What You'll Find in This Post
Quick Facts About Calanques National Park
- Location: Mediterranean coast between Marseille and Cassis in southern France
- Transport: 1-hour train from Marseille to the Calanques (Cassis station), then bus or walk to trailhead
- Hike Duration: ~4 hrs round trip (Port-Miou to d'En Vau)
- Best Time: Spring/Fall for mild weather and fewer crowds; summer is popular but hot and busy
- Landscape: Dramatic limestone cliffs, turquoise inlets (Calanques), and rugged coastal scenery, formed over 120 million years
Tip: Wear sneakers and activewear for hiking, but bring your bathing suit and a towel for swimming!
Calanques National Park
Hiking Calanques National Park is a must for anyone visiting the South of France, offering stunning cliffs, panoramic views and turquoise waters. 'Calanques' are narrow and steep limestone inlets that formed over the course of 120 million years. The coastline eroded as the sea level declined during the ice age - once the sea level rose again it filled the valleys with water, thus forming what we see today. There are 28 Calanques that make up the park, which stretches over 20 km between Marseille and Cassis. Whether you’re exploring the best Calanques trails like Port-Miou to d’En Vau, kayaking, or taking a boat tour, you have to visit this top destination on France's stunning coast. I was staying in Marseille for five weeks and a visit to this park was one of the best activities I did.
How to Get From Marseille to Calanques National Park
The best ways to reach the Calanques hiking trails are by train, bus, or car. If driving, there are quite a few lots listed on google maps near the trail head at Port-Miou. We took a 1-hour train from Marseille St. Charles to Cassis station. After the train, go to the bus stop just in front of Cassis station called Gare SNCF. Take this bus to the Casino bus stop and walk for about 20 minutes to get to Port-Miou. To get back to Marseille just do this in reverse! In our experience most busses and parking lots only take cash payments, so always have some euros on you.
Cassis
Cassis is an extremely beautiful coastal village. If you have the time, I would highly recommend exploring this area. Instead of taking the bus, we wandered through Cassis for about an hour to get to Port-Miou (we're crazy, I know, but we only had one day in Cassis and would be too exhausted to explore after hiking!). If you have more time to spend in Cassis, definitely make time to see what it has to offer. Some top things to do in Cassis include...
- Explore the Port of Cassis: The heart of the village, lined with pastel-colored buildings, fishing boats and waterfront cafes
- Visit Plage de la Grande Mer: Cassis’s main beach
- Taste Cassis Wine at Local Vineyards: Cassis is one of France’s smallest AOC wine regions, producing crisp, mineral-rich whites
- Wander the Old Town and Markets: Cassis’s narrow streets are filled boutiques and bakeries; visit the Wednesday and Friday morning markets on Place Baragnon for local produce, cheeses, and crafts
What to Pack
2L water, snacks, sunscreen, bathing suit, snorkeling gear, towel
Since the hike will be at least four hours round trip and there is no fresh water sources, bring a minimum of 2L of water to avoid dehydration. You should also pack lunch and snacks since there are no vendors in the park. Sun provisions such as sunscreen and wearing a hat are also very important as some Calanque trails don't have much shade and the Mediterranean sun is intense. Bring a bathing suit, snorkeling gear, and a towel. This may seem like a lot, but we were able to carry all of these items between a mini backpack and fanny pack!
Best Calanques Hiking Trail: Port-Miou to d’En Vau
Port-Miou
Port-Miou to Port Pin
When you get to get to the trail head at Port-Miou, begin to follow the red and white striped path until you get to Port Pin. The Calanques National Park hiking routes are well-marked, with signs and colored markers on rocks or trees every hundred feet. It's a nice reminder you're still going the right way! Along with the marked paths, each Calanque and fork in the trail has signs letting you know which direction to go, as well as the duration to the next Calanque.
