach is a mixture of sand and gravel.
Some other beaches to check out are: Plage de Corton (a small beach in a rocky cove) and the Plage Bleu (a beach further out on one of the inlets that leads to the Calanques)
WATCH SUNSET OVER THE MARINA
The marina is the central feature of Cassis, filled with small fishing boats and sail boats surrounded by the colorful fishing village and the towering cliffs in the distance. I loved spending my evenings at one of the cafés along the marina. Here you can have a gelato or a glass of wine and watchg the sunset over the sea.
There are a few small markets around the marina, so if you’re into picnicing the French way, grab a bottle of wine, some cheese and a baguette and find a spot along the marina to camp out for an apéro (pre-dinner snacks and drinks) to watch the sunset.
THE CALANQUES
If you’re feeling adventurous, I highly recommend spending the day hiking, kayaking or boating to the three famous calanques that are closest to Cassis: Calanque de Port Miou, Calanque de Port Pin and Calanque d’en Vau.
What is a calanque? A calanque is a narrow and steep limestone inlet found along the Mediterranean coast of France. These inlets have spectacular views and are a unique experience to see, let alone swim in!
HIKING
You can reach these calanques from Cassis itself by foot, but plan on an intermediate hiking experience that will last you at least half a day. I cannot recommend this experience enough, but make sure you bring snacks and plenty of water as there are no kiosks along the hike and you are completely one with nature along this journey!
The trek up and down can be steep and slippery at some points where there is not a clear path and the rock has been worn down by hikers over time. This is an intermediate hike and some parts are more difficult than others, especially if you hike down to the beach at Calanque d’en Vau, but this hike certainly do-able with proper hiking shoes for your average hiker. I even saw some children hiking at ease through the trails; I wish I was that adventurous at that age!
Travel Tip: During the summer, the hikes can be closed due to fire risk. The best times to hike are May-June and September-October when the temperatures are mild, but still warm enough to swim in the inlets.
BY SEA
If hiking isn’t for you, there are boat excursions and kayak rentals at the town center in Cassis like La Visite des Calanques or Lo’Kayak Cassis. This way, you can still experience the awe of the calanques without making the trek!
A kayak trip to the furthest and most popular, Calanque d’En Vau, takes around 1 hour each way whereas a group boat excursion to all three of the calanques takes around 45 minutes total. A group excursion will simply give you a snapshot of the calanques from afar without any swim time, so another option is a private boat if this is something you are interested in! A great private boat company is Bleu Evasion.
CALANQUE DE PORT MIOU
The first and easiest inlet to reach from Cassis: Calanque de Port Miou. This small and narrow inlet serves as a marina and is the the only calanque where boats are permanently docked.
The journey to this calanque begins from the beach along the Avenue des Calanques. You will see a tree along this path with white, red, green and blue markers and the walk to here takes around 15-20 minutes from town.
The hike to the calanques begins at Calanque de Port Miou along the red and blue trails on the west side of Cassis on the official map below. To get to the next calanque, you will take the red trail.
CALANQUE DE PORT PIN
From Calanque de Port Miou, Calanque de Port Pin is the next stop along the hike. This Calanque is a 20 minute hike from Port Miou along a short rocky path. Once you arrive, you can swim or picnic in the inlet before you continue the trek upwards to the next calanque.
CALANQUE D’EN VAU
The farthest and most picturesque Calanque, the Calanque d’en Vau takes around 1.5 hours from start to finish along the red path from Port Miou and another 1.5 hours back. The red path is the less scenic route, but it will get you down to the beach the quickest. The descent down to the beach is incredibly steep and requires some scrambling, but the crystal clear beach down below is well-worth it!
Travel Tip: The water in the inlets is pretty freezing! During June when I visited I was a bit cold in the sea, so be prepared with a warm towel, some water shoes and sunscreen to warm up in the sun after a dip in the water!
The more scenic route with the best views from above is along the blue path that hugs the coastline. I recommend taking the red trail down to the beach first and stopping by the viewpoint along the blue trail on your way back up.
Once you climb back up from the beach and reach the top of the red trail, there will be a convergence with the blue trail. The blue trail splits between right and left directions and you will take the route to the right. This will add on an additional 30 minutes or so to your journey because you will definitely be stopping for photos, so plan on around 2 hours back to the start of the trail near Port Miou.
This might seem like it’s out of the way, but trust me… these views are jaw-dropping and so worth it!
WHERE TO EAT & DRINK
After long days of adventuring, you will need some grub! One of my top 5 favorite meals of all time was in Cassis. Yep, that’s right. This small town has one of my most memorable meals ever!
Where was this meal and what did I have? Pictured below is Le Patio with light blue door and a charming patio draped in greenery. I ordered the Tuna with the sauce vierge and a side of ratatouille and it was heavenly! I cannot recommend this spot enough.
Some of my other favorite places to eat in Cassis are:
- La Table du 7 for French fine dining or La Villa Madie for the ultimate fine dining ambiance with the best views over the coast!
- L’Atelier Gastronomique for great salads, sandwiches, pastries and market options for on the go!
- La Plage Bleu for beachside drinks and a fresh meal atop the sea
- D’une Rive à l’Autre for the best Lebanese food
- Divino for a wine tasting with the perfectly paired charcuterie board!
WHERE TO STAY
If you choose to visit calanques, you don’t have to stay in Cassis and may opt to stay in the much larger city, Marseille. Although Marseille has plenty more loging options, I don’t recommend this option because Cassis has far more charm and you truly need more than a day here to fully enjoy its beauty! Check out some of my favorite places to stay in Cassis here:
- Hotel Les Roches Blanches for a luxury stay with an epic infinity pool that hangs over the sea
- Sure Hotel for a centrally located hotel in town
- Cassis Chambre Atelier is a beautiful Airbnb with a pool, outdoor patio and a chic boho design. This property also has two treehouses you can stay in: Treehouse 1 and Treehouse 2
I hope this guide helped you plan everything you need for the perfect trip to Cassis and your journey to the Calanques!
