The Calanques are one of the most beautiful places on earth.

With their tall, steep limestone cliffs, narrow canals, and above all- incredible, electric blue waters- you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything as beautiful as the Calanques in all of France.

But reaching them is not always so simple- which in my opinion adds to the experience.

In this guide, I’ll be giving insights into my six (with a few more sprinkled in) favorite calanques, detailing how to get to them and what to expect.

Let’s get started.

Note: The Marseille area is full of unmissable things to do and day trips to take- the Calanques are just one of them. If you want to know about the others, read my post on the 6 best day trips from Marseille.

What Are the Calanques?

The word ‘calanque’ doesn’t have a direct translation into English, likely because our countries don’t have a similar geographic feature. The closest we can get is ‘a narrow rocky inlet or cove’.

The best comparison for the Calanques are the famous fjords in the north- but instead of freezing waters, you get the Mediterranean and sunshine on top of all the beauty.

The main area of the Calanques is protected as a national park, so development is limited and much of it feels completely untouched and wild. The only way to reach many of the Calanques is by hiking or boat, which is part of what makes them so special.

The mainstay features of the Calanques are as follows: first, their shape- they look somewhat like fingers extending into the coast, long and narrow; the white limestone cliffs, which are over 100 million years old; and again, the incredible bright blues of the water, a product of the clarity of the water and reflection off the pale rocks.

Simply rock and sea, with some greenery. But sometimes the simplest things are the most incredible.

What to Know Before You Go To the Calanques

How to Get to the Calanques (Methods)

I’ll be giving specific instructions for each calanques in the next section, but there are a few things to say in a general sense.

Having a car will make your life easier, giving you much simpler access to a lot of the Calanques on this list. It’s something I highly recommend- but by no means absolutely essential.

Note: If you’re a family or group, a 1-day rental will often be cheaper than paying round-trip transit for all of you. You can check out the rates on Booking.com- I find they almost always has the best rates.

Public transit systems work reasonably well for most of the calanques on this list. I’ll be discussing this in more detail, but most of the time transit will only take you a little longer than it would’ve taken by car.

Tours are also an option, and the only option that allows you to access the Calanques without hiking. There are many tour options going to various calanques, and you can take a look at some of them below.

Best Time to Visit the Calanques

The Marseille region is one of the sunniest in all of Europe. Summers are consistently hot and dry- I used to come for at least a month every year as a child, and I have trouble recalling a single storm.

However, summer is not necessarily best for the Calanques.

If you’re hiking, the heat can be overwhelming because of both the heat and the pale rocks the sun reflects off of.

That being said, I’ve done it plenty of times and with lots of water to drink and the promise of the cool sea to jump into ahead, it’s perfectly doable- just not always comfortable.

In addition, some of the Calanques can get really crowded in the summer months.

The best times to visit are in the shoulder season of summer (May-early June, September-October). Hiking in these months is far easier than in summer, and the sea is still warm enough to swim comfortably.

Tips Before Visiting the Calanques

Here’s a few tips, developed over years of myself and my family screwing up.

Firstly, and most importantly- bring lots of water, especially if temperatures are high and the sun is out. Don’t end up like my family, who seem to never learn from our mistakes and always end up rationing our few remaining drops of water with multiple hours to go.

A hat, sunscreen and sunglasses are also a good idea.

Use AllTrails, or keep an eye for trail markers. Trails are very well marked in the Calanques, but that didn’t stop me, my brother, and then 7-year old sister from getting lost for hours near Calanque d’En Vau.

Check for up to date access rules and conditions before you go. It’s a little difficult to find information online, but do a quick google search- especially in summer, when regulations are higher.

Map of the Best Calanques to Visit

Notice above that most of the calanques on the map are congregated in the coastal region between Marseille and the town of Cassis.

But also notice that there are others that don’t follow this rule. While ‘the Calanques’ is a term generally accepted to mean those calanques between Marseille and Cassis, there are actually tons of others- west of Marseille, east of Cassis, and on islands off the coast.

We’ll be discussing two of these in the next section.

Note: You’ll notice there are nine spots marked on the map above- this is because I’ve included some smaller calanques or quick stops you can add along the way. Details below.

Best Calanques to Visit

It’s time to delve into the specifics.

Here are my six recommendations for the best calanques to visit- in no particular order.