Port-Miou and Trail Signage
It takes around 30-40 min to get to Port Pin from Port-Miou. It depends on your pace and how many times you take stops (for pictures or a rest), but this trail is very straight forward and scenic. Port Pin has a small, pebbly beach surrounded by pine-covered cliffs. It's the easiest to access beach along the trail, so it can get busy since some people enter the National Park just to spend the day at Port Pin's beach. There's a changing room and bathroom here.
Tip: When you see the sign that says you're 5 minutes away from Port Pin, don't follow the arrow. Instead, keep heading straight and stick to the right side. You'll be able to find this beautiful spot on the rocks (pictured below) with views of Calanque Port Pin! It is the perfect spot - a hidden gem, if you will - to have a panoramic picnic away from the crowds.
Calanque Port Pin Viewpoint
Port Pin to d'En Vau
From Port Pin, you'll choose between two trails to reach d’En Vau - you can continue on the red and white or switch to the blue. Of the two, the blue coastal trail is, in my opinion, the most beautiful. It's one of the best Calanques hiking trails with panoramic sea views and takes about 1.5 hours depending on your pace.
As the name suggests, it follows along the coast so you consistently have gorgeous views and get a chance to look down upon multiple turquiose inlets. The red and white trail is quicker (1 hour 10 minutes) and easier but less scenic; since it goes to d'En Vau more directly it doesn't have many views besides some wooded areas, bushes and rocks.
The difficulty level from Port Pin to d'En Vau is medium. It has slippery rocks and a lot of it is uphill. Once you get towards the end of the trail about to descend down to Calanque d'En Vau (video of the descent below), it turns into more of a climb than a hike. You have to use both your hands and feet to slowly lower yourself down this cliff, being extra careful not to slip. If you take it slow you will be fine, just be prepared. The pictures and videos truly don't do it justice - it is even steeper than it looks - but don't let this discourage you as it's a once in a lifetime experience that you should not miss out on! Wear proper hiking sneakers and have a small backpack so you can keep your hands free. We got down just fine and thought it was pretty funny since we definitely weren't expecting it to be like that!
After descending the trail, walk ~6 minutes to reach Calanque d’En Vau. It is a gorgeous destination surrounded by towering cliffs with a lovely little pebbled beach. You can cliff jump, swim, snorkel and lay out in the sun! After hiking for so long we were hot and sweaty, so the first thing we did was change into our bathing suits and run into the water - it was so refreshing and the waters are crystal clear. There's no changing area so you'll just have to hold up a towel with your back to the cliffs. It's France though, so for my girls if a boob slips out it's no big deal!
To get back to Port-Miou, we took the red and white trail from d'En Vau since we already hiked the coastal trail and wanted an easier, more direct route. I enjoyed getting to have different scenery on the way back.
Calanque d'En Vau
Recap: Get to Port-Miou in Cassis by car or train + bus to start the hike. Take the red and white trail from Port-Miou to Port Pin, then take the blue trail from Port Pin to Calanque d'En Vau. From d'En Vau take either trail to get back to Port-Miou.
Tips for Hiking Calanques National Park
- Snorkeling: Make sure you bring your snorkeling gear with you. The Calanques clear waters are perfect for spotting abundant, diverse marine life. There's colorful schools of fish (e.g., wrasse, damselfish), octopuses hiding in rocky crevices, sea urchins, and occasionally seahorses. The park’s protected status helps preserve this ecosystem so life in the sea is vibrant. The edges of the coves even have some hidden underwater caves (don't enter them, just look).
- Sunlight: ort Pin has longer sunlight hours than d'En Vau. Calanque d'En Vau is unique because of the extremely high cliffs, but that also is the reason it gets covered in shade so fast. Both trails leading back from d'En Vau will pass through Port Pin; if the sun is gone in d'En Vau, it will still be shining in Port Pin. I recommend hanging at d'En Vau until the sun goes behind the mountains, then going back to Port Pin to continue having some fun in the sun!
Ready to explore the best Calanques hiking trails? Save this guide for your Calanques National Park hiking adventure and subscribe for more travel tips! For more things to do in the South of France, check out my Marseille travel guide!
If you'll be in Paris on your way to the Calanques, visit these posts for the best tips:
