telegraph travel cassis

An Insider’s Guide to the Best Things to do in Cassis, A Stunning Provençal Town

By: Author Sophie Nadeau

Posted on Last updated: 19th August 2023

Categories France

Last Updated on 19th August 2023 by Sophie Nadeau

Inhabited since Roman times and complete with a village vibe, it doesn’t get much more Provençal than Cassis . Nestled along the Mediterranean coastline, somewhere between the city port of Marseille and the sleepy town of La Ciotat, Cassis is not only the French word for ‘blackcurrant,’ but the name of a town worth visiting during any length of excursion to the region.  Here’s a brief guide to the very best things to do in Cassis !

Why should you visit Cassis?

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‘ Cassis ‘ is not only the French word for ‘ blackcurrant ‘ but the name of a cute French town on the fringes of the ocean… With its turquoise waters, candy houses and oodles of charm, it’s not hard to see why Cassis is near the top of every Provence bucket list.

And besides, it’s hard  not  to fall in love with the quaint little French town. You can’t go wrong by dedicating an entire day in Cassis exploring the town, hiking through the famous Calanques, swimming in the sparkling water and wandering around the old streets.

Situated to the east of Marseille, the port side town is popular with international tourists and French holidaymakers alike.

Local food and friendly inhabitants make this my favourite destination in the entire region! Wine made from vineyards in the area include white and rosé varieties and, of course, the entire town is overlooked by a French Château…

The easiest way to reach Cassis is with your own four wheels, which will give you the flexibility to stay as long as you like exploring the town. Check here for car rental comparison prices.

Cassis can be found in the South of France on the coastline between the city of Marseille and the coastline of the French Riviera. The candy-hued fishing hub of Cassis can also be found on the fringes of the Calanques, an area of outstanding natural beauty.

As well as being one of the most beautiful towns in Provence, Cassis is most famous for being the gateway to the Massif des Calanques, a National Park known for its unusual rock formations and hiking trails that stretches between La Ciotat, Cassis, and the 9th district of Marseille.

Cassis is also famous for its nearby vineyards which produce famous rosé wine, as well as for its ancient history which dates back to Roman times. Indeed, vestiges of the port town’s ancient past can still be spotted in Cassis today, if only you know where to look.

Thanks to its fairly compact size, all of the highlights and many of the delights of Cassis can easily be explored over the course of a day.

Those wishing to see the port and old castle illuminated at night (as well as experience the place without the crowds) would do well to book to stay overnight in Cassis.

Here are my top suggestions for how to spend the perfect day in Cassis (though you can switch the order of things to do depending on the weather forecast for the day and check in advance as the Calanques of Cassis are often closed due to forest fire risks in the high summer).

Arrive in Cassis: Upon arriving in Cassis, you can enjoy a breakfast at one of the many cafés in town. Breakfast in France is rarely a large affair and so typically you’ll just have a small pastry such as a croissant or pain au chocolat together with a coffee and glass of orange juice.

Walk around the Port of Cassis: One of the greatest charms of Cassis is its sheer beauty and one of the top spots in town is the Port of Cassis, which has been used by people for millennia. Stroll around, admire the views and spy the old Carolingian castle which sits high above the rest of the town.

Explore old town Cassis: After a walk of the port, head into the old town. The little streets are largely pedestrianised and are filled with plenty of unique and independent boutiques selling everything from locally produced soaps to French olive oil.

Enjoy a leisurely lunch: After a morning of walking around exploring, enjoy one of the French’s favourite pastimes: a leisurely lunch. Thanks to its enviable position alongside the Mediterranean coastline, many of the menus in town are fish forward, with catch of the day an ever presence on almost every carte du jour.

Hike to the Calanque of Port Miou: The Calanques de Cassis are a stunning set of limestone inlets and are one of the highlights of any trip to this part of France.

The Calanque de Port-Miou is the closest calanque to Cassis and offers a taste of what the rest of the park is like. You can hike on a bit or alternatively head back to Cassis for some more rest and relaxation.

Head back to Cassis for an ice cream: Cassis is the French word for blackcurrant and so it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of shops in town offering up Cassis ice cream. I personally prefer lavender (as it always feels like the most Provençal flavour to me).

Relax on the beach: After a day of walking and seeing the highlights of Cassis, you can head to one of the other things that the town is famous for: the beaches of Cassis. There are several beaches where you can sunbathe or paddle in the sea, but the most famous is probably the Grande Plage.

Best things to do in Cassis

The pretty as a postcard port of Cassis is lined with candy coloured houses reflected back in the salty Mediterranean sea. One of the very best things to do in Cassis is to purchase an ice cream (lavender is a locally grown, not to mention incredibly delicious, flavour) .

You can then wander around the moored boats, and imagine what life must have been like in the fishing port some two and a half thousand years ago- i.e. when Cassis was first founded by the Ligures.

Several hundred years following its foundation, the Roman Emperor Antonius Pius, established the town along a major trade route. Trade took place with North Africa and the Middle East and fishing remained a vital part of the economy, just as it retains its important value in Cassis today.

In comparison to nearby cities and towns such as Marseille or La Ciotat, Cassis is certainly lacking in the expansive golden stretches that are so synonymous with the region. Instead, there’s a tiny beach not far from the port, as well as several other small inlets dotted around the fringes of the town.

If you’re wanting to experience the magic of a Mediterranean beach, then I highly recommend lacing up your walking boots and hiking through the Calanques de Cassis in search of some of the beaches which make the National Park so spectacular.

Should you opt to visit Cassis in the summer months, then it’s worth bearing in mind that the Calanques will likely be closed due to fire hazards and so you’ll have to put your dreams of visiting a picturesque beach on hold for another day!

If you’re a meat eater, then it won’t have escaped your notice that Cassis is by the sea and so a sea-inspired menu in most of the town’s many eateries is clearly on the cards.

Local catches often include sea bass, galinettes  (tub gurnard) , and conger eels. A small fish market is held in town on a weekly basis. Please note that Creme de Cassis, a sweet liqueur created from blackcurrants comes from Dijon in Burgundy.

As with most southern French coastal villages, Cassis has an adorable old town. Think cobbled streets and pretty cottages! It’s the perfect place to wander around, snap a couple of photos for Instagram and try a lavender ice cream (a regional specialty!).

Although the region has been inhabited since around 500-600 CE, most local architecture dates back to the 19th century at the earliest. Wandering around the old town, you can expect to find the pastel shades and well-worn shutters that the architecture of the region is so famous for.

Although the region has been inhabited full time since around 500-600 CE ( cave paintings- now underwater- suggest that the region was inhabited as far back as the paleolithic era- 27,000BCE ), most local architecture dates back to the 19th century at the earliest.

Wandering around the old town, you can expect to find the pastel shades and well-worn shutters that the architecture of the region is so famous for.

When it comes to the Provencal settlement, there’s not just the harbour and seafront to explore. Instead, like most other Southern French towns, there’s a whole maze of small alleyways and a smattering of shuttered façades to get lost amongst in the form of an old town.

Located a little way back from the salty sea breeze of the port, tightly packed streets date back decades, if not centuries, and are best explored over the course of an afternoon.

Dating all the way back to the 13th-century and once inhabited by the Carolingians, Chateau de Cassis is now a private hotel and not open to the public.

However, due to its precariously perched position atop a steep sea cliff and overlooking the rest of the town and the glittering mediterranean sea, the fortifications can easily be viewed from the Cassis Port. Known locally as ‘Castum Carcisis’, a castle has been located on site since at least the 9th-century.

One of the most beautiful National Parks to be found anywhere in France is located right here, on the fringes of Cassis. If you’re a fan of adventure activities, or simply want to soak up some nature a little off the beaten tourist track, then hiking in the Calanques is the perfect introduction to the French Countryside.

Characterised by their limestone appearance, the rock has been worn away over millennia to create little islets and coves which are now home to sandy beaches and secret spots. The easiest Calanque to get to from Cassis is Port Miou, which is one of the three big Cassis calanques and even has its own marina.

The word ‘calanque’ derives from Corsican and Occitan words to mean a type of inlet. The most famous example of calanques in the World is the Calanques de Cassis, located in Cassis- obviously !

There’s no soil whatsoever in the mountains. Instead, there are sheer drops, limestone cliff faces, and evergreen trees. At times, when hiking the Calanques, you’re literally climbing up on your hands and knees. If you can, although the views may be better on a clear, sunny day, I’d advise to go hiking here on an overcast day.

The best thing about hiking in the Calanques is probably all of the hidden beaches hidden within each inlet, meaning that you can take frequent breaks from hiking and enjoy a quick soak on your own private beach!

If you’re looking for a Cassis beach, then you need to look no further than the Plage de la Grande Mer, which can be found on the outskirts of old town Cassis and not far away from Cassis port.

Though a little crowded during more touristic times of the year, this is the largest beach in Cassis, not to mention the most popular.

To the other end of the city from the Calanques de Cassis, the highest sea cliff in all of France can be found in the form of Cap Canaille.

Located on the side of coastline which stretches towards La Ciotat, the headland is best viewed from the West of Cassis, where a small beach makes for the perfect picnic spot. Standing at 394 metres tall, the sea cliff’s name in Provencal is ‘Cap Nio’.

While the pretty French port is always well worth a visit, you should definitely plan your trip around the weather and crowds. After all, both swell in peak season (ie in the summer months).