I’ll give a short snippet up top detailing how difficult each is to reach, and which demographic each calanque suits best- whether you’re looking for ease of access, a nice long hike, or some peace and quiet.

1. Calanque d’En Vau (& Port Pin)

Difficulty: Medium-hard
Hike Time: 3-4 hours round trip
Best For: Most popular (& beautiful) calanque

While I generally suggest staying away from the most popular spots, Calanque d’En Vau may be an exception.

The Calanques are defined by the incredible colors of the water, narrow inlets and tall, steep surrounding limestone cliffs.

Of all the calanques, d’En Vau is the narrowest and longest, with the steepest surrounding cliffs and brightest, bluest waters. There’s a reason why it’s so popular.

Compared to the others, d’En Vau is the most important to visit at the right time of year, as it can get really crowded in summer.

Calanque d’En Vau is impossible to reach entirely by car. You have to arrive on foot or by boat.

There are several ways to hike, though the most scenic route is from Calanque de Port-Miou by the town of Cassis (another spot we’ll be discussing later).

After parking, walk around the Calanque de Port-Miou, then follow the path to Calanque de Port Pin before proceeding to Calanque d’En Vau. Yes, I’m aware that’s a mouthful. Just look at the map below.

You should also definitely stop by Port Pin, which has a beautiful little beach.

The hike is incredibly scenic and takes between 1-2 hours, depending on your pace.

See exact hiking directions below.

There are also plenty of tour options if you’re feeling lazy- they obviously aren’t free but it can be cool to experience Calanque d’En Vau from the water.

Check out the options below.

2. Calanque de Sormiou

Difficulty: Medium (without car)
Hike Time: 1.5-2 hours round trip
Best For: Easy accessibility in off-season

The next one on our list is the Calanque de Sormiou.

Calanque de Sormiou is the easiest to access, and not much beauty is sacrificed.

It is one of the few options directly accessible by car, although the road is closed during summer (unless you have reservations at the restaurant by the calanque).

During summer (or without a car in the off-season), it remains relatively easy to reach: simply take the M2 metro line to Les Baumettes and hike for 45 minutes- 1 hour.

Even if you arrive by car, don’t you worry- there’s more hiking to do once you arrive. Head on the path to the left of the calanque, which will lead you to some truly spectacular views, both of Sormiou and around the other side.

Sormiou is also different than almost all the other calanques on this list in the sense that it is somewhat developed. This obviously comes with pros and cons: you add an element of comfort but somewhat lose the isolation and wild quality that makes the Calanques so special.

Nevertheless, this can be a good choice- particularly in larger groups with children.

3. Calanque de Morgiou (& Sugiton)

Difficulty: Medium
Hike Time: 2-3 hours round trip (+ optional extra hour)
Best For: Those looking for a quieter atmosphere

Now it’s time to go beyond the path well trodden.

While the first two calanques we’ve discussed are firmly on the tourist trail, Calanque de Morgiou is often much quieter.

While there is also a little development here (a couple bars and seaside eateries), it has a much calmer and isolated feel than Sormiou.

Morgiou is also home to a small fishing port, still being used today.

Depending on the season, you can drive partway down to Morgiou before having to hike the rest- this can be mean anything from a few minutes to 1-1.5 hours.

You should expect the latter in summer.

Once you arrive, head to the left side of the calanque- a path will take you past the small fishing port and towards a few beautiful little coves.

If you’re feeling up to it, a further 30 minute hike from Morgiou will lead you to Calanque de Sugiton, a far smaller and isolated calanque.

Do note that restrictions have been placed on Sugiton, and you have to make a free reservation in advance to access it in the summer (which you can do here).

Whether you have a car or not, both of these calanques can be accessed from Les Baumettes or the Luminy Campus. Check out the map below.

Note: You can, but you don’t have to follow the exact trails on the map above. I recommend you check out AllTrails and Apple/Google Maps to select a route.

4. Calanque de Port Miou

Difficulty: Easy
Hike Time: 1 hour round trip from Cassis without car
Best For: Directly accessible by car

Regardless of the season, Calanque de Port Miou is accessible by car- about a 35 minutes’ drive from central Marseille.

It’s also located right next to Cassis, so you can pair it with a visit to the town (which I talk about more in my post on the best day trips from Marseille).

This one is great because you don’t have to work hard at all, but the reward is fantastic. Simply walk along the left side of the calanque until the end, there’s a beautiful rocky area where you can set up shop.

