Marseille and its surroundings have a special place in my heart.

My mother grew up in the city, and while she moved to New York before I was born, most of her family remained. So as a kid, we’d go every summer for at least a month.

But we never spent too much time in the city itself. Sure, there’s plenty to do. The Vieux Port, the neighborhood of Le Panier, the famous hilltop Notre Dame de la Garde Basilica.

But we’d spend most of our time in the surrounding areas. Almost every day, we’d do a day trip somewhere near Marseille.

Let’s get into the details. The title is the five ultimate day trips from Marseille, but within the five, there are options for even more. You’ll see what I mean.

Why Marseille is the Perfect Base

Marseille is the capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region in southeastern France.

There are very few regions in the world with as much natural diversity as this one. Within just a couple of hours, you have access to towering mountains, classic French country towns, and the sparkling blue Meditteranean coast.

When it comes to day trips from Marseille, you really have your pick of the litter. Except this litter has no runt.

Whatever your hankering is- a day at the beach, a day of hiking, a day of small town hopping- I’ll have you covered.

What to Know Before You Go

Here’s a few tips and tidbits that will make your day trips around Marseille much more efficient and enjoyable.

How to get around in Marseille

The best option that grants the most flexibility is, of course having a car.

Trains work well for some of our day trips from Marseille, but you really want to have a car for most. All of the spots I list are reachable by public transport, but it’s going to be a real pain in the ass for most trips.

So rent the car. I’ll still post public transport details for each of the day trips, but some of them will be really tough.

Note: Please use my links (like the one above) to book! It gives me a bit of cash to spend it on snacks, flights, and some giant inflatable flamingo or something. You pay the same, I get ever-so-slightly richer.

Best time to visit Marseille

Marseille is one of the sunniest cities in Europe, with hot summers and mostly mild winters (unless the famous Mistral wind arrives).

The best times to visit are in the summer and shoulder season (May-October). The perfect sweet spot would be September, when the crowds are gone, the heat relaxes somewhat, but the sea remains warm.

However, this isn’t to say you shouldn’t visit any other time, if that’s your option. I would avoid Marseille in the dead of winter (too cold for beach, too warm for winter fun), but some of our day trips are good (and arguably better) in months like November, March, and April.

Day Trip 1: Bandol & Cassis

Off to the coast!

Bandol and Cassis are my two favorite coastal towns within close range of Marseille.

They’re near enough and small enough where it’s easy (and recommended) to visit both towns in a single day.

Bandol

Bandol is the further town from Marseille, around a 45 minutes’ drive away.

Both Cassis & Bandol can be separated into two parts: the town/marina and the beach.

Bandol has my absolute favorite family beach in the Marseille area, called Plage de Renécros. We used to go there so often that I really have no idea how many times I’ve been.

It’s a big, circular bay with clear, turquoise waters and soft sand. The water is always calm due to the fact that it’s mostly enclosed.

On the map above, you can see the layout of Bandol. It’s essentially a small outlet into the sea: on one side, you have the beach; on the other, the port and town.

Bandol’s ‘town’ is mainly encompassed of the boardwalk on the water, which is filled with restaurants, clothing shops, and boutiques (and most importantly, ice cream).

It’s a great place to stroll around, either in the day or the evening. It has a lively atmosphere and is great for families and backpackers alike.

Across the road from this boardwalk is a walking path along the water and marina.

Which I suppose would also make it a boardwalk? Hang on while I consult ChatGPT.

Yeah, so both are feasibly boardwalks. Let’s call this one the marina boardwalk.

If you’re into boats, you’ll enjoy yourself here. Spanning the front line are usually some pretty sick yachts. You can also head out onto the docks and walk along the rows of smaller motorboats and sailboats in the back.

The marina boardwalk isn’t so long, maybe about a 10-15 minutes walk end to end. It can be great to do with kids, because there’s plenty of activities: merry go-round, small parks and playgrounds.

Note: While you’re in Bandol, try some of its world-famous rosé wine. If you want to keep it simple, try a glass at a restaurant or buy a bottle. If you want the full experience, check out the tours and tastings below.

Cassis

Now, off to Cassis to complete our first day trip from Marseille!

As an aside, there’s no specific reasoning to the order I chose. Both towns are equally nice earlier on and later in the day. It’s to you to decide!

While Bandol may have my favorite beach, Cassis has my favorite coastal town in the area.

Unlike the strip of boardwalk in Bandol, Cassis has many beautiful, narrow pedestrian streets filled with incredible boutiques, restaurants, and more ice cream.

There are two roads where everything is happening. First, the boardwalk by the water, which wraps around the marina; and Ave. Victor Hugo, where you’ll likely be entering from.

Just stroll around, going into any store that catches your interest and soaking in the vibes. And seriously- get some ice cream. You’ll see, there are some places with like 50+ flavors. And good quality.

Earlier, I mentioned that both Bandol and Cassis had a separate town and beach. So where’s the beach at in Cassis?

Cassis has two main beach options. The first is right by town, and the second is a short 10 minute walk away.

The main beach (Plage de la Grand Mer) is nice, but it gets extremely crowded in the summer. The other beach, Plage du Bestouan, is still crowded in summer, but not nearly to the same extent.

Both beaches are stunning, but keep in mind that they are rock beaches, and the water is significantly colder than at the beach in Bandol.

If you are a family and have to choose one beach, choose the one in Bandol. If you’re more the adventurous type, do Plage du Bestouan.

Or just do both.

Public Transport

This is one of the easiest trips to do by public transit.

Both Cassis and Bandol can be reached by taking the TER train heading to Toulon from the Marseille Blancarde Station.

Check times beforehand. The station can easily be reached using the metro. The ride to Cassis takes 15-20 minutes and the ride to Bandol takes 35.

Do note- the train stops close to town center in Bandol, but you will probably want to take the bus from Cassis Station into the town. Otherwise, it’s a 40 minute walk each way.

Note: Again- if you don’t have a car, tours can be a great option for you.

Day Trip 2: Calanques National Park

Today’s day trip from Marseille is going to be a lot more adventurous. No cute towns and sandy beaches.

Just beautiful, raw nature. And maybe some hiking while we’re at it.

The Calanques are a stretch of dramatic, narrow coastal inlets found (mostly) between Marseille and Cassis. They’re famous for their towering white limestone cliffs and insanely bright turquoise waters. Think of them like mini fjords, but on the beach.

There are five main calanques in between Marseille and Cassis, and others elsewhere. I won’t cover all of them here, just a couple I recommend for you to choose from.

Remember when I mentioned that some of our day trips are better in the shoulder season, or even before? The Calanques are best to visit in months like April, May and October.

You can go in the summer, but the hikes will be tough. Winter can easily work, but you probably won’t want to swim.

Calanque d’En Vau

The most popular calanque is the Calanque d’En Vau.

Why? Because d’En Vau has the most turquoise waters, highest cliffs, and narrowest channel. I would say it’s the most naturally stunning calanque there is.

To get here, you have a few options, though all require a hike. The best option is to park by Port Miou (another calanque) and hike the 1-1.5 hours journey. This post explains the route in detail.

Calanque de Sormiou

Another great option is the Calanque de Sormiou.

This is the only calanque I can think of that is directly accessible by car, making it great for the lazy among you.

It’s another stunning calanque. The only problem for me is that it doesn’t have the same remote feel as many of the others, with a tiny complex down by the beach.

Make sure to take the trail on the left-hand side of the beach. It takes you down the edge of the Calanque and then around the corner, and there’s some truly spectacular views.

Calanque de Morgiou & Sugiton

Day Trip Overview

So- how do you organize this into a day trip? You can’t visit all three in a single day.

It’s definitely possible to check out two in one day, but it may be a good idea to pick just one.

If you check out two, one of them should definitely be Sormiou– that way, you don’t have to do multiple long hikes. Unless that’s your thing, which is more than OK.

If you visit one calanque, you can spend the remainder of the day in nearby Cassis (see above) or back in Marseille.

Public Transport

You have two options.

The first is to take the same train I mentioned above to Cassis, head to town and then hike to Calanque d’En Vau.

The second is to take the M2 metro to the Les Baumettes stop and the walk a little over an hour to Calanque de Sormiou. A lot of it seems to be along the road, so you can also try your hand at hitchhiking.

Not perfect, but again, I warned you!

It really isn’t too bad, but you probably will only be able to visit one Calanque on this day trip from Marseille.

Of course, another option could be to join a tour- depending on your budget.

Whichever way you go, just go- the Calanques are one of the most quintessential day trips from Marseille, and should definitely not be missed.

Day Trip 3: The Villages of Provence

For our third day trip from Marseille, we’ll be moving away from the coast.

Marseille is located in a region called Provence, most famous for its beautiful medieval villages and vast fields- including its world famous lavender fields.

I’m going to give a few of my favorites, but there are so many more villages to be explored.

Forewarning: These villages are small and scattered across hills and valleys, meaning that a car is really essential for this day trip.