This means that if you want to make the most of your visit while in the warm weather and while the sun is shining down, yet still manage to avoid the crowds, then your best bet is to visit just before or just after high season.

Where to stay in Cassis

Home to countless little lanes and pretty port side houses, there’s no shortage of stunning places to stay in Cassis. In order to make the most of your stay, I recommend planning to stay in the town for at least one or two nights, so as to truly soak up the charm of this Provençal port.

Here’s some of the best accommodation this town has to offer (otherwise check out our detailed guide to the best Cassis hotels for more options):

Situated in the very heart of the port town, this well-reviewed hotel has free WiFi, a bar, and restaurant. Check prices and availability here.

If you’re wondering what to do in Cassis and you love luxury experiences, then you need to look no further than the Château de Cassis. For those looking for a little luxury, the Château de Cassis can be found overlooking the city, occupying a space where a Roman military fort once stood.

Sophie Nadeau loves dogs, books, travel, pizza, and history. A Francophile at heart, she runs solosophie.com when she’s not chasing after the next sunset shot or consuming something sweet. She splits her time between Paris and London and travels as much as she can! Subscribe to Sophie’s YouTube Channel.

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Saturday 12th of August 2023

Fact check: The Cassis drink has nothing to do with the town. The town is pronounced Casee to differentiate it from blackcurrant. The liquer is produced primarily in Dijon. (Other places too, with some legal wranglings but not in the town of Cassis)

Tuesday 28th of May 2019

The Cassis liquor is NOT produced in Cassis.

©kavram/Getty Images

The charm of this fishing village, impeccably poised amongst the calanques (coves), has hardly been dented by its great popularity. Yes, you're more likely to rub shoulders with crisply dressed Marseillais than sun-creased fisherfolk, and you'll need deep pockets to park anywhere central for any length of time, but Cassis is so beautiful, and so well-stocked with good bistros, bars and boutiques, that it's still well worth a side trip from Marseille.

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Route des Crêtes

The 'Road of Crests' offers heart-stopping panoramas as it traverses the 13 winding kilometres of stunning coastal and upland scenery between Cassis and…

Cap Canaille

Looming, rock-pitted and scrubby Cap Canaille (394m) forms the natural southern border to Cassis' harbour. From the top, captivating views unfold across…

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The best of Provence

It’s France’s poster region for l’art de vivre - but where do you start? Here’s our insider pick of the best places to stay, eat and visit in its cities and picturesque towns and villages Have we missed your favourite or do you have a tip you’d like to share? Join in the discussion in the comments below

Gorges du Verdon

Arriving at the spectacular-setting of the Hotel des Gorges du Verdon is a relief after a series of nerve-jangling hairpin bends on the D952. All is sparkling, modern, eco-friendly and full of the greens, gingers and lavender tones of the Gorges region. It's a short walk to the start of the route des Crêtes (for serious walkers), but it's just as good to watch them leave from the terrace and stay for a dip in the hotel pool. +33 4 92 77 38 26, hotel-des-gorges-du-verdon.fr , doubles from €161.50 B&B, or €1,050 a week

Where to eat Auberge du Point Sublime for its name alone. Rougon, +33 4 92 83 69 15, auberge-pointsublime , dish of the day €17

Don't miss The turquoise waters of the Lac de Sainte Croix are great for swimming and boating, otherwise it's hiking, rafting, canoeing and canyoning in the gorges.

St-Rémy-de-Provence

Composer Charles Gounod wrote his opera Mireille here and gave his name to the town's oldest hotel. Hotel Gounod stands on the corner of the main market square in St-Rémy-de-Provence and the madcap interior is full of musical memorabilia, as well as a collection of religious statuettes and curiosities. The hotel also has a tea room and is near the restaurants, chocolate shops and boutiques of one of France's oldest and prettiest towns. The Roman village of Glanum and the sanatorium where Vincent van Gogh "stayed" are just up the road. +33 4 90 92 06 14, hotel-gounod.com , doubles from €99

Where to eat L'Estagnol serves lots of local lamb, olives and polenta in an lively atmosphere. +33 4 90 92 05 95, restaurant-lestagnol.com , set menu €30. Closed Sun-Mon

Don't miss The Carrieres de Lumieres is a stunning light show in the old quarries outside Les Baux. The current show features Gustav Klimt and runs until January 2015. carrieres-lumieres.com

Saint-Paul-de Vence

Hilltop Saint-Paul is known for its art galleries, boules court and the Colombe d'Or restaurant , where you can dine under a signed Matisse and sit close enough to splash soup on a Picasso. In the wooded valley below at the Orion B&B is a collection of four fantastic treehouses named after characters from the Jungle Book. It also has a shimmering eco-green freshwater pool to dive into and a sauna next door. +33 6 75 45 18 64, orionbb.com . Treehouse for two from €400 (£330) for two nights (21 March, 30 June and 1 September-10 October), from €1,000 for four nights (July and August) B&B

Where to eat A five-minute walk up the hillside from Orion takes you directly to La Brouette, where Scandinavian-style wood-smoked trout is served on a flowery terrace. +33 4 93 58 67 16, Facebook page , menus from €20

Don't miss La Fondation Maeght, a modern art gallery and sculpture garden hidden in the Provencal hills, celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2014. +33 4 93 32 81 63, fondation-maeght.com . Open July-Sept 10am-7pm and Oct-June 10am-6pm, admission €15 adults, kids under 10 free

In 2013 Marseille was Europe's Capital of Culture and the legacy of that means it's a great time to experience its spectacular new architecture and redesigned port. Stylish bistros and hotels have opened, but the height of urban chic is still Hotel Le Corbusier : it occupies the third floor of the Swiss-born architect's massive, concrete Cité Radieuse . Guests can stay in original, oak-floored rooms or "cabins" based on his monastery-cell design. On the roof is a pool, a running track and an art gallery from where there are mesmerising views of the mountains and the islands of Frioul. +33 4 91 16 78 00, gerardin-corbusier.com , four-person suites from €119 and single (cabin) rooms from €78. Breakfast €11 .

Where to eat O'Bidul is a favourite with Marseille's in-crowd. +33 4 91 33 93 78, Facebook page . Open Tues-Wed midday-2pm, Thurs-Sat midday-2pm, 7.30pm-10pm, lunchtime menu is €17

Don't miss MuCEM is Marseille's new national museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations and the centrepiece of the dazzling new docks development. +33 4 84 35 13 13, mucem.org . Open Wed-Mon 11am-7pm (summer), 11am-6pm (winter), late opening Fridays (10pm), admission €8 adults, €5 concessions, family ticket €12 (2 adults, up to 5 kids)

Haut-de-Cagnes

Haut-de-Cagnes is one of Provence's best-preserved perched villages. Steep, cobbled lanes lead into artists' workshops, which are hidden behind stone archways. Within the medieval city walls is Chateau Le Cagnard , a haven of luxury. The old Guard Room, where the knights used to dine, is hand-painted with fabulous elephants and there are curios dotted all over the hotel in alcoves and cabinets including a Napoleonic cannonball, antique parchments and a tiny lift with a fanciful unicorn painted on the door. Renoir's house-museum is also nearby. +33 4 93 20 73 22, lecagnard.com , doubles from €142.50 B&B

Where to eat L'Atelier combines the best of Provencal local dishes with a twist of Asian flavours. 12 place du chateau +33 4 92 02 00 00, no website, three-course meal about €30

Don't miss The seaside racetrack at Cagnes-sur-Mer has summer and winter meetings. +33 4 92 02 44 44, hippodrome-cotedazur.fr . Check website for event details

Aix-en-Provence

Among the old quarter's golden facades is the Hotel Cardinal, the guesthouse incarnation of everything Provencal. Bills are still hand-written and breakfast is served in a formal salon lined with gilt-framed mirrors and paintings of Mont Sainte-Victoire. Upstairs a few rooms have kitchenettes and most are furnished with creaking antiques. It's the perfect base to visit the Musée Granet , wander around Aix's markets and people-watch from cafes on the cours Mirabeau. +33 4 42 38 32 30, hotel-cardinal-aix.com , doubles from €78

Where to eat Carton Rouge offers a fantastically-cramped, zinc-tabled, full-on bistro experience, complete with wine barrels and blackboard menus. +33 4 42 91 41 75, no website, lunch €25

Don't miss Giant optical illusions fill the Fondation Vasarely museum complex just outside Aix to celebrate the work of Hungarian-French artist Victor Vasarely . Fondation Vasarely, +33 4 42 20 01 09, fondationvasarely.fr , open Tues-Sun 10am-1pm, 2pm-6pm, admission free

Cotignac is in the heart of Provence's wine region. The village is popular with holidaymakers because of its fountains, tree-lined avenues and the backdrop of troglodyte dwellings. Chateau Nestuby has five bedrooms and offers B&B accommodation that is surrounded by its beautiful vineyard. The bedrooms have sunflower-yellow bedspreads, van Gogh chairs and creaky oak wardrobes and outside there's a 20-metre long freshwater pool to swim in. Breakfast is in the dining room under a suspended cartwheel. +33 4 94 04 60 02, nestuby-provence.com . doubles from €85 B&B

Where to Eat Restaurant Les Pins is a short drive away in Sillans-la-Cascade, but worth it for the shady terrace. +33 4 94 04 63 26, restaurant-lespins.com , three-course menu €30

Don't miss It's a 30-minute walk to the cascade waterfall from the village centre. Once there, a wild swim awaits the brave in a secluded but popular lagoon with water crashing down from the cliff above.