The main con for Port Miou is that there is no actual ‘beach’, though the rocky area is quite nice.

As we talked about above, Port Miou is also the ideal starting spot for d’En Vau and Port Pin. So if you want a real beach, you gotta walk!

5. Calanque de l’Erevine

Difficulty: Hard
Hike Time: 2-3 hours round trip
Best For: Off the tourist trail

Now we’re really heading off the tourist trail.

Earlier in the post, I mentioned that there were other calanques outside the coastal region between Marseille and Cassis. The final two calanques we’ll be discussing fall into that category.

Calanque de l’Erevine is located in the opposite direction from Marseille, northwest of the city. It’s in an area known as the Côte Bleue (Blue Coast), and l’Erevine is probably the nicest spot there.

The water is crystal clear, there’s a beautiful rock beach and an island just off shore that adds to the scenery.

Now, I feel I must mention that the hike to get here is a little treacherous.

Most of the hike is on a rocky trail that sits right over the coastline- meaning that you really don’t want to fall.

It’s perfectly doable for adults but maybe not the best for children, although we managed to get a five year old through. Before you call child services, we didn’t really know what we were in for when we went.

The hike to Calanque de l’Erevine starts at the nearby town of Niolon and should take a little over an hour.

It’s easy to access Niolon both by car (30 minutes) and public transit (45 minutes).

For transit, take the T3 metro line to Arenc Euroméditerranée and hop on the TER train to Niolon. Plug in Marseille to Niolon in Omio (note that you may have to change the destination in my link) and the TER train should pop up.

Note: Calanque de l’Erevine is pinned on Offpath, my curated map of hidden gems in destinations around the world. You’ll find Calanque de l’Erevine on there, as well as the Frioul Islands (next on the list) – they’re both well off the beaten path!

6. Calanques de Morgiret (& de la Crine)

Difficulty: Easy
Hike Time: Optional 30 minutes-1 hour
Best For: Exploring calanques by boat

These next calanques are located on the Frioul Islands, directly off the coast of Marseille.

The Frioul Islands are (as islands generally are) accessible only by boat, and are full of little calanques.

To get to the Frioul Islands, you have to take a ferry from the Vieux Port in Marseille– unless you want to rent a boat for a day, which is awesome but expensive.

Book the ferry in advance at the Vieux Port a day before. You can try to book on this site as well, but it doesn’t always work.

It takes 30 minutes to reach by boat- it’s incredibly easy, which is why I included it in my 18 best things to do in Marseille. And despite their proximity to Marseille, they maintain a very remote feel.

Once you arrive at the port on Île de Ratonneau, you’ll be able to walk around the island in search of the perfect spot.

The first calanque I would suggest is the nearest- Calanque de Morgiret. It’s under 10 minutes by foot from the port, and it’s beautiful and usually quite calm.

There’s a little beach, and you can explore around the calanque, where there are more secret little coves.

Another popular nearby spot is Calanque de Saint-Estève, though it is often a bit busier.

If you’re feeling adventurous, walk over to the second island where there are lots of little calanques. I would recommend heading to Calanque de la Crine, which will probably take a little over 30 minutes to reach from the port.

Note: The Calanques have some of the best beach spots near Marseille, but there are other beaches near the city that aren’t part of the Calanques. You can read about those here when you’re done!

Cliff Jumping in the Calanques

I promised earlier that I would give more information about cliff jumping for the thrill seekers out there.

The Calanques are comprised of very few ingredients. Two of them are steep cliffs and deep waters. In other words, the essential ingredients for cliff jumping.

This doesn’t mean all spots are suitable. You still have to be careful and ideally don’t jump unless you see others going first. My essential point is that using guinea pigs is always a solid idea.

That being said, there are a few spots that are generally good.

Calanque de Sugiton has a small rocky island directly out in front of it, which is a very popular spot for jumpers.

Calanque de Port-Miou also has lots of spots, and some really high ones- if you feel up to it.

Finally, Calanque de l’Erevine has some good spots, but be careful as the ascent is treacherous and the water can be shallow in spots.

Please don’t blame me for any serious injuries.

Final Thoughts

The Calanques are one of the absolute highlights of any trip to the region, and visiting them is a must.

They may not always be the easiest to visit- but the best things in life always take effort, after all.

So put on those hiking boots, and pick whichever option- and preferably, options– that seem best to you.