Kayak dans les calanques à Marseille.
Sortie en Kayak dans les calanques, à Marseille avec Raskaskayak, juillet 2015.
Places to see in ( Marseille - France ) Parc national des Calanques
Places to see in ( Marseille - France ) Parc national des Calanques
Calanques National Park is a national park located in southern France, established in 2012. It extends over 520 km², of which 85 km² is land, while the remaining is marine area. It includes parts of the Massif des Calanques stretching between Marseille and Cassis.
Marseille abuts the wild and spectacular Parc National des Calanques, a 20km stretch of high, rocky promontories, rising from brilliant-turquoise Mediterranean waters. The sheer cliffs are occasionally interrupted by small idyllic beaches, some impossible to reach without a kayak. The Marseillais cherish the Calanques, and come here to soak up the sun or take a long hike. The promontories have been protected since 1975 and shelter an extraordinary wealth of flora and fauna: 900 plant species, Bonelli’s eagle, and Europe’s largest lizard (the 60cm eyed lizard) and longest snake (the 2m Montpellier snake).
From October to June the best way to see the Calanques (including the 500 sq km of the rugged inland Massif des Calanques) is to hike the many maquis-lined trails. Marseille’s tourist office leads guided walks (no kids under eight) and has information about trail and road closures. It also has an excellent hiking map of the various calanques, as does Cassis’ tourist office, and their websites.
Of the many calanques along the coastline, the most easily accessible are Calanque de Sormiou and Calanque de Morgiou, while remote inlets such Calanque d’En Vau and Calanque de Port-Miou take dedication and time to reach – either on foot or by kayak.
In July and August trails close due to fire danger: the only option then is to take a boat tour with Croisières Marseille Calanques from Marseille or Cassis. Check in advance if you’re hoping to be able to stop for a swim, as only a few tours allow this, such as the one offered by Icard Maritime.
Otherwise, you’ll have to drive, cycle or take public transport, though roads are rough, parking scarce and the going slow. The roads into each calanque are often closed to drivers, unless they have a reservation at one of the calanque restaurants. You must instead park at a public lot, then walk the rest of the way in.
The best way to reach the calanques is by sea – either by boat, or by hiring a kayak from Marseille or Cassis. Operators such as Destination Calanques Kayak and Raskas Kayak organise sea-kayaking tours; local tourist offices have details of lots of other hire companies. Calanc’O also offers paddle boarding.
For access to the calanques closest to Marseille, drive or take bus 19 down the coast to its terminus at La Madrague, then switch to bus 20 to Callelongue, a small calanque with restaurants (note that the road to Callelongue is open to cars weekdays only mid-April to May and closed entirely June to September). From there you can walk to Calanque de la Mounine and Calanque de Marseilleveyre along spectacular trails over the clifftops.
Calanque de Sugiton is also easy to access without a car. Take bus 21 from av du Prado, at Castellane, towards Luminy and get off at the last stop. From there follow the path (about a 45-minute walk).
( Marseille - France ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting Marseille . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Marseille - France
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