There's nowhere else in the world like the Camargue. Black bulls, white horses, pink flamingos, hawks and eagles occupy the salt marshes, paddy fields and vineyards that fill the Rhone delta to the south of Arles. It's a great place for cycling (the tallest hill is only two metres high), horse-riding and bird-watching. The best way to experience the place is to stay on a ranch. L'Etrier has five rooms, a beautiful pool surrounded by white buildings where all beams are covered in horse-craft ironmongery. The view is endless, dreamy flatlands. +33 4 90 97 81 14, letrier.com , doubles from €100 B&B

Where to Eat Les Saladelles is famous for its bucketloads of tellines: type of clam, but bull steak is also high up on the menu. Salin de Giraud, +33 4 42 86 83 87, hotel-salin-beauduc.fr/restaurant , lunchtime menu around €20

Don't miss Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer has great sandy beaches , a famous gypsy festival at the end of May, and lots of cowboy shops.

L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

A picturesque campsite for visits to Avignon and the Vaucluse, L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue made its fortune from the crayfish, silk and paper industries. Today, moss-covered water wheels still push water along the canals of this peaceful, inland town, known as the Venise Comtadin. Camping La Sorguette has a selection of striped yurts that flap gently in the mistral wind as well as teepees, pods and tent cabins, all beside the river and a short walk from the centre of town. +33 4 90 38 05 71, camping-sorguette.com , yurt for three to six people costs from €567 per week (5 July-23 Aug)

Where to eat Café Fleurs au jardin d'Aubanel is right on the water's edge and is a glass-sided salon – as well as the perfect place to have lunch. +33 4 90 20 66 94, cafefleurs.com , set menus from €19.50

Don't miss The antiques market is the biggest outside of Paris with around 400 dealers offering everything from marble lions, lace underwear and studded boules to complete stone fountains.

Winston Churchill learned to paint in Cassis. The seaside port became known as Bloomsbury-sur-Mer with Virginia Woolf, Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant all frequent guests. Cassis today is still one of the most bohemian yet classiest resorts in Provence, with great seafood bistros, boat trips and a twice-weekly market. A short stroll from the centre is the Clos du petit Jésus B&B , which has just one airy, contemporary room for guests. The first-floor terrace overlooks a pool and is a perfect place to share an aperitif with the hosts. +33 6 62 89 74 08, clos-du-petit-jesus-cassis.com , double from €140 B&B

Where to eat Restaurant Le Mistral is on the port and serves assorted seafood platters with local Cassis wine. +33 4 42 01 72 81, lemistralcassis.com , buffet-style seafood lunch €19

Don't miss Les Calanques de Cassis are perfect for swimming (along the coves) or walking across the cliff tops, which are the highest in Europe.

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The Ultimate Guide to Cassis, France

Terraced vineyards descend down into the port of Cassis, a town that is unbearably charming. If the sweetness of the lush vines didn’t catch your sense, then the sea breeze surely will. Known for it’s local wine, fresh seafood, and rock beaches, Cassis is one of those not-to-miss places in Provence.

The time passes slow in a good way. Despite the bustling village filled with merchants and cafes, Cassis has this natural beauty to it. Around the corner, for those looking to get a taste of adventure, the Calanques await for perfect afternoon dip. Turquoise waters and steep cliffs are enticing enough to make the journey by foot to cool off in the Mediterranean waters.

Pack a good pair of shoes, a towel, and a local bottle of white wine, and you’re set for a perfect day on the coast.

What to Know Before Visiting Cassis, France

• Driving here is easy, as there are numerous parking lots in the town. Be sure to arrive early as they can fill up by the afternoon.
• Once in town, the village is walkable and there is plenty to do.
• For those wanting to visit the Calanques, be sure to have good walking shoes and plenty of water as the first one is an hour and half round trip. It’s advised to go earlier in the day to avoid the heat. For those not wanting to hike to the Calanques, boat tours provide another opportunity to see them (some even allow for swimming.)

Search for a Cassis Hotel here:

Where to Eat in Cassis, France

• La Villa Madie: A fine dining experience with prefix menus. The location is hard to beat, right along the ocean, perfect for sunset.
• Restaurant Angelina: A local favorite for high end Mediterranean.
• Le Patio: Local cuisine set on a charming terrace.
• L’Oustau de la Mar: Fresh seafood and Provencal cuisine makes this port restaurant a favorite.

What to Do in Cassis, France

• Explore the port by foot.
• Take a boat tour of the Calanques. Head to the main window left of the port to book tickets. We did 8 Calanques, but felt it was too long and the 5 would have been better.
• Go for a long hike to the Calanques and hang at the beach for the afternoon.
• Take a drive down the coast and be sure to stop at Cap Canaille for one of the best views.
• Hit the local beaches at Plage de l’Arene, Plage du Corton, or Le Bestouan.

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Use Discover Cars or Rentalcars.com to find the best car rental deals. I recommend comparing rental agency reviews on Google to ensure you are booking with the best company in that destination, as the reviews are often more accurate than the car rental search engines.

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Xx, Jessica

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This looks amazing! I love your photography, talk about wanderlust! I hope you have a great Monday,Michaelhttps://www.mileinmyglasses.co.uk

Omg it’s beautiful! The past three times we went to France, we only visited Paris. Next time, Cassis will definitely be on the agenda!

xo, B&K http://www.BKCsquared.com

It’s a must visit!

This sound lovely. WE are planning a trip to Paris 2/3 days and then heading down to Provence. I think I will add Cassis to my itinerary. Where would you recommend staying and how many days would ou allow to enjoy this adorable beach side town. We have 12 days total. not very long to see everything I want but I think this breaks up some of Provence and provides a different glimpse to this region. Thank you for any feedback you could provide. Lisa

I think one full day is plenty for Cassis unless you want to spend a half day exploring the Calanques, making it 1-2 days. I’d stay in the town of Cassis.

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What to Do in Cassis, France

Article written by Elisa - Travel Writer & Local in France This article may contain compensated links. Please read disclaimer for more info.

Cassis is one of the most beautiful towns in Provence . Its vibrant buildings, majestic limestone cliffs, and pristine water, coupled with the enchanting scents and flavors of Provence, create truly unparalleled beauty.

Cassis is one of the best day trips from Marseille , but it is also a great place to spend a couple of relaxing days enjoying a variety of activities.

Cassis is my happy place in Provence, and I try to visit it every year. Despite its small size, Cassis offers a plethora of activities, making it an ideal weekend getaway. Are you curious to know what to do in Cassis, France? Then keep reading!

Are you planning your Cassis trip last minute?

Below are some of the best Cassis tours, hotels, and more!

• Book your flight tickets to Marseille (MRS) ; Book your train tickets to Marseille
• Book your transfer from Marseille Airport to Cassis with Welcome Pickups .
• Book your train tickets from Marseille to Cassis

Looking to travel around Cassis independently? Click here for the best rental car rates in Marseille .

Top Cassis Experiences and Tours

• Half-day Calanques de Cassis hike
• Calanques de Cassis by kayak half-day tour
• Calanques de Cassis by stand-up paddle
• Bandol and Cassis full-day wine tour from Marseille

Top Cassis Accommodation and Lodging

• Hotel Les Roches Banches (for a luxury experience)
• Le Jardin d’Emil (a hidden gem in Provence)
• Hotel Le Golfe (budget hotel with port and castle views)
• HPC Suites (ideal for families)

Don’t forget your travel insurance!

Compare plans, prices, and coverage with  Travel Insurance Master is also the best place to look for senior travelers .

Best Things to Do in Cassis , France

1. stroll around the port.

One of Cassis’ greatest charms is its Port. Lined with colorful houses that reflect the sea, the port has been used for millennia.

Strolling around the Port of Cassis , you can admire different types of boats moored here waiting to take off, from traditional boats to modern speedboats. In the distance, you can admire the Château de Cassis sitting high above the town.

This picture-postcard port is also lined with cafés and restaurants with outdoor terraces, great for a relaxing break, enjoying an apéritif, and doing some people-watching.

The Port of Cassis is also the perfect spot in town to buy some delicious ice cream! The area is packed with ice cream parlors selling traditional and innovative flavors, such as blackcurrant (cassis in French) and lavender, which are locally grown in Provence.

2. Local Market of Cassis

The typical Provençal market of Cassis is hosted in the central Place Baragnon. It takes place regularly on Wednesdays and Fridays in the morning.

Stroll around the 60 different stalls selling everything from locally-grown fruit and vegetables to artisanal cheese and honey to freshly caught fish and seafood. If you come hungry at the market, you will be glad to know that you will find ready-to-eat options, such as rotisserie-roasted meals.

In the market, you can also shop for flowers and plants and miscellaneous items, from clothes to kitchen utensils to toys. Cassis’s market has become very touristy; however, you can still find ‘OK’ prices as it is frequented by locals as well.

