# Cassis, gateway to the Calanques, Marseille > Cassis is a small fishing town 20 kilometres east of Marseille and the gateway to Calanques National Park. Pastel houses ring a harbour full of boats, an old castle stands above it, and beyond the town rises Cap Canaille, one of Europe's highest sea cliffs. Boats leave here for the coves of Port-Miou and En-Vau, the slopes are covered in vineyards known for their white wine, and the town has beaches with clear water. Give Cassis half a day or a day. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/cassis - City: [Marseille](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille), France - YesGo score: 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 4 h - Opening hours: Town always open; boats by day, weather permitting - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Town free - Calanques boat: From the harbour, ≈ 45–90 minutes - From Marseille: ≈ 20 km; train or bus - Cap Canaille: 394 m above the sea - Duration: ≈ half a day to a day - Location: Between Marseille and La Ciotat - Coordinates: 43.21556, 5.53722 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **20 km** — from Marseille (source: English Wikipedia) - **394 m** — height of Cap Canaille (source: English Wikipedia) - **1936** — Cassis wines among the first AOCs (source: English Wikipedia) - **3** — first French appellations, Cassis among them (source: English Wikipedia) ## About Cassis Cassis is a town on the Mediterranean east of Marseille, between the Calanques and Cap Canaille. Ligurians lived here six centuries before Christ, in the Middle Ages the town sheltered behind the walls of its hilltop castle, and from the 18th century it spread down to the **harbour**. That was when **Cassis stone** became famous, used to build the quays of Marseille, Alexandria, Algiers and Port Said. Today Cassis lives from tourism and wine. The Provençal poet Frédéric Mistral gave the town its motto: **'Whoever has seen Paris but not Cassis has seen nothing'**. Don't confuse the town with crème de cassis: that blackcurrant liqueur is from Burgundy, while Cassis wines are white and rosé. ## What to see - **The harbour** — pastel houses, boats and waterfront cafés. - **Calanques boat trip** — Port-Miou, En-Vau and other coves. - **Cap Canaille** — a 394 m cliff and the ridge road. - **Beaches** — Grande Mer in the centre and cool-water Bestouan. - **Vineyards** — Cassis white wine and tastings. - **The hilltop castle** — a silhouette above the harbour. ## The harbour and old town The heart of Cassis is its small **harbour**, ringed by pastel houses. Fishing boats and yachts lie at the quays, and the waterfront is lined with cafés and restaurants serving fish and seafood. In the morning the day's catch is sold by the boats, and in the evening the quayside becomes the place to stroll. Behind the harbour are the narrow lanes of the old town, with shops, galleries and little squares. On the rock above stands the **Château de Cassis**, a medieval fortress, now private, but its silhouette is visible from everywhere. > **How to see the Calanques** **Calanques boats** leave Cassis harbour: a short trip to three coves takes about 45 minutes, a long one an hour and a half or more. To walk, the trail to **Port-Miou** starts right at the edge of town, and **En-Vau** is about an hour and a half over the rocks. In summer, check whether the massif is closed for fire risk. ## Cap Canaille and the Route des Crêtes Between Cassis and La Ciotat rises **Cap Canaille**, 394 metres above the sea, one of Europe's highest sea cliffs. Its red-ochre layers are visible from the harbour, and sailors have steered by it for centuries. Along the ridge runs the panoramic **Route des Crêtes**: its viewpoints look down on all of Cassis, the Calanques and the sea. You can drive it by car or taxi; it's closed on windy days and when fire risk is high. ## Beaches and wine In the centre is the pebbly **Grande Mer** beach, and next to it little **Bestouan**, where an underground spring keeps the water cooler. In summer the beaches fill up early, so many people head out to swim in the coves by boat or kayak. The slopes around town are covered in **vineyards**. Cassis became one of France's first three appellations in 1936, and its white wine goes well with fish and bouillabaisse. Many wineries welcome visitors for tastings. ## How to get there 1. By train from Marseille Saint-Charles to Cassis station, ≈ 20–25 minutes. 2. From the station to the harbour, by town bus or 30–40 minutes on foot. 3. By bus from Marseille, about 40 minutes to the centre. 4. By car, 30–40 minutes; harbour car parks fill up in summer. ## Tips for your visit Allow half a day for Cassis with a boat trip, a full day with a hike to the coves. Arrive in the morning, as boats and beaches fill up quickly in season. Cassis goes naturally with the [Calanques](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/calanques), really one trip, and the Route des Crêtes leads on to [La Ciotat](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/la-ciotat). The station is far from the centre, so check the bus to the harbour. The centre has cobbles and slopes, but the waterfront is flat and pushchair-friendly. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Check Calanques boat times - [ ] Check summer access to the massif - [ ] Pack a swimsuit - [ ] Try Cassis white wine - [ ] Take in Cap Canaille ## 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 - [Cassis](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/cassis) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Free - [Calanques](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/calanques) — YesGo score 23/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Free; Sugiton by booking in summer - [Martigues](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/martigues) — YesGo score 23/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h 30 min · Free - [La Ciotat](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/la-ciotat) — YesGo score 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Free ## Don't mix it up Cassis is the town near Marseille; crème de cassis is a blackcurrant liqueur from Burgundy. ## Tips - Take a morning boat. - The station is far from the port. - Check Calanques access in summer. - The wine is white. ## Questions ### How do I get to Cassis from Marseille? By train in 20–25 minutes plus a bus to the harbour, or by bus from central Marseille. ### What is there to see in Cassis? The harbour, the Calanques by boat, Cap Canaille and the beaches. ### How long do I need in Cassis? Half a day with a boat trip, a full day with a hike to the coves. ### Can you swim in Cassis? Yes, on Grande Mer and Bestouan beaches and in the coves. ### Is Cassis the same as the liqueur? No, the blackcurrant liqueur is from Burgundy; Cassis is known for white wine. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. Boat and transport times weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Cassis - Cassis tourist office, ot-cassis.com --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.