If you have a car, it is feasible to visit a good chunk of the following villages in a single day trip. Probably not all. I’ll point out later which towns you should be matching into single day trips from Marseille.

You can definitely get two (and possibly three) day trips out of these towns.

Gordes (& Roussillon)

Gordes is probably the most popular town in Provence.

It’s a medieval town built into a cliff from way back in the 11th century, and it’s so stunning that Gordes is officially classified as a Plus Beaux Villages de France– basically France’s “S-tier villages” list. Think light stone, cobbled and narrow streets, amazing views at every turn.

Read here for specific things to do in Gordes.

Roussillon is only 15 minutes away, which is why I’m combining the two in this section.

Roussillon is known as the “Red Village” of Provence because of its vivid red, orange, and yellow cliffs, thanks to natural ochre deposits in the soil. I had no idea what ochre was- you can read about it here if you’re intrigued.

The buildings all follow the same color theme, giving Roussillon quite a unique look.

Read here for specific things to do in Roussillon, including the famous Ochre Trail.

If you want to see the famous lavender fields, this is where to do it.

The most famous spot is located right next to Gordes by the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque, which you can see in the first photo below.

There are more great spots along the drive between Gordes and Roussillon, which is another reason why you should definitely visit both.

The fields are in bloom from mid-June to mid-July. Right around the end of June and beginning of July is generally the best time to see the fields- though this can vary year by year.

They’re still pretty outside of these weeks, but they just don’t have the same vibrant color.

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence is a quaint little town located in the Alpilles Natural Regional Park.

This means there’s a lot to do in the town- and around it.

I won’t cover much to do in the town itself. But it’s simply a pleasure to stroll around and you can find some good advice on this page.

It’s also the town where Remy the rat in Ratatouille is from.

Once you’ve exhausted yourself in town, I recommend heading over to the Lac de Peïroou, a 10 minutes’ drive away.

It’s a gorgeous lake situated between small mountains. It’s got a beach and some hiking trails.

I recommend taking the hiking trail up the tall mountain on the far end of the lake. It’ll lead you to the most spectacular views!

L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

As the name suggests (for those of you who know some French), this town is on an island located along the Sorgue River.

The life of this town is certainly centered on the Sorgue River, with lots of bridges and restaurants along the water.

L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is internationally renowned for its many antique dealers, which are spread all over the small town.

If you can pick a day to come, choose Sunday: the Sunday Market here is one of the best in Provence, spilling through the entire town with produce, cheese, art, and of course, antiques.

Lourmarin

Finally, Lourmarin.

Lourmarin is probably the smallest town on this list, or at least feels like it. In a good way.

It’s absolutely stunning, with soft golden buildings and narrow, winding roads. The streets are lined with shady cafés and boutiques, and the vibe is just so calm and relaxing.

Try to come on a Friday, when Lourmarin has its market!

Day Trip Overview

Visiting all five of these towns in one day would be a tall task.

I’d recommend splitting the towns in two separate day trips.

For the first day trip, head to Gordes first, then Roussillon and Lourmarin. For the second, head to l’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and St-Rémy-de-Provence.

Both days should keep you plenty occupied.

Public Transport

This is not the day for those of you taking public transport. I very much hope you saw my warning up top, and didn’t just read through all of that hyping yourselves up.

It is technically feasible to reach each of the towns above by train and bus, but just one would be a pain and I don’t recommend it.

Instead, you can do a day trip to bigger towns (and cities) like Aix-en-Provence and Arles. They are very easily accessible by train and will still give you the same Provence vibes, just in a different way.

Day Trip 4: Hyères & The Porquerolles

We’re heading back to the sea.

Hyères is an old town close to the coast, and undoubtedly a great town to explore.

But what makes Hyères special is that it’s the gateway to the Îles (or islands) d’Hyères. There are three islands: Port-Cros, Île du Levant, and Porquerolles.

You’ll be heading to Porquerolles.

The drive to Hyères, and then down to the ferry port, takes under 1.5 hours total.

Park your car by the ferry, and take the short ~15 minute ride to Porquerolles. Tickets cost between €17-22 depending on the season, with discounts for children, seniors, and large groups. You can find all the ferry information here.

Porquerolles is car-free, so rent a bike! This is how you get around on Porquerolles. There are rental places right off the ferry, you can’t miss them. The island is so tiny that you can feasibly bike the whole island in under an hour.

The island is absolutely magnificent, and you’ll soon see why a couple of its beaches have won awards for best beaches in France and Europe.

How about that water? It’s famously clear and shallow. If you showed me this picture, I would’ve thought it was in the Caribbean.

But it isn’t. And it’s only a quick day trip from Marseille.

Some of the best beaches you should check out include the Plage Notre Dame (pictured above), Plage d’Argent, and Plage de la Courtade.

These are all located on the north side of the island. The south side is a lot more wild, and while there aren’t any nice, long beaches, the views and scenery are awesome and you should check it out by bike.

Day Trip Overview

This one is pretty simple.

Start the day by heading to the ferry (checking the timetables to be sure you don’t have to wait!) and spend as much time as you want/can on Porquerolles.

If you have time on the way back, stop in Hyères. The last ferries back in the summer are currently at 7:30 PM, so that leaves you some time if you’re not too tired.

Public Transport

It’s very doable to get to Porquerolles by public transport.

You have two options- DIY it or go by organized trip.

First option: take the same TER train from Marseille Blancarde that I mentioned earlier for Cassis and Bandol, it’ll go straight to Hyères in under 1.5 hours. Then take the 67 bus down to the port (this is the annoying part- the bus is around 45 minutes long).

Second option: take the same TER train but stop at Bandol. There is a trip to the Porquerolles that leaves from here, you can check on the link below to make sure the group is running when you’re visiting.

I rarely recommend doing group trips because of cost, but at €50, you’re not paying that much of a premium considering the train, bus, and ferry cost that you no longer have to pay. Plus, you’re getting convenience and a free longer boat ride.

Note: When the trip is done, spend the evening in Bandol! You’re already there, so why not.

Day Trip 5: The Côte d’Azur (French Riviera)

We’re staying on the sea.

The Côte d’Azur is an absolutely stunning part of the Mediterranean, and it’s become one of the most popular summer destinations in Europe.

Some say it starts by Cassis, but most agree it spans from Saint-Tropez to Menton (by the Italian border), meaning that you’ll be having some driving on your hands today. Saint-Tropez itself is almost a 2 hour drive away.

Note: You may very likely already be planning to check out this part of France after leaving Marseille. If that’s the case, hold off on this day trip. But you can still read to learn about the best spots.

There are a couple of day trip ideas I’d recommend doing on the Côte D’Azur, provided you’re ready for a good bit of driving. I’ll detail them out below.

First, as usual, I’ll give you a list of all your options. Then I’ll tell you how to divide them into day trips from Marseille.

Saint-Tropez

Saint-Tropez is an awesome town, and it has enough on its own to keep you occupied for a whole day.

Like we discussed with Cassis and Bandol earlier, you’re going to want to split your time between the town and the beach.

The old town of Saint-Tropez, known as La Ponche, is the epitome of what the Côte d’Azur has to offer: small, narrow alleyways, colorful façades, boutique shops and small cafés.

It may sound similar to other Provençal towns, but the difference is in the buildings, and the use of vibrant colors.

You can easily spend a few hours walking around the old town and the port, where you’ll see quite the array of mega-yachts taking up the harbor.

More specific things to do in Saint Tropez?

If you’re into high-end designers or independent brands, there’s no shortage to see here.

I recommend climbing up to the Citadel, where you’ll get fantastic views over the bay.

Visit the Provençal market at Place des Lices if you’re coming on a Tuesday or Saturday!

And finally, get yourself a Tarte Tropézienne. Among other pastries, because Saint Tropez has some of the biggest names in French patisserie: think Cedric Grolet, Cyril Lignac, and others.

But the place to get it is at La Tarte Tropézienne in Place des Lices. Of course, it’s become a chain- we’ve already seen one in Bandol- but this one is, of course, the original and best.

Now we go to the beach part. You have several options.

The first, which must be mentioned, is the famous Plage de Pampelonne. I add it hesitantly, because it’s honestly not my favorite sort of beach.

It’s long, wide, and packed with people in the summer. But part of the draw is who the people are. Plage de Pampelonne (and the many clubs spanning its shores) is known for being a hang out spot for the famous. Frequent visitors include Leonardo DiCaprio, Beyoncé & Jay-Z, Lewis Hamilton… you get the idea.

Nicer, quieter options require a short 15-20 minute drive south, but you’ll be rewarded with some incredibly beautiful and wild beaches.

Some of my favorites are Plage de l’Escalet, Plage de l’Amour, Plage Taillat, and Plage de Briande. Read about them here. You’ll have to scroll down to the last couple of beaches.

Cannes & Cap d’Antibes

I’m combining these two because they’re so close together, and because one provides town and city while the other provides the beach.

Cannes is- of course- world-renowned for its film festival that occurs in the latter half of May. So, by all means, if that’s when you’re in Marseille you should definitely head on over.

It’s also nice during the rest of the year, though. And quieter, of course.

The nearby Cap d’Antibes and old town of Antibes are also both worth a stop.

The town is charming and Cap d’Antibes is awesome, filled with beautiful coves with crystal clear water, coastal walking paths, and a lot of ultra-luxury villas.

Towns after Nice: Villefranche, Cap Ferrat, Èze, Monaco, Menton

Each of these towns are about 2.5 hours away, and again- if you’ll be heading this direction anyway, stick to the earlier day trips on this list.

I’ll cover each of these quickly.

Villefranche is a stunning and vibrantly colored town just east of Nice. It’s filled with steep, narrow streets, and has a beautiful beach.

Cap Ferrat (or Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat) is a peninsula jutting out to sea within walking distance of Villefranche. It has several amazing beaches, including Plage Paloma, one of my absolute favorites anywhere. It’s unique because it points back towards the mainland, giving an incredible view of the mountains.

If you’ve already come this far, you may as well continue onwards to Éze, Monaco and Menton.

Éze is a town perched on the edge of a cliff along the coast. Just that should be enough to sell it.

Monaco I won’t even bother talking about, you can find so much information elsewhere. All I’ll say is that if you’re into the glitz and glamour- rich and famous people, insanely fancy cars- check it out.

Note: If you’re a Formula 1 fan like me, the Monaco Grand Prix now takes place in early June, starting 2026. If you’re around, consider it! Once in a lifetime kind of opportunity.

Finally, Menton. Menton is located right on the Italian border, and it’s another one of those quintessential French Riviera towns with bright colors and great beaches and food.

If you decide to go as far as Monaco and Menton, you really have to start thinking about doing more than a single day trip.

I’ve obviously just thrown you a lot of choices and I’ll get into how exactly you should divide this into day (or multi-day, hint hint) trips in the next section.

Day Trip Options

I hinted at how you should divide up your days with the way I sectioned things above, but let me lay it out for you concretely here.

Saint Tropez should be its own day trip. The reason for this is that the driving route to Saint Tropez is different than the one for all the other towns I mentioned, and it isn’t practical to combine it with anything else. But between the town, port, and beach, you’ll have plenty to do.

Any of Cannes, Antibes, Villefranche, Cap Ferrat and Éze can be combined into another day trip. Get an early start, do the long drive first to Villefranche and Cap Ferrat, spend time there, and you can realistically be in the Cannes/Antibes area by 2 or 3 PM.

You can technically do a day trip to Monaco and Menton, but I would start to think about a multi-day trip if you’re heading that far. I know, I know. Spending a night in a town on the French Riviera, how horrible.

Public Transport

If you want to keep this to a day trip, the only option I would really recommend at all is Cannes and Antibes. There are buses that can get there in around 2.5 hours.

To be frank, the Côte d’Azur is a bit far and while you’re in Marseille, you should probably stick to other options on this list if you don’t have a car.

Day Trip 6: Gorges du Verdon & Moustiers-Sainte-Marie

We’re starting to push it with what constitutes a ‘day trip’, but I had to mention the Gorges du Verdon.

The Gorges du Verdon are a massive river canyon located a little under three hours from Marseille. It’s often called the Grand Canyon of Europe.

The Verdon River cuts through tall limestone cliffs and creates an incredible landscape of bright turquoise waters surrounded by dramatic rock walls.

Yes, it’s far. But it is special and you don’t necessarily have to do it in one day. Especially when there’s other great places (and places to spend the night) in the area.

One such place is the town of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie.

Moustiers-Sainte-Marie is a nearby town that you should definitely find the time to check out. You’ve come a long way, so you may as well explore the area.

Moustiers is nestled between two huge rock walls, with houses stacked tightly up the slope and a waterfall running through the center.

Day Trip Options

Two options.

First option: visit the Gorges du Verdon and Moustiers in a single day trip from Marseille. Doable, but a lot of driving. Get an early start.

Second (better) option: Visit the Gorges du Verdon during the day, then explore and spend the night in Moustiers. There’s truly enough to do in the region where you can make it even longer of a trip if you like.

Take a look at accommodation options here.

Public Transport

I really wouldn’t bother with this one if you don’t have a car.

There is minimal information available on transport from Marseille. It’s possible there’s a bus, but even if you get to the Gorges du Verdon, you really want a car to fully explore the area.

With how long the trip takes and the inconvenience of not having a car, I would avoid this one.

And with that, we’ve completed our list of the best day trips from Marseille! There’s truly so much to do in this incredible region of France. Take advantage of that as much as you can.