3. Things to See in Cassis

Sure, you don’t come to Cassis for its sightseeing, but the town and its winding streets are worth exploring. The Church , the Mairie (town hall), and the Casino are the most notable buildings. The 18th-century Fontaine des 4 Nations , on Place de la République, is also pretty. Overlooking the Port, the Medieval Château always impresses visitors, but it’s a private residence that can’t be visited. Last but not least, Le Four Banal is a communal oven from the XVIIth century. It was discovered in the heart of the fishermen’s quarter and has been completely renovated.

There’s a tourist train that covers the best places in Cassis. This Cassis itinerary departs from Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle and does the full tour of the town, including the vineyards uphill and the Calanque de Port-Miou (there’s a 10-minute stop for taking pictures). You can check prices and times here .

After sightseeing, the Port and the neighboring streets are packed with numerous shops where you can buy clothes, shoes, jewelry, Marseille soaps, local handicrafts, food produce, and souvenirs.

4. Calanque de Port-Miou

The wonderful Calanques National Park starts on the fringes of Cassis and extends to Marseille . The calanques are a stunning set of huge limestone rocks worn away over millennia by the wind and the sea to create islets and coves.

To marvel at these natural wonders, you only need to walk for a few minutes from Cassis’ center to reach the town’s entrance. Here, you will find the Calanque de Port-Miou, one of the prettiest in the National Park.

The Calanque de Port-Miou is the perfect starting point for a splendid hike that passes through two other famous ones, the Calanque de Port Pin and the Calanque d’En Vau. The total hike takes around 3 hours, and you can even stop for a swim!

If you are not keen to hike, you can just relax, admiring the turquoise waters and the marina with hundreds of boats tightly anchored beside one another.

5. Take a Guided Boat Tour

There is nothing better than exploring Cassis and its calanques by boat. This is especially great for those who don’t want to hike and prefer to just relax while enjoying the panorama.

Choosing a guided boat tour will allow you to do exactly that! All departing from Quai Saint Pierre, these boat tours are available seven days a week, and reservations are highly recommended during the summer months. If you visit Cassis during the low season, you will only need to show up at the ticket office at the Port of Cassis and purchase your preferred tour.

Choose from different itineraries of different durations, and get ready to discover the impressive limestone cliffs and their narrow fjords of the Calanques from a unique perspective.

6. OR Rent a boat for you and your crew

But why share the experience of a boat tour with the crowds when you can craft a boat tour for you and your crew?

Samboat offers a wide variety of boat types with or without a skipper. Their prices are competitive, and you can rent the boat for the whole day.

Cassis and the hidden coves among the calanques are perfect for exploring at your own pace. With a self-guided boat tour, you can take all the time you need to admire their amazing beauty and plunge into the Mediterranean’s blue.

The climate of Southern France is mild during the shoulder seasons, so you can enjoy a boat adventure not only in the summer. If you are traveling in Cassis during the high season, make sure to book your rental boat in advance, as this experience is top-rated.

7. Explore the Calanques on a Kayak

While taking one of the boat tours available at the port is a wonderful option, with a boat, you can’t get too close to the beaches in the Calanques. Besides hiking, the only way to do it is by kayak. This guided kayak excursion is a super way to discover the Calanques of Cassis.

Paddle side-by-side with an expert guide along the Port-Miou Calanque and then to the Calanques of Port Pin and En Vau, whose turquoise waters will leave you speechless. Listen to the explanations of your qualified guide and make all the breaks you want to take refreshing swims.

All you have to do is choose how long you want this kayak excursion to last (half day or full day), book it, and be ready to make unforgettable memories!

8. Cassis Wine Tasting and Shopping

The coastal town of Cassis also has a long history of wine production. Cassis AOC (short for Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée, which refers to standards set for wines made in France) is the oldest AOC in the country, so indulging in a wine-tasting experience is a must during a trip to the city.

Cassis produces mostly white wines endowed with aromas of citrus fruit, blossoms, and honey. There are 12 wine estates in the district of Cassis, and the best one to visit is La Dona Tigana , where you can tour their vineyards, taste their wines, and shop your favorite findings.

You will need a car or hire a taxi to get to it from Cassis center, but the experience is well worth it! Make sure to book your wine-tasting spot in advance.

9. Go to the Beach

Although less famous than the French Riviera beaches , Cassis has some lovely spots for sunbathing and swimming. All the Cassis beaches are stone beaches with incredible views of Cap Canaille.

Plage Grande Mer is the most central and, therefore, the most crowded beach. It has all the beach services you can imagine, including restaurants and beach bars. You can also rent kayaks on this beach.

Plage de Bestuan is smaller but very pretty. A 10-minute walk from the center, it is located in front of the hotels Le Jardin d’Emile and Hotel de la Plage , so it looks like a private beach. There are also a couple of beach bars.

The other Cassis beaches are Anse Corton, Plage de l’Arène, and Plage Bleue . From the Calanque de Port-Piou, you can reach the Calanques de Port Pin and En Vau, which are real havens of peace (especially out of season).

10. Relax, you are in Provence!

Most of all, Cassis is a place to relax and enjoy the small pleasures of life. Once I have taken new pictures and notes to update this post, I turn off the computer for the rest of my stay.

Head down to the water for a relaxing walk on the beach and that wonderful ocean air. Take a book and a picnic lunch and make an afternoon out of it!

Stroll around the Port and taste delicious Provençal food or a refreshing ice cream. Enjoy some people-watching in one of the cafés.

Browse the local market and the shops selling Provençal crafts. End your days with a glass of Cassis wine and a view.

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Castles and calanques: The best things to do in Cassis, France

Posted on Last updated: July 31, 2023

Discover the best things to do in Cassis, a charming Provençal fishing village in the South of France, from hiking and boat trips in the Calanques National Park to delicious seafood and local wines.

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Just along the coast from Marseille and south of Aix-en-Provence, the village of Cassis is a relaxed spot with plenty of Provençal charm. Around its harbour you’ll find colourful fishing boats, pavement cafés, seafood restaurants, blue Mediterranean waters and everything else you could want from a seaside break in the South of France .

But you don’t need to go far to be out among miles of stunning unspoilt natural scenery, with the cliffs and beaches of the Calanques National Park on one side of Cassis harbour and Cap Canaille, the tallest coastal cliff in Europe, on the other.

Cassis’ location close to Marseille makes it a popular day trip, but there’s also more than enough to do to stay a few days – from hikes and boat trips through the calanques to beach days and boutique shopping. So here’s my pick of the best things to do in Cassis.

The best things to do in Cassis, France

People watch in the port

The port is the heart of life in Cassis, and has been since the Roman era when it was an important trading post between Europe and North Africa. It’s still a working harbour today, though the fishing boats now share space with sailing boats and the port is surrounded by colourful cafés and restaurants with tables spilling out onto the street.

If you get up early there’s a small fish market where local fishermen sell the catch of the day – a lot of which ends up served in restaurants around the harbour. Being a touristy spot means restaurant quality varies in the port, but we liked La Poissonnerie Laurent, a fishmonger-come-restaurant with delicious mussels and fresh mackerel.

Cassis is also known for its bouillabaisse , a traditional Provençal fish stew. Chez Gilbert is one of the best places to try it – though it will set you back €55. Or just grab an ice cream or a drink on a café terrace and watch the world go by. Watching the sun set in the harbour is one of the best things to do in Cassis, as Cap Canaille glows orange and red.

Wander through the backstreets

Many of the streets around the centre of Cassis are car-free, so are a great place for a wander. Buildings are painted in pale pastel shades, with colourful wooden shutters, cobbled streets and pots of leafy plants and flowers in typical Provençal style. Even if the port is heaving with visitors it’s always quiet if you go just a few streets back.

There are also a couple of places you can find out about Cassis’ history. There’s the 17th-century town hall with its ornate salon, Grand Siècle staircase and remains of a medieval kitchen underneath a glass floor. And the Musée d’Arts et Traditions Populaires dedicated to Provence’s art and culture, with textiles, furniture and crafts on display.

Spend the day on the beach

Cassis is more of a port than a beach town and doesn’t have the long stretches of golden sand you might imagine in the South of France. But there are some pebbly Cassis beaches where you can soak up the sun and swim in the clear blue waters.

The Plage de la Grande Mer is the village’s largest beach, next to the port in the shadow of the Château de Cassis. Its easy access means it can get busy, but it was our favourite spot for an early morning or sunset dip when it’s quieter. There are a couple of beach cafés where you can rent sunbeds and pedalos, and a lifeguard is on duty in summer.

The Plage du Bestouan is a smaller beach a 10-minute walk to the west of Cassis, overlooked by the Mahogany Beach Hotel. The hotel runs the Same Same beach bar-restaurant where you can hire sunbeds. Or you can follow the steps around the corner to a sloping rocky platform where you get a great view of the port and lighthouse.

East of Cassis towards Cap Canaille are the Plage du Corton (10 minutes’ walk) and Plage de l’Arène (15 minutes). These two quieter coves are rocky and surrounded by pine trees. The Plage de l’Arène is a long curving beach and the Plage du Corton is smaller, with the remains of an old harbour creating a shallow pool good for young kids.

Or if you’re looking for a sandy beach, head into the Calanques National Park. There’s a tiny stretch of sand at Port Miou harbour and picturesque sheltered coves at Port Pin and Calanque d’En Vau, which are more challenging to get to (see below).

Hike into the Calanques

Cassis lies on the edge of the Calanques National Park, which covers a 20km stretch of coastline from Cassis to Marseille. A calanque is a steep-sided rocky inlet a bit like a fjord which forms in limestone rocks. The park has 26 of them and the pale rocks combined with pine trees, sandy coves with turquoise waters create a dramatic landscape.

