# Calanques National Park, Marseille > The Calanques are narrow coves with sheer white cliffs and turquoise water, running for 20 kilometres along the sea from Marseille's southern edge to Cassis. Since 2012 they've been a national park. You reach them on foot along mountain trails, by bus to the trailheads, or see them from the sea on a boat from the Old Port or Cassis. The best-known coves are Sugiton, Sormiou, Morgiou, Port-Miou and En-Vau. Entry is free; allow half a day to a full day. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/calanques - City: [Marseille](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille), France - YesGo score: 23/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 4 h - Opening hours: Trails by day; summer access may be restricted - With kids: Better without small kids - Entry: Free; Sugiton by booking in summer - Boat: From the Old Port or Cassis - In summer: The massif closes when fire risk is high - Length: 20 km along the sea - Duration: ≈ half a day to a day - Location: Between Marseille and Cassis - Coordinates: 43.20944, 5.44917 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **2012** — the national park created (source: English Wikipedia) - **520 km²** — park area including the sea (source: English Wikipedia) - **20 km** — length of the massif along the coast (source: English Wikipedia) - **565 m** — height of Mont Puget (source: English Wikipedia) ## About the Calanques A **calanque** is a narrow, steep-walled inlet cut into limestone: once river valleys or collapsed caves, later flooded by the sea. The Mediterranean's most famous calanques are in the Massif des Calanques between **Marseille and Cassis**, twenty kilometres of white cliffs, pines and turquoise inlets. Since **2012** it has been a **national park** of 520 km², most of it marine. Efforts to protect the calanques date back to 1923, when locals campaigned against industrial building at En-Vau. Today it's one of Marseille's favourite places for hiking, swimming and climbing. ## What to see - **Sugiton** — the closest cove to Marseille, on foot from Luminy. - **Sormiou** — a large cove with a beach and fishermen's cabins. - **Morgiou** — a cove with a tiny harbour and boats. - **Port-Miou** — a long fjord-like inlet next to Cassis. - **En-Vau** — the most famous cove, with a white beach. - **By boat** — every calanque from the sea in a couple of hours. ## The coves Closest to Marseille is **Sugiton**: a trail leads from the Luminy university campus, about an hour each way with a steep descent. In summer you can only go with a **free booking** on the park website. **Sormiou** and **Morgiou** are big coves with beaches and fishermen's cabins, reached by roads closed to cars in summer. On the **Cassis** side are **Port-Miou**, a long narrow inlet full of yachts, and the famous **En-Vau**, with its white pebble beach between sheer cliffs. It's about an hour and a half to En-Vau on a rocky trail, so many people paddle in by kayak or see it from a boat. > **In summer, check access** From June to September the massif may be **closed to visitors** because of forest-fire risk in hot, windy weather. Check the access map on the park website or app the evening before and the morning of your hike. By sea, on a boat or kayak, you can still see the coves on those days. ## The Calanques by boat The easiest way to see the calanques is a **boat trip**. Sailings of one and a half to three hours leave Marseille's Old Port and Cassis harbour: the boat runs along the cliffs, slips into the coves and sometimes stops for a swim. From the water you see the white cliffs, the pines on the rocks and the colour of the sea. For the active, there's **kayaking and paddleboarding**, with rentals in Cassis and in the coves. Under the sea off Cap Morgiou lies the famous Cosquer Cave, its prehistoric paintings reached through an underwater entrance; you can see its replica in a museum in Marseille. ## Hiking trails Dozens of trails of different difficulty cross the massif. The most popular lead to Sugiton from Luminy and to Port-Miou and En-Vau from Cassis. The trails are stony, with climbs and descents over rock, so wear **trainers or hiking shoes**, not sandals. There's no water in the calanques: carry at least 1.5–2 litres per person, food and a hat. The massif's high point is Mont Puget (565 m), but for an ordinary walk you don't need to climb that high, as the views open up within half an hour. ## How to get there 1. To Sugiton, bus B1 to Luminy campus, then ≈ 1 hour on foot. 2. To Sormiou and Morgiou, bus to the outskirts and 1–1.5 hours on foot. 3. To Port-Miou and En-Vau, train or bus to Cassis, then on foot. 4. By boat, from Marseille's Old Port or Cassis harbour. ## Tips for your visit Allow half a day to hike to one cove and swim, two to three hours for a boat trip. Set off early: the trails get hot by midday, and car parks and buses fill up. The Calanques combine easily with [Cassis](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/cassis): a boat to the coves in the morning, lunch in the harbour, the beach in the evening. If tough trails aren't for you, take the boat. Don't take small children or pushchairs on the trails: the descents are steep and slippery. There are no cafés in the coves except Sormiou and Morgiou, so bring food and take your rubbish away. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Check the park access map - [ ] Book Sugiton in summer - [ ] Wear hiking shoes - [ ] Carry 2 litres of water each - [ ] Pack a swimsuit and mask ## Places in Marseille: compare and choose Places in Marseille rated by YesGo. - [Frioul islands](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/frioul-islands) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Free; boat by ticket - [Calanques](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/calanques) — YesGo score 23/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Free; Sugiton by booking in summer - [La Ciotat](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/la-ciotat) — YesGo score 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Free ## Don't mix it up The Marseille Calanques are the coves of the massif between Marseille and Cassis; the Calanques de Piana are similar red cliffs on Corsica. ## Tips - Check access in summer. - Wear hiking shoes. - Carry 2 litres of water. - Not a hiker? Take the boat. ## Questions ### How do I get to the Calanques from Marseille? By bus to Luminy or the outskirts and on foot, or by boat from the Old Port. ### Do I need to book the Calanques? In summer, Sugiton cove needs a free booking on the park website. ### Can you swim in the Calanques? Yes, the coves have pebble beaches and clear water. ### When are the Calanques closed? In summer on hot, windy days because of fire risk; check the day before. ### Which calanque should I choose? Sugiton is closest to Marseille, En-Vau the most beautiful, Port-Miou next to Cassis. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. Access rules, booking and boat times weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Calanques National Park and Calanque - Calanques National Park official website, calanques-parcnational.fr --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.