Marseille is one of the more underrated destinations in France.
Do I have any sort of bias? Not really. I spent a month out of most of my childhood years in the city and surroundings, but I don’t really see how that could affect my judgement.
OK, perhaps a slight bias. Slight. But it doesn’t really matter. Based on the fact that you’re reading this, you’ve already arrived in Marseille. So whether you love or despise it, knowing where to find the best beaches in Marseille should be beneficial to you.
In this post, I’ll be giving a list of 10 of the absolute best beaches in the Marseille region, from the coves in the wild Calanques to sandy gems perfect for families.
Note: In truth, Marseille is full of unmissable things to do beyond beaches. Check out my post on the 18 Best Things to Do in Marseille!
Things to Know About Marseille’s Beaches
Calanques vs “Regular” Beaches (What to Expect)
When I say ‘beach’, that’s an umbrella term. At its core, a beach is the sea gradually sloping up to connect to land. And as you’ll see, some of the beaches on this list have that- and only that- in common.
Marseille’s beaches can be roughly divided into two categories: more standard, sandy and family friendly spots; and the Calanques, which are wild, remote, and set between steep limestone cliffs and turquoise water.
When I list the beaches later, they’ll be divided in this way, so you can zoom to the section that you feel suits you best.
If you’re with small children- or are simply not the adventurous type- the more standard beaches may suit you better, as the Calanques often require a hike to reach. These ‘standard’ beaches can also be sorted into further categories, though- as we’ll discuss later.
If not- the Calanques should be prioritized. While the standard beaches near Marseille are nice, the Calanques are something unique that you’ll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.
Note: A lot of the beaches on this list will be easier to reach by car. While public transit is perfectly adequate (as I’ll detail for each beach), costs can add up for larger groups and renting a car will save you both time and money. Booking.com has the best deals here.
Best Time to Visit Marseille’s Beaches
Beaches are obviously a summer thing.
The water in the Mediterranean can be chilly, so even though the weather in Marseille is decently hot for many months out of the year, the summer months are the only time when the water isn’t freezing.
Even though the beaches are obviously much busier in summer, this is really the only time to go. It’s nice to stroll around the beaches in other months, but swimming (at least comfortably) is out of the picture.
The Calanques in particular can be nice to visit in the offseason. The temperatures make the hikes more bearable and while you likely won’t swim, the beaches are often empty.
A Word About the Beaches in Central Marseille
The beaches in Marseille proper and slightly outside are very different.
I’ll just say this upfront- I’m not a huge fan of any of the beaches in the city itself. They’re less scenic and usually swarmed with people in the summer.
Outside the city, the beaches are more charming and far more beautiful. For some of them, this means only a 20 minute drive. That being said, I’ll be including some of the city beaches at the end if convenience is a major factor.
The only reason I would prioritize the city beaches would be if you’re looking for a more lively, party-oriented atmosphere. But this post is about the best beaches in Marseille, and to me ‘best’ means (mainly) most scenic.
Map of the Best Beaches Near Marseille
As you’ll notice on the map above, this post will cover beaches in Marseille itself, as well as some further out.
While certain spots may look far on the map, even the furthest beaches I cover in this post will be comfortably within an hour to reach by car.
Note: If you’re willing to travel a bit further, I cover plenty of other coastal spots in my post on the Six Ultimate Day Trips From Marseille!
Best Calanques Beaches Near Marseille
The first three beaches on this list are ‘calanque beaches’, which we spoke about briefly earlier.
To reiterate, the beaches in the Calanques are my personal favorite, with their wild mountain scenery and incredibly blue waters.
If you only have time to visit one or two beaches on this list, make them the Calanques. They’re often the highlight of any trip to Marseille, period.
Note: If the calanque beaches intrigue you the most on this list, you may want to check out my post on the 6 Best Calanques Near Marseille. I give more calanques options and extra tidbits on the ones I’ve included here.
Another Note: For each beach on the list, I’ll be giving a ranking out of five stars for scenery, as well as giving a description for how hard it is to access and what each beach is best for. Note that hiking times are one way.
1. Calanque d’En Vau
Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Access: 35 minute drive, 1-2 hour hike
Best for: Most dramatic scenery
Yes, I already broke my five stars rule. Six stars for d’En Vau.
This incredible calanque is the most prototypical and well-known, but it’s a must.
Calanque d’En Vau is comprised of a long, narrow channel winding into the mainland from the sea, with towering limestone cliffs on either side and water with the most outrageous blue color.
And at the end of the channel sits a perfect little beach.
I would highly recommend heading to Calanque d’En Vau as early as you can in summer to avoid the crowds! Besides, the Calanque is more beautiful in the morning due to the way the sun hits it.
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.
You park by Port-Miou, then follow the directions I’ve included below.