The Calanques National Park has some of the best hiking in the region. You can walk all the way from Cassis to Les Goudes on the outskirts of Marseille, but most people visiting from Cassis stick to the three closest calanques: Port-Miou, Port-Pin and En-Vau.

Though beware if you’re visiting between 1 June and 30 September, the park is closed if there is a high fire risk – normally when it’s hot and windy – to protect its fragile ecosystem. You can find out the latest fire risk level online .

It’s an easy 25-minute walk from the port to reach the first calanque – Port Miou, a sinuously curving harbour lined with hundreds of boats. Just follow the Avenue des Calanques from the Plage du Bestouan until it comes to an end at Port Miou.

From Port Miou you can take the Sentier du Petit Prince route along the peninsula, a 1.6km loop with panels explaining the calanques’ history, geology and nature.

Or you can head out further into the park – paths get rocky and uneven so it’s a good idea to wear trainers or walking shoes, as well as bringing plenty of water and sunscreen. And make sure to pack swimming kit as the water feels amazing after a hot and sweaty hike. There are a couple of composting toilets in the park but no other facilities.

From Port Miou it’s another 20-minute walk on to the next calanque at Port Pin. The path runs through an old quarry before heading uphill, splitting in two with a longer but easier path and a rocky, uneven shorter route. Sheltered Port Pin is a gorgeous narrow cove with clear shallow water and rock platforms good for sunbathing.

Then it’s around another 40 minutes on to Calanque d’En Vau, the deepest and most dramatic. The path gets more difficult on this stretch, with towering cliffs where you get a great view down to the beach – and a steep rocky path to scramble down to get to there. In total it takes around four hours to walk to the three calanques and back to Cassis.

Take a boat trip

Visiting the calanques is one of the most popular things to do in Cassis. But if you don’t fancy hiking, you can also take a boat trip – it’s a good way to see the park when the hiking paths are closed or for people with reduced mobility or young children.

You can choose from tours visiting 3, 5, 8 or 9 calanques. Each of them goes to Port-Miou, Port-Pin and En-Vau, then the longer tours take you further out into the park. Times range from 45 minutes to two hours, and prices from €17–€29 per person.

You don’t need to book in advance but can just buy tickets from the kisok in the harbour. The timetable changes from month to month, with more departures in summer and for the shorter tours. And the 3 calanques tour is the only one that runs if the weather is bad. Boats are partly open top and there’s not much shade so bring a hat and sunscreen.

Although you get to see the calanques from the boats, you don’t go that far into each calanque and can’t get in the water. For that you’ll need something a bit smaller. You can hire a self-drive motorboat for up to eight people through SamBoat * for a full or half-day exploring the calanques independently, with a ladder so you can swim off the boat.

You can also hire a kayak from Lo’Kayak in Cassis and paddle around the bays (though although it’s calm in the calanques it can get a bit choppy when you reach the open sea). Or take a guided sea kayaking tour * in a solo or two-person kayak or a stand-up paddleboarding tour *, which takes you to Port-Miou, Port-Pin and En-Vau.

Admire the castle views

The medieval Château de Cassis towers over the harbour from a rocky hilltop. The current castle, originally known as the Castum Carcisis, was built in the 13th century but there has been a fortification on the same site since the Romans.

The castle has been privately owned from the 1890s. And after a six-year refurbishment, it recently opened as an upscale B&B, with a swimming pool and terrace with panoramic views of Cassis and the calanques. Unfortunately with suites ranging from €350–€720 a night it was well out of our budget and there’s no access to non-residents.

But you can admire the castle from the port, and it’s sometimes illuminated at night. And you can get a taste of the residents’ exclusive views by walking up the hill past the castle to a viewpoint marked on maps as the ‘Vue panoramique du cap cable au port de Cassis’ – it’s about 15 minutes’ walk from the port via the Chemin des Lombards.

Shop for local produce

There are lots of interesting shops to explore around Cassis, selling woven basket bags and hats, clothing, local wine and soaps. Marseille soap – a traditional variety using at least 72% olive oil – is made in Cassis, as well as fragrant pastel-coloured soaps.

If you want to find out how it’s done, the Savonnerie de Cassis artisan soap-makers on the road to the Plage du Corton do a free tour of their mini home factory in the afternoons (though it helps to know some French) and have a shop selling soap and body oils.

Traditional Provençal markets are held in Cassis on Wednesday and Friday mornings, selling fruit and veg, bread, cheese, charcuterie and herbs as well as clothes and homeware. It’s a good place to pick up fresh produce for a picnic. There’s also the early morning fish market, a night market in the summer and occasional art and flea markets.

Try some local wine

Despite sharing its name with the French blackcurrent liqueur, cassis isn’t made in Cassis – it’s actually produced in Burgundy. But it is home to the Appellation d’Origine Protégée de Cassis wine-making region, with vineyards spread over the hills around the village.

Provence is best-known for its rosé, but Cassis does things differently and produces over 70% white wines, using mainly Marsanne, Clairette and Ugni Blanc grapes. With citrus, honey and herb flavours they go perfectly with local seafood dishes.

There are 12 wineries in the Cassis Appellation , and many of them are open to visitors for tours and tastings – including the Domaine du Bagnol and Clos Sainte Magdeleine within easy walking distance of the port. You normally need to make reservations to visit, but you can ask the tourist office to call for you if you don’t speak French.

You can also celebrate Cassis wine at two annual festivals – the Cassis Fête Son Vin in May and the week-long Les Vendanges Étoilées harvest festival in September.

The details

When to visit cassis.

Cassis has a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and lots of sun. Average high temperatures in July and August are 27–28ºC (81–82ºF). The town gets very busy in the summer holidays though, especially at weekends, so book well in advance.

If you’re planning to hike the Calanques, access is often restricted in the summer because of a high risk of wildfires. So you’re better off visiting in spring or autumn, which are cooler with average highs of 20–24°C (67–75ºF) in May/June and September/October.

Rainfall in Cassis is highest in autumn, peaking in October, though there are still only 8 days of rain on average. And winter is fairly mild, with average highs of 11ºC (52ºF) and lows of 5ºC (41ºF), but some hotels and restaurants close after Christmas.

How to get to Cassis

The nearest airport to Cassis is Marseille Provence Airport, 50km away. You can get from there to Cassis by taking a train from Vitrolles Aéroport Marseille-Provence station to Marseille St-Charles in the city centre, which takes 18 minutes.

Direct trains also run from Paris Gare de Lyon to Marseille St-Charles in just over 3 hours, stopping in Avignon and Aix-en-Provence. Then from Marseille it’s 25 minutes by train to Cassis. If you want to travel on around the South of France, the line from Marseille carries on to Toulon (35 minutes) where you can change onto services towards Nice.

Cassis train station is 3km north of the port. There is a shuttle bus between the two which takes 20 minutes, but it only runs around once an hour – and doesn’t always coincide with train arrival times. Otherwise you can take a taxi or it’s a 45-minute walk to the port (though it’s a long slog uphill on the way to the station).

Getting around Cassis

The centre of Cassis is small and easy to get around on foot, and you can reach the edge of the calanques in around 20 minutes from the port. There is also the Petit Train, a miniature train which does a 45-minute circuit of the town.

You don’t need a car to visit Cassis unless you’re planning on exploring more of Provence – and parking is limited and expensive in the village. But if you do have a car, don’t miss driving the Corniche des Crêtes, a scenic 15km/nine-mile drive between Cassis and La Ciotat along a narrow, winding coast road with panoramic sea views.

And if you’re short on time, there are organised day trips to Cassis available from Marseille * and Aix-en-Provence *, which include time to explore and an optional boat trip.

Where to stay in Cassis

The glamorous Hôtel Les Roches Blanches * is a five-star hotel on the seafront, just past Bestouan beach. This historic mansion has been restored to its 1920s heyday, with Art Deco-style décor and terraced gardens leading down to the sea. Luxurious facilities include infinity and waterfall pools, a Sisley spa, three restaurants and a waterfront bar.

The Clos du Petit Jésus * is a B&B in a tranquil location close to the town centre. There are just two stylishly decorated bedrooms with a small pool, sun terrace and garden. And a tasty continental breakfast is served on the terrace or in your room each morning.

If you prefer self-catering, Le Rooftop * is a two-bedroom apartment with a big terrace overlooking the port. It has an open-plan lounge-diner where you can watch the boats come in, a full kitchen, two bathrooms and two sofa beds so can sleep up to eight.

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What to do In Cassis, Provence, France

How to get to Cassis

Cassis is a coastal town in Southern France in the region of Provence.  The closest large town with an airport is Marseille and many airlines fly in and out.  Once you’ve arrived at the airport,  it’s a taxi ride or a hire car to Cassis which takes about an hour (taxis will cost around £120+) so make sure you factor this into your holiday budget!

You could get a train but it’s a shuttle ride to the train station, then the train, then a bus and the whole journey takes almost 3 hours – it does work out much cheaper though at around £20-30 per person.

Where to stay in Cassis

There are plenty of Hotels to choose from in town but they get booked up so make sure you plan in advance!

