La Ciotat, Marseille

About La Ciotat

La Ciotat is a seaside town halfway between Marseille and Toulon. Its name simply means 'The City' in Provençal. In the 15th century Genoese settlers arrived and built a shipyard: ships carried out olive oil, wine and soap and came back with silks, spices and porcelain. Shipbuilding long remained the town's main trade, and the yard's huge cranes still stand over the port.

La Ciotat's world fame comes from the Lumière brothers, who had a summer villa here. In 1895 they filmed The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat, one of the first films ever made, and L'Arroseur arrosé, the first film comedy. Here too, in 1904, they made their first colour photographs.

What to see

• The old port — the waterfront, shipyards and cafés.
• Parc du Mugel — a garden beneath the Eagle's Beak rock.
• The sandy beach — central and good for children.
• The Lumière station — where the first film was shot.
• Musée Ciotaden — the history of the town and pétanque.
• Route des Crêtes — the panorama from Cap Canaille.

Town of cinema and pétanque

La Ciotat is proud to be the cradle of cinema. It hosts film festivals, Lumière markers dot the town, and at the station you can stand on the very platform where, in 1895, a train pulled in and, legend says, startled the first audiences. The town also has the historic Eden cinema, linked to the Lumières' early screenings.

Its other claim to fame is pétanque. In 1907 a local player, Jules Le Noir, who couldn't take a run-up because of illness, suggested throwing the boules from a standing position, and so a game now played all over France was born. The first tournament was held here in 1910, and the Musée Ciotaden tells the story.

Beaches and coves

Unlike its rocky neighbours, La Ciotat has a long sandy beach right in the centre, shelving gently, good for children, and looking out over the bay. A promenade of hotels, cafés and restaurants runs alongside.

Wilder spots are the coves of Mugel and Figuerolles, with clear water under the cliffs. In summer boats run from the port to the little green island facing the town, for swimming and walks along its paths.

Cap Canaille and the Route des Crêtes

Between La Ciotat and Cassis, Cap Canaille rises 394 metres above the sea, one of Europe's highest sea cliffs. Along its ridge runs the Route des Crêtes, whose viewpoints look over La Ciotat, the bay, the islands and the coves of Cassis.

It's best driven by car or taxi; in summer it closes on windy days and when fire risk is high. A footpath follows the ridge too, but it's long and exposed, so carry water.

Tips for your visit

Allow half a day for La Ciotat, a full day with the beach and the Mugel garden. Stroll the port and old streets in the morning, head for the park and cove at midday, and the sandy beach in the evening.

La Ciotat pairs naturally with Cassis, linked by the Route des Crêtes, and with the coves of the Calanques.

The station is far from the centre, so check the bus times. The beach and promenade are flat and pushchair-friendly; the coves are reached by paths and steps.

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How to do it right

• The beach is sandy.
• Don't miss the Mugel garden.
• Drive the Route des Crêtes.
• 30 minutes by train.

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