The hiking route also stops by the Calanque de Port Pin, which has another beautiful little beach you can check out.
The hike is incredibly scenic and takes between 1-2 hours (one way), depending on your pace.
See exact hiking directions below.
If you’d prefer, there are several kayaking or boat tours that allow you to visit Calanque d’En Vau by water.
I recommend this kayaking tour: it hits Calanque d’En Vau, as well as Port Pin which I mentioned earlier. If you’re feeling lazy, try this boat tour that will take you around a bunch of the Calanques- which is nice because they’re all different and unique!
2. Calanque de Morgiou (& Sugiton)
Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Access: 25 minute drive, 1-1.5 hour hike
Best for: Quieter calanque experience
The next beach we’ll discuss is Calanque de Morgiou, which actually includes a bunch of little coves.
Calanque de Morgiou is located close to d’En Vau and has many similar attributes, just without the crowds.
Yes, it may not be quite as spectacular- but that doesn’t mean it isn’t still stunning, and for many the tradeoff with the crowds is worth it.
Unlike d’En Vau, Calanque de Morgiou has some development in the form of an old, small and charming fishing port.
There are several small coves located along the left-hand side of the calanque (if you’re looking out to sea). I’d recommend walking along the side and finding a spot you like.
You’ll have to hike about an hour (probably a bit more) to reach the Calanque. There are several ways to arrive, but the two most popular are from Les Baumettes & the Luminy Campus. Both can be reached by public transit if you don’t have a car (plug into Google Maps).
I’ll attach the two most popular routes below, although you may want to download AllTrails as well.
Note: If you want to continue the adventure, hike an extra 30 minutes from Morgiou to the Calanque de Sugiton. It’s absolutely stunning- just make sure to reserve online in summer, which is now mandatory.
3. Calanque de l’Erevine
Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Access: 30 minute drive, 1-1.5 hour hike
Best for: Off the tourist trail
‘The Calanques’ really refers only to the calanques south of Marseille between the city and the town of Cassis.
However, while they may not be the Calanques, there are other calanques north of Marseille as well. Calanque de l’Erevine is one of them.
Calanque de l’Erevine is located in an area called the Côte Bleue (Blue Coast). The water is crystal clear, and the scenery is awesome, including an island offshore and an old railway running overhead.
The beach is pretty small, so even though far fewer people come as compared to most other calanques, it can still fill up on peak days of summer.
Like the other calanques, l’Erevine requires a hike.
The hike to the beach starts at a town called Niolon and takes a little over an hour. Warning that it can be slightly dangerous at times. Much of the hike sits high directly over the coastline- 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.
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: The map above is from my new app, Offpath, a curated map of hidden gems in destinations around the world. You’ll find Calanque de l’Erevine on there, a few of the other more hidden beaches on this list, and a couple other spots in Marseille!
Best Family Beaches Near Marseille
Now we move on to more traditional, family friendly beaches where everyone can have a good time without hearing too many complaints.
One common theme I have to add, though: these beaches are more easily accessible, which equals larger crowds. The ones I’ve picked are better than most, but it’s still a factor.
Don’t let that put you down, though. These two beaches (especially the first) are gems.
4. Plage des Renécros
Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Access: 45 minute drive from Marseille
Best for: Sandy family beach
Plage des Renécros is hands down one of my favorite beaches on this list.
I no doubt have some level of bias, having spent countless days here as a child. But if you’re looking for a sandy, family beach that everyone will love- this is it.
Plage des Renécros is in a bay that’s protected, so the water is always perfectly calm.
The beach is pretty long and wraps around in a circle, so you can walk however long you want to find a good spot to set up shop.
In the summer, there’s often lots of activities to do as well. We used to take these pedal boats with a slide off the back and pedal around the bay- core childhood memory.
Plage des Renécros is located about 45 minutes away from Marseille next to a town called Bandol. Make sure to take the time to explore the town as well- it’s one of my favorites!
You can park in the lot between the beach and town by the water if you can’t find anywhere on the road.
You can read more about Bandol itself in my Best Marseille Day Trips post, where I combine the town and beach into- you guessed it- an unbeatable day trip.
5. Plage de Bestouan
Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Access: 35 minute drive from Marseille
Best for: Most beautiful beach near Cassis
This one is another great choice for a good balance of beauty and convenience.
Plage de Bestouan is a medium-sized, rocky beach with clear waters and stunning views of the coastline.
It’s also located right next to the town of Cassis, and is the best beach option in the area.
Most people just go to the main beach right by town, but if you simply walk a little over 10 minutes you get a massive upgrade.
Don’t expect no crowds, though. It can get quite busy here, depending on the day.
Make sure to spend time in Cassis before you leave. If you don’t it’s kind of like going to Long Island without seeing Manhattan.
Other Beautiful Beaches Near Marseille
6. Beaches on the Frioul Islands
Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Access: 30 minute boat ride from Marseille
Best for: Easy adventure from city center
These next beaches are located on the Frioul Islands, directly off the coast of Marseille.
The Frioul Islands are full of little beaches and coves, which is why I didn’t select one specific beach for this section.
It’s fun to simply stroll around the islands in search of the best spots- they’re not very large and it isn’t too difficult to cover a lot of ground by foot.
A couple of my favorite spots are the Calanque (yes, they call them calanques) de Morgiret and Calanque de la Crine. Morgiret is larger with several small coves within one large bay, and de la Crine is more of a hidden gem.
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 only 30 minutes to reach by boat, so it’s an incredibly easy and fun way to have an adventurous beach day from Marseille.
Note: If you’d like to experience the Frioul Islands (& nearby Chateau d’If!) with a local guide, I would recommend this boat tour. It’s priced reasonably and it’s always helpful to have a local to give tips.
7. Plage de Cap Croisette
Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Access: 20 minute drive from Marseille, short hike
Best for: Hidden gems close to Marseille
If you drive south along the coast of Marseille towards the mountains, the long city beaches will slowly turn into small coves and charming towns.
Eventually, you will reach the end of the road and the small town of Les Goudes.
First off – take some time to stroll around Les Goudes, which is a very charming town.
But enough about that – we’re here for the beach.
There are several ways to reach the cove, which you can see by clicking on the map below. However, they all require a short hike.
A short 10-20 minute hike will bring you out onto a peninsula with expansive views of the coast and its rocky mountains and turquoise blue waters.
And eventually, you’ll reach the beautiful cove of Cap Croisette.
And I haven’t mentioned – it’s sand, one of the few sandy beaches in Marseille that are still beautiful.
Best Beaches Near Marseille City Center
8. Plage du Prado
Scenery: ⭐⭐
Access: Short drive from city center
Best for: Big, wide sandy beach
I wasn’t going to include Prado at all but it felt wrong. It’s the largest and most well-known in Marseille, after all.
But as I mentioned above, the city beaches aren’t my favorite. And Prado is the city beach of the city beaches.
While it’s not my preference, I’ve included it because I’m aware some people– with severe brain damage, naturally- prefer long, wide sandy and commercialized beaches, which makes it convenient to get food and have entertainment, etc.
I can understand the draw for families, too. It’s right in the city and completely sandy, unlike many of the other beaches we’ve discussed.
Prado also often hosts events, notably many water sports from the 2024 Paris Olympics, which I was lucky enough to attend.
9. Plage des Catalans
Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐
Access: 20 minute walk from city center
Best for: Ultimate convenience
Plage des Catalans is the most convenient on this list for those of you in the city center by the old port- it takes only 20 minutes to reach by foot.
Like all city beaches, it can get quite crowded- but at least it has some Marseille charm, unlike Prado.
Plage des Catalans is a sandy beach that is not too long but quite wide, with blue waters that can be calm or rough depending on the day.
The scenery is not close to many of the earlier options on this list, but convenience itself makes Catalans worth a trip.
10. Plage du Prophète
Scenery: ⭐⭐
Access: Short drive from city center
Best for: Lively atmosphere
Plage du Prophète is not on this list for its beauty.
It’s certainly not downright ugly, but Plage du Prophète is nowhere near other beaches earlier in terms of scenery.
The draw for this beach is its atmosphere: Plage du Prophète is known for being one of the most lively Marseille beaches, both during day and at night.
For those of you looking to party on the beach, there’s probably no better spot.
It’s also located in a coastal area of the city called the Corniche, which is nice to walk and drive along.
Unfortunately, I don’t have pictures- but you can see some here.
Which Beach Should You Choose?
| Most Beautiful Beach | Calanque d’En Vau |
| Sandy/Family Friendly | Plage des Renécros |
| Most Easily Accessible | Frioul Islands or Les Goudes Coves |
| Lively Atmosphere | Plage du Prophète |
If you can only visit one beach and aren’t hampered by children or complaining friends, make it Calanque d’En Vau. But only if you can go early!
If you can’t make it before noon, I would go with one of the other two calanques instead.
Renécros is an amazing choice for families, and gives you a chance to wander the boardwalk of Bandol.
The Frioul Islands are perfect for those of you that don’t have cars, while the coves by Les Goudes are perfect for those who do have cars and want a short drive.
Finally, the partiers can head to Plage du Prophète. I’ve heard it’s great- but I can’t give you firsthand evidence.
Final Thoughts
A summer trip to Marseille needs the beach. It’s a non-negotiable.
There’s plenty to do in the city (ahem, read my 18 favorite things to do here), but the beauty of Marseille lies in its surroundings. And that includes the beaches. So get out and explore!
