Half of my family is from Marseille. So as a kid, I spent months out of most summers in the city.

And not one summer passed by where Cassis wasn’t visited at least a few times.

Why? The town has it all. Incredible beaches and hikes by day, a beautiful marina and town to explore at night.

I’ll walk you through how to take the perfect day trip to Cassis from Marseille, including beaches, hikes to magnificent turquoise coves, and where to go in town.

Why Cassis is the Best Day Trip from Marseille

I have a post on all of my favorite day trips from Marseille, but Cassis just may be my favorite.

What makes Cassis so special is its convenience. A short 30 minute drive from central Marseille, and you’ve left the city behind for a charming coastal town surrounded by truly awe-inspiring scenery.

There’s a lot to do in Cassis, and it’s all packed into a relatively small area. It’s great for couples, families, or even a solo trip. If you want to be lazy, Cassis is perfect. If you want to be adventurous, Cassis is also perfect.

Let’s get into the details.

Note: Running out of things to do in Marseille? Check out my 18 Best Things to Do in Marseille when you’re done here.

How to Get to Cassis from Marseille

The easiest way is to drive – it’s about 30 minutes away.

Having family in Marseille, there was always a car available for us to take. Assuming you don’t, the best option is to rent a car. There’s public transit options as well, which we’ll discuss in a second – but if you’re in Marseille for more than a few days, a car will be very helpful (sometimes necessary) for seeing more amazing places near Marseille.

It’s also just fun to drive.

When you arrive in Cassis, just park in one of the garages. I’d recommend Interparking Mimosas (on Google Maps), it’s right above town and prices are fairly low.

If it’s the off-season, you may be able to find street parking – but it’s not even worth looking in the summer.

Note: Use DiscoverCars above – it’s my favorite for rental cars because it automatically searches the best deals on cars from every vendor. It’s kind of like Skyscanner for cars, if you use Skyscanner. If you don’t, oh boy.

If you refuse to go the car route, there are bus and train options that will take you from Marseille to Cassis.

I personally prefer the bus because while the train is faster, it drops you off about 2 miles away from the actual town.

The train leaves from either St. Charles or Blancarde Station in Marseille, and takes around 20-25 minutes (not including final leg to town). You can look for tickets on Omio.

The bus takes 45 minutes, and follows an incredibly scenic route over the mountains by the coast. It’s line 78 and you get on near Castellane in central Marseille. Click here for exact details.

Note: You can also visit Cassis by tour from Marseille – a great option if you don’t want to rent a car or take public transit.

The Town & Boardwalk

There’s plenty to do in Marseille – but although it is situated on the Mediterranean, I find that it lacks that coastal charm.

Cassis, on the other hand, does not.

The town of Cassis is comprised of charming, cobbled roads surrounded by boutique shops and a beautiful boardwalk and marina.

You can easily spend hours strolling around. Generally speaking, most of the boutique shops are on Ave. Victor Hugo, which is the road leading down through the town to the marina. The boardwalk is mainly restaurants.

Stroll along Ave. Victor Hugo and walk into wherever interests you. I’ll go more into depth on places to eat later.

Best Beaches Near Cassis

Cassis is a coastal town. And coast means beaches.

The beaches in Marseille are generally subpar. I’ve written a whole post about the best beaches near Marseille, and I specifically titled it ‘near’ as opposed to ‘in’ because they get infinitely nicer as you leave the city.

I would avoid the main beach in Cassis (Plage de la Grand Mer). It’s where everyone goes because of convenience, and it’s usually packed.

Now for where you should go.

Plage du Bestouan

If you walk just slightly outside of town, you get a massive upgrade.

A simple 10 minutes’ walk will bring you to Plage du Bestouan, a beach that – while still often busy – is far less so than the main beach, and certainly more scenic.

The beach is oriented in a way where you get a straight on view of the cliffs in the distance.

Do note that the beach is rocky, as are most beaches around Marseille.

Plage des Pierres Blanches

Time to go a little further.

Plage des Pierres Blanches is located a little further, around 30 minutes by foot from Cassis. Although you can obviously drive it, if you have a car.

To get here, head to Calanque de Port Miou and walk along the left side to the end. I pinned the spot below.

This is not a traditional beach. You’ll find a rocky area for you to set up shop and jump into the sea. But it’s awesome, and much quieter and scenic than even Plage du Bestouan.

Note: Plage des Pierres Blaches is pinned on Offpath, a map app where I pin off-the-beaten-path spots all around the world. Check out all the spots around Marseille!

Calanque d’En Vau Hike from Cassis

If you’re just looking to spend a few hours relaxing – or maybe traveling with young children – staying by Cassis and its beaches will suit you just fine.

But if you want to see some absolutely jaw-dropping scenery, taking the time to hike to Calanque d’En Vau is a must.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Calanques, they are a set of narrow rocky inlets between Marseille and Cassis. It’s a terrible explanation, but a picture is worth a thousand words anyway.

Remember Calanque de Port Miou from earlier? The one with the rocky beach? I recommend parking here, it will make the hike shorter.

From there, it’s a 1-2 hour hike, depending on your pace.

Exact hiking directions are below. The route will actually take you past another Calanque – Calanque de Port Pin, which has a nice little beach.

Note: Calanque d’En Vau may be the most impressive of the Calanques, but there are plenty of others that are stunning and far less popular. Read about them here!

Calanques Boat Tour

If you don’t feel like hiking, the Calanques can be accessed via a boat tour.

They are reasonably well-priced and there are options from both Cassis and Marseille. So depending on which you pick, you can either make it a part of your day trip to Cassis, or have it be the day trip.

Where to Eat in Cassis

Ah, yes. Food.

Cassis has lots of charming, little eateries. It also has some pretty incredible fine dining spots, including a 3-star Michelin restaurant.

First off, let’s discuss the simple boulangerie. French bakeries are always the go-to if you’re looking for a quick and cheap breakfast or lunch.

In Cassis, the best one is Boulangerie Lion. Come here for a quick snack, or to snack up on picnic supplies for the beach.

If you’re looking for a nice but not crazy meal, I would recommend either Le Patio or La Canaille.

There are plenty of other good options, look for good reviews on Google Maps. Generally speaking, you get more bang for your buck if you choose a place away from the waterfront.

For a fancy meal, try the tasting menu at either Villa Madie or La Presqu’île. Villa Madie is the 3-star Michelin restaurant and has tasting menus for lunch and dinner. I can’t pretend I’ve gone as it’s a little out of my price range, but it sounds incredible and has an amazing view.

La Presqu’île is located close to Calanque de Port Miou, so it makes for a natural stop if you’re heading to Plage des Pierres Blanche or Calanque d’En Vau. It also features a tasting menu, but the price is not nearly as exorbitant.

And ice cream, of course. You’ll see plenty of spots along the boardwalk. Don’t skip!