Chateau de Cassis – If you want to splurge, then the only place to stay is in the incredible hilltop castle that towers over the port of Cassis.  With incredible views down to the sea, it really is the most magnificent hotel in town.  Otherwise, there are plenty of other hotels or beautiful villas you can rent.

Previously we stayed in a beautiful farmhouse set a little way out of town.  It was perfect for our large group as we had our own space but there was a good 30-minute walk into town (downhill on the way – uphill on the way back!!!)  It was such a lovely quiet setting, in a beautiful vineyard with space for dinners out on the terrace and a pool we could relax in.  This time, we chose to stay in an apartment as we wanted somewhere close to the port with a balcony we could sit out on in the evening while Nellie slept.  It was fairly basic but so central that you could be in the harbour in less than 2 minutes which was ideal.

Where to eat in Cassis

Cassis has so many restaurants to choose from.  They line the entire harbour and all of the backstreets so you are completely spoiled for choice. From traditional French Bistro food to Seafood Platters, to Italian Pizzerias and even Sushi Restaurants there is no limit to what is on offer.

For breakfast, we liked to sit in the Monsieur Brun Brasserie and order fruit, yoghurt, pastries and coffee and watch the harbour come to life.  Many of the restaurants don’t open super early but we found this one was always open for breakfast and gets the sun first thing so it was the perfect place to sit and people watch and spend a slow start to the day.  Alternatively, you could pick up a croissant from the local bakery and take it back to your apartment or sit by the harbour or on the beach!

There are plenty of options for lunch and dinner around the harbour and to be honest, we didn’t have a bad meal at any of them so wherever you choose you will get good food – there’s so many and they’re all competing with each other so they have to be of a high standard!  A top tip is to make sure to order a bottle of the local Rosé.  They make a beautiful blush Provencal Rosé in this area which is just perfect served chilled with seafood/salads and much more.  A few restaurants that stood out to us were:

La Maison – we had lunch here on the first day, by chance as it was the closest restaurant on the harbour to our apartment, and it didn’t disappoint!  Fresh seafood, huge salads and chilled rosé. French Bistro cooking at its finest.

Another favourite spot of ours was Bar De La Marine . This bustling brasserie looks out over the harbour and has the comfiest chairs around – perfect for people-watching with a glass of wine or an aperitif.  We had lunch here and I can highly recommend the Caesar Salad and the Tuna Tartare.

If you’re looking for a wine bar for a pre-dinner drink I can recommend La Maison de Jo et Gaby .  A little bar in a back street, just off the harbour with a great selection of wines and cocktails.  You can sit at big wine barrels in the street and munch on their delicious tapas while enjoying a glass (or two) of local wine!

Finally, if you’re visiting Cassis, you have to make a booking at Villa Madie .

It is a 3 Michelin Star restaurant set in the most beautiful hill-top location, overlooking the sea below.  It is a completely opulent affair that has to be experienced to be believed.  You choose between the 4-course (€160), 6-course (€230) or 8-course (€295) tasting menus and you can include wine pairings or not.  It definitely isn’t a cheap experience but it is worth every penny for a truly exquisite meal.  Spoiler: you actually get more courses than advertised as there are complimentary canapés, petit-fours etc and even a cheese trolley!

Make sure to book in advance as it’s a very popular destination!

I’ve been lucky enough to visit twice now and both times the restaurant exceeded any expectations I had.  You can read all about one of my trips here .

There is also a brasserie on site ( Brasserie du Corton ) which offers a three-course (€60) so you can get a small taste of the incredible food at a very reasonable price!

There are a few Bars/Restaurants right on the beaches too.  On Plage de la Mer you have Bada Restaurant and Le Grand Large and on Plage du Bestouan there is Same Same Beach which serves great cocktails and Bar Food (think burgers, toasted sandwiches etc) and Le Bestouan which serves delicious seafood and brasserie-style meals – think seafood linguine or bavette steak and chips.

What to do in Cassis

A trip to see the Calanques is an absolute must when in Cassis.  Calanque means sheltered inlet and the National Park and coastline around Cassis is dotted with them.  The inlets have steep sides forming a valley with the ocean at the bottom and you can sail into them and take a look around.  They really are quite special to the area and there are so many tours to see them departing from the harbour each day.  Just wander around and decide what time you want to travel and how long for, there will definitely be a tour available to fit your needs!

You can hike the Calanques on foot as well.  The walking trail starts from Cassis and is quite steep in some places so good shoes are a must!

You can also hire a boat from Cassis harbour and visit the Calanques under your own steam or travel anywhere else you’d like.  This is what we did and it didn’t disappoint.  In the past, we’ve hired little boats on Lake Garda and in Céfalu and we love the freedom it provides.  We get to go where we want, when we want, we can take a picnic on board, anchor up and jump off, etc.  It really is such a fun way to spend a morning or an afternoon.  If you choose a boat with a small enough engine, you don’t need any particular kind of licence to be able to drive it (ask for a boat ‘sans permis’ – just some identification and a damage deposit and you’re set to go.  We hired a boat from JCF Boat Rentals for a morning and got this electric boat which was perfect for pootling around the coastline for a few hours.  It was €220 for half a day between the four of us and we had a lovely time.

Watersports – there are canoes, SUPs and pedalos to hire at all of the beaches.  You can even do a Calanque by Kayak tour if you’re up for the adventure.  It gets you closer to the action than a motor boat would be able to and you can even explore the sea caves along the coastline.  There’s also the option to Scuba Dive the Calanques between April and November.

Cassis is famous for its rock climbing and many people travel from all over the world to climb the cliffs which have many climbing routes already set up.  This is strictly controlled due to preserving the local eco-system and climbing is forbidden during the summer months owing to the prevalence of forest fires throughout the region.

Cassis also holds a couple of Wine Festivals every year. There is a one-day wine festival every year in Mid-May called the ‘Cassis fête son vin’ and then a second, more extravagant event in late September ‘ Les Vendanges Étoilées ‘ (The Starry Grape Harvest). Michelin-starred chefs give cooking demonstrations and tasting opportunities alongside the wine tasting (hence the ‘starry’ part)!

When we travel, we like to spend our evenings having long dinners and trying local wines in bars but there are some other options on the Cassis nightlife scene too!  There is a Casino in town if you’re looking to play some card games or on the slot machines. It’s open every day from 10 am to 3 am and there’s a restaurant and bar in there too so you can while away an entire evening there if you want.

There is also the infamous Big Ben Nightclub .  This is the only nightclub in town!  It began in the 1960s and has become quite an institution.  It starts late and is only open from midnight every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in July and August.

If you want to explore a bit further afield you can always take a Day Trip.  Some great nearby towns that are worth a visit are Day Trip Marseille, Aix en Provence and Toulon – all an hour or so away by car.

PIN WHAT TO DO IN CASSIS, PROVENCE, FRANCE FOR LATER

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4 thoughts on “what to do in cassis, provence, france”.

Wow, was amazing photos. Brightened up my day! Especially the photos with Nellie in them!! ❤️

Such lovely photos and ideas. We’re off to South of France later this year so will take these tips with me!

EMMA TELL ME WHAT TO DO IN FRANCE NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

dearest thank yous Holly

Your blog is a hidden treasure.

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A secret stretch of the French Riviera

By Lanie Goodman

WHERE TO STAY ON THE FRENCH RIVIERA

L’ILE ROUSSE

Set back on a sloping Bandol backstreet, this landmark 67-room hotel was a hotspot in its heyday because of the unbeatable beachside location, and it remains one of the best bets for toes-in-the-sand bronzing and dining. Modern rooms are deeply comfortable and the spa has many toning sea-water treatments year-round. At Les Oliviers restaurant, which was recently awarded a Michelin star, innovative dishes might include sweetbreads with algae butter, Swiss chard and morels, served in a dreamy beach setting.

Address : 25 Boulevard Louis Lumière, 83150 Bandol, France Website : thalazur.fr Price : Doubles from about £215

LA CALANQUE DE FIGUEROLLES

This funky wooden hotel and restaurant, at the end of stone steps leading to a small cove near La Ciotat, is a quirky mix of wild splendour and playful Robinson Crusoe-spirited hospitality. Rooms range from apartments with kitchens to tiny Spartan spaces for die-hard Med trekkers. At night, locals flock to Chez Tania restaurant to watch the pink-orange reflections in the sea while sharing platters of antipasti, followed by scallops and risotto with sea urchin.

Address : Calanque de Figuerolles, 13600 La Ciotat, France Telephone : +33 4 42 08 25 94 Website : figuerolles.com Price : Doubles from about £105

LES ROCHES BLANCHES

Gorgeously restored by architect Monika Kappel, this multi-level Cassis gem is set in a grove of windswept umbrella pines. Luminous Art Deco rooms are decked out in soothing sand and ochre, and all have sea-facing terraces with killer views of the coast. In between dips in the pool and a plant-based treatment at Sisley Spa, try chef Florian Cano’s superb bistro creations, along with a chilled glass of wine.

Address : 9 Avenue des Calanques, 13260 Cassis, France Telephone : +33 4 42 01 09 30 Website : roches-blanches-cassis.com Price : Doubles from about £215

WHERE TO EAT ON THE FRENCH RIVIERA

LA VILLA MADIE

This two-Michelin-starred Cassis restaurant, hidden away on a shaded inlet by a clear creek, is about as unstuffy as it gets. Helmed by chef Dimitri Droisneau, it’s housed in a sun-drenched villa, offering incredible seafood: feast on steamed lobster, grilled red mullet or sea bass and delicate combinations of local produce. If you’re after something simpler, head upstairs to La Petite Cuisine, which serves pizza and grilled meat.

Address : Avenue de Revestel-anse de Corton, 13260 Cassis, France Telephone : +33 4 96 18 00 00 Website : lavillamadie.com Price : About £110 for two

LA TABLE DE NANS

Above an impossibly scenic curved coastal road in La Ciotat, this Michelin-starred restaurant is the place to be for a leisurely lunch or dinner overlooking the azure bay and towering trees. In the kitchen Nans Gaillard is a whizz with classics such as fish soup, braised beef and grilled fish drizzled with olive oil. His excellent signature lemon tart tops it all off.

Address : 126 Corniche du Liouquet, 13600 La Ciotat, France Telephone : +33 4 42 83 11 06 Website : latabledenans.com Price : About £70 for two

Tucked away off the busy seafront drag, this small wine bar and bistro is an essential pit-stop for a plunge into Bandol’s vineyards, guided by friendly owner Philippe Kopecky. Try the Château Pradeaux or Château de Pibarnon, and stay for a supper of traditional Provençal dishes from the chalkboard menu, including beef stew, duck, lamb with tapenade and a terrific crème brûlée.

Address : 5 Rue de la Paroisse, 83150 Bandol, France Telephone : +33 4 94 74 85 77 Price : About £55 for two

It’s early morning on a tiny, rust-pebble beach. Warm crystalline water laps at my feet, but I can’t take my eyes off the giant bird of prey sitting high in the bright-blue sky. There’s no mistaking the fierce chiselled beak and majestic head surveying the landscape, but he won’t be swooping down, like the brazen, baguette-snatching gulls that thrive on more populated Riviera shores . This raptor like rock has been around for millions of years, and it isn’t going anywhere.

The craggy silhouette is something of a landmark in these parts. It stands guard above a secret inlet, La Calanque de Figuerolles, hidden at the base of 87 stone steps just outside the town of La Ciotat. It has appeared in scores of French films; before that, in 1907, Georges Braque came here with an easel during his brief Fauve period and painted what he saw – a hunk of mauve and yellow glowing stone against a milky blue sky and a hyacinth creek.

Today, families picnic on the beach or in the shade of parasol pines, teenage boys dive off the cliffs and curl up with their girlfriends in the cool, wind-carved grottoes. The French have a name for the tiny cove’s odd rock formation, which can only be found here – le poudingue , a river-churned compact ‘pudding’ of ancient stones, sediment and red clay that has somehow made its way to the seafront.

At dusk, when everyone else lugs their beach gear up the steep steps to the road, a lucky few amble over to La Calanque’s Chez Tania, a restaurant and hotel set back from the beach that’s also known as ‘La RIF’ – République Indépendante de Figuerolles. It’s magic hour. Couples emerge from their rooms, freshly showered and ready for sunset aperitifs on the weathered wooden terrace; a waitress is setting tables in the dining room, a jumble of vintage curiosities, bamboo ceilings and colonial-style fans. The Out of Africa vibe is all part of the hotel’s tongue-in cheek banana-republic theme. ‘This doesn’t feel like France. That’s why our clock is set an hour back from French time,’ grins Grégori Reverchon, the 49-year-old owner.

He is the grandson of Igor and Tania Reverchon, who fled Communist Russia and opened the original snack shack on this site in 1956, adding a few rooms where friends could sleep off vodka-soaked meals. ‘When I was young, I used to flip blinis in the kitchen and bring them piping hot to the tables,’ he recalls. The place was so popular that Igor would string up hammocks between the fig trees and charge his guests 10 francs to sleep under the stars.

These days Chez Tania serves French classics – delicious grilled fish, duck breast, apple tart, chocolate îles flottantes – and each summer regular guests from the neighbourhood turn up with baskets of ripe figs: for every 100 grams, Reverchon deducts a euro from the price of their supper.

Many associate La Ciotat with the Lumière brothers, whose first public screening of moving pictures took place in the town’s Eden Theatre, said to be the oldest cinema in the world, on 21 September 1895. At that time, crowned heads of state and wealthy consumptives of all descriptions wintered in the belle-époque palaces of Nice , Cannes and Hyères – then considered the last frontier of the South of France but never ventured further west. The sleepy, 30km stretch of coast between Toulon and Marseille – taking in Sanary-sur Mer, Bandol, La Ciotat and Cassis – held no interest for fashionable foreigners, and even today this palm-fringed shore serves as a quieter, less pretentious alternative to the better-known French Riviera , far from the parade of models, rock stars and high rollers. You won’t find any big name designer boutiques in La Ciotat, but the outdoor markets are overladen with Provençal temptations: rosé wine of every shade, several dozen types of olives; vine peaches and plump purple aubergines; fragrant soaps; woven baskets; pottery; crafted jewellery; soft linen shirts and gauzy beach cover-ups; plus sandals and hand-stitched quilts.

There are nearly 80 vineyards on the hillsides behind the seafront, producing some of France’s most prized bottles.‘Despite their proximity, Cassis and Bandol wines couldn’t be more different,’ says my friend Elizabeth Gabay, a wine expert who lives locally. ‘The sun-ripened fruit of Cassis is tempered by Mediterranean salinity and chalky acidity; the Mourvedre of Bandol is all fruity opulence and has a kind of dark brooding sultry charm.’

The food scene is similarly delectable. Along the 30-minute drive from La Ciotat to Cassis it is possible to dine at two superb Michelin-starred restaurants , La Table de Nans and La Villa Madie, both with sweeping sea views. But there are also plenty of village bistros dishing up steaming bowls of mahogany-coloured fish soup bobbing with garlicky rouille slathered croutons, no matter what time of year. Smart families from Marseille all have their favourites, and hand them down through the generations like secret, brown-paper wrapped parcels. Specialities include spiny, purple sea urchins, scissored open and slurped down straight from the boats in the fishing villages of Sanary-sur-Mer and Bandol. I have learned to like them, provided there’s a glass of cold, straw-coloured wine to wash them down. There’s nothing fishy about the taste – those strips of soft, star-shaped orange flesh (gonads, actually) – are custardy-sweet, the ice cream of the sea.

Even back in the 1930s, villages such as Sanary-sur-Mer had little in common with hedonistic St Tropez , attracting the company of more serious-minded artists. In her semi autobiographical work Jigsaw , the writer Sybille Bedford, who spent her youth in Sanary-sur-Mer in the late 1920s and 1930s, chronicles the remarkable concentration of intellectuals camped out in a town with ‘one newspaper kiosk, one post-office, one paint-shop, two chemists, three cafés’.

Aldous Huxley and his wife Maria lived in a large whitewashed house here, mistakenly christened ‘Villa Huley’ (a spelling error painted on the gatepost which stuck). For seven years, Huxley, who was nearly blind, wrote and painted from his perch on a hill above La Gorguette beach, while Maria zipped around town in a red Bugatti and served Edith Wharton and Eddy Sackville-West pan-fried rose leaves in their starlit garden. It was in this peaceful setting that Huxley wrote his darkly visionary Brave New World , dreamed up the pacifist philosophies expressed in Eyeless in Gaza , and learned yoga and meditation .

These days there’s a new hotel overlooking La Gorguette, Hostellerie La Farandole, a sleek combination of wood, glass and stone, with a shady rooftop restaurant and plunge pool. On the beach below, locals and holiday-makers splash in the shallows and play cards in the shade of umbrellas. I can’t help but imagine that the Huxleys – who swam here daily, always wearing their straw hats – would have fitted right in.

The Polish-born painter Moïse Kisling – much admired by Picasso and Modigliani – moved here from Montmartre with his wife and their two sons in 1923. He painted portraits of wealthy women, but his bisexual wife Renée’s unconventional lifestyle deeply offended the Huxleys; Maria, it seems, also disapproved of the writer Cyril Connolly, who kept a menagerie of pet lemurs and ferrets.

With the rise of the Nazi party, German writers, who had heard of the village from Thomas Mann’s son Klaus, started arriving. Thomas Mann, Bruno Frank and Bertolt Brecht would meet at Bar de la Marine or Café Le Nautique to discuss philosophy, nodding curtly at the exiled English writers at the other table, who in turn mocked their stiff-collared, formal attire.

Bandol has always been the biggest town along this stretch of the coast, and it is still by far the busiest, with its showy seafront cafés, shops selling postcards, rubber rafts and cheap swimsuits, and a busy harbour where ferries leave for the Bendor Islands. Both the rocky, six-hectare Ile de Bendor and the larger and wilder Ile des Embiez were once owned by Paul Ricard, the French entrepreneur known for his eponymous popular brand of Pastis, and his presence still lingers.

The best place to stay in Bandol is L’Ile Rousse hotel, set back on a hill overlooking a breathtaking curve of aquamarine ocean. Once the home of the actor and singer Mistinguett, then converted into a nightclub in the 1960s, it was recently spruced up to the tune of £15million with a thalasso spa, mirror-like infinity pool and private beach. Guests lunch on salads at laidback La Goélette, and on the terrace of the hotel’s smart Les Oliviers restaurant chef Jérémy Czaplicki creates ambitious dishes such as spelt risotto with shellfish. Over dinner I ordered a bottle of Gros’Noré, a limited-edition, hand-picked organic red that tasted like a sexy swirl of earth, pepper, spice and berries. I’d discovered it earlier that day at its source, La Cadière d’Azur vineyard, a 15-minute drive inland, and now vowed to scoop up a case at the Maison des Vins on my way home. The best bistros are tucked away in the backstreets behind Bandol’s harbour: KV&B for creative tapas, L’Atelier du Goût for well-priced modern French food, and L’Espérance, where Basque-born chef Gilles Pradines excels with southwestern and Mediterranean recipes.

On a hill facing the port is dilapidated but still working Résidence Le Beau Rivage, where Katherine Mansfield, DH Lawrence and the Huxleys all stayed (though the plaque outside only mentions Lawrence). I rang the bell and an ancient woman hobbled to the door, eyeing me warily. When I asked if I could look around, she snarled, ‘This isn’t a museum!’

Later that day, leafing through a pamphlet, I came across an old photograph of Marlon Brando out for a stroll on Bandol harbour, looking very dapper in a blazer, white trousers and a striped sailor’s jersey. What on earth was he doing here? Everyone seemed to have a different story, so I decided to go straight to the source: Brando’s former fiancée, Josanne Mariani. We met on the town’s main square, Place de la Liberté, at the bronze statue of a flute-playing Pan crowned with fig leaves. At 83, she had a graceful stride (‘I swim every day’) and outfit: white jeans, white tunic, oversize sunglasses that matched her youthful exuberance. She steered me toward her favourite café , Le Winny, formerly a nautical goods store where Brando once bought a dozen striped jerseys.

The story of how an 18-year-old village girl came to meet the Hollywood star is extraordinary. Mariani had posed for a series of nude portraits for Moïse Kisling. She was spotted by Daniel Schneider, a wealthy New York psychiatrist, who had come to his studio to buy a painting. ‘He and Kisling decided I should be sent to Manhattan to work as his family’s au pair and get a proper education,’ she says. When she wasn’t looking after the children, Mariani studied acting with the legendary Stella Adler. One night, there was a cocktail party for veteran Adler students. She met Marlon and they danced the mambo – soon the couple were engaged.

In September 1954, Brando, then 31, came to the village to meet Mariani’s parents. Together they visited the Lumière brothers’ holiday home in Bandol and took walks on the quay. But once the paparazzi got wind of the actor in their midst, all hell broke loose. ‘We were under constant surveillance,’ Mariani recalls. ‘We once jumped on a Vespa to try to ditch them, and another time we escaped in a little dinghy.’ By 1955, when Brando had moved to LA , the couple officially split up. ‘I knew in my heart that Marlon was a Don Juan,’ Mariani said.

Just a bit further down the road, Cassis had evolved into a mini Bloomsbury-sur-Mer by the 1930s. Between 1925 and 1929, Virginia Woolf often visited her sister, Vanessa Bell, and the artist Duncan Grant, who lived in a little ochre villa, La Bergère, in the middle of the vineyard of Château de Fontcreuse. A 10-minute drive from the centre, it still produces wine today. ‘Absolute heaven,’ Woolf wrote to her friend Gwen Raverat of Cassis. ‘The sun and the hills put my dear London rather in the shade – and then one does exactly what one likes here.’

The best way to explore the famously steep-sided inlets around Cassis is by boat. There are private rentals, fishing excursions and kayaks available at the port, but I headed out in a Zodiac owned by my friend, local architect Rudy Ricciotti, best known for his stunning lacy concrete Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations in Marseille. He wants to show me exactly why he thinks Cassis is so special. ‘You’re surrounded by the violent verticality of the landscape,’ he says, sounding like the architect he is. ‘Cap Canaille, one of the tallest cliffs in Europe , is 400 metres high, and it’s so dry it’s impossible to make anything grow,’ he adds, pointing to the tiny bonsai-like trees on the cliff sides. Some maintain that the base of the Statue of Liberty was made of sturdy Cassis stone. The diamond sparkle bouncing off the water is almost blinding. We cruise past the Calanque de l’Oule, a cathedral of rocks with tall organ pipes like candle drippings in shades of white, grey and black. At its base are narrow grottoes, cave-like slits where I swim in the clear jade water, lost in the semi darkness.

Later that evening at Les Roches Blanches, a beautiful, newly refurbished 36-bedroom Art Deco hotel in Cassis, guests have drifted downstairs for a glass of crisp white wine. This was once a mythical Twenties hideaway, and Winston Churchill painted from the terrace of his favourite room here. From the poolside bar, jutting out over the rocks like an ocean liner, I fancy that I can reach out and touch the lighthouse. Across the bay, the limestone Cap Canaille has turned an otherworldly shade of gold: pure and unadulterated Riviera glitter, unlike the gilded grandeur of the Côte d’Azur seaside palaces and casinos. With no revving Lamborghinis, and no thumping basses blasting on private beaches, here it’s just me and the chirping cicada in the pines, and everything seems just as it should be.

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How to Spend a Day in Charming Cassis, France

Updated August 30, 2023 | Original Post: July 27, 2019

The first time we visited the Provence region of Southern France, I envisioned meandering around a charming French town, enjoying the ambiance, the people, and the food. I pictured everything I dreamed of in travel magazines that would take me on a journey through these delightful, beautiful towns. Cassis, France, was one; a cute little coastal town that provided everything I imagined a French town would have in addition to its seaside charms on the Mediterranean—leading to my speculation that spending a charming day in Cassis, France, is a must-do. If you’ve got one day in Cassis, France, here are some things to do in this quaint Provincial French town.

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About Cassis

Situated on the Mediterranean of the southern coast of France, Cassis (pronounced as Kah-see) is heralded as a “poor man’s St. Tropez” ( Rick Steves Europe ). The Romans had, at one point in time taken over Cassis, using it as a maritime trade between Northern Africa and the Middle Eastern countries. However, this seaside town is as old as 500-600 B.C. when the Ligures settled into this area, living a life of fishing, hunting, and farming. An interesting fact, the name Cassis in English means syrupy black currant liquor.

This seaside town in Southern France is close enough (about a 45-minute drive) to the bustling fishing city of Marseilles but charming enough to warrant a day trip for those wishing to find a quieter, smaller, humble town by the ocean. Additionally, Cassis is not far from another charming seaside town, La Ciotat, or the lovely Provincial town of Aix-en-Provence that is worth visiting. And, if you’re visiting at the right time, you may even catch the lavender fields. You can find more about our visit to Aix-en-Provence here and our lavender field visit here.

Getting Around Cassis

The easiest way to get to Cassis is by driving. Arriving in town, the parking situation was not difficult; we found parking near this underground Casino Parking for a fee (€9). For more parking options, check out this site that offers information about where free parking can be found around town.

Cassis is walkable and easy to navigate. There are also buses and taxis that can take you through the vineyards, the castle, and many other local areas. We didn’t have an agenda for the day other than exploring this seaside town and getting lost.

Other Ways to Get to Cassis

If you are in Marseille, Cassis is an easy 45-minute drive day trip. However, a train is also one of the easiest ways to get to Cassis if you don’t have a rental car. The train ride is 25 minutes from the Marseille Gare St. Charles to Cassis, running every 30 minutes. You can purchase train and bus tickets online via the SNCF Connect website .

Another way to visit Cassis is via a tour from Marseille or Aix-en-Provence. Here are some amazing tours offered that you can find, here .

How To Spend a Day in Cassis, France

Locate one of the many beaches of cassis.

Cassis has several beaches you can choose from. As we entered the town on foot, we immediately headed towards the Port de Cassis and found the beach on the way to the Port. This beach is the Plage de la Grande Mer . This beach is right in the heart of Cassis, is family-friendly, and has a lifeguard on duty. For additional beaches around Cassis, you can find this list here .

Port de Cassis

From the beach, we followed the path to the Port de Cassis. As soon as we discovered Cassis’ harbor, my heart swelled with joy to see the colorful vibrancy that Cassis was all about. From the buildings to the boats, it was possibly that picture-perfect, straight out of a travel magazine photo that I imagined it would be.

Somehow, we stumbled upon a group of gentlemen playing a form of Bocce ball game in a sandy area near the Port. I just loved the intimacy of the photo and how this village already had that down to Earth feel.

As you walk further into the port, you can admire the colorful boats docked at the port with the backdrop of the many vibrant restaurants and cafes. You could easily sit along one of the cafes, enjoy people watching or boat lusting, and admire the Castle ( Chateau de Cassis ) on a hilltop above the seaside port.

Admire the Château de Cassis

Unfortunately, not open for public visits, this centuries-old fortress can be admired from the port. Perched high atop Cassis, overlooking the seaside port and offering pretty views of the Mediterranean Sea, this castle has a history dating back to the 8th century during the Carolingian empire . It used to be the main commercial center during the Gallo-Roman period and is currently a private property open for guest stays. You can find more information on their site here.

Discover the Shops and Cafes

As we meandered through the village, the cute little cafes and shops were just as charming as the seaside village. We stopped to grab a meal of burgers and frites (fries) at the Snack les Calanques , we wanted simple, and we were starving from our long drive from Genova, Italy. We found the perfect spot to eat our meal with a wonderful view of the Port.

After our meal, we found ourselves getting lost into the cobblestone streets of Cassis and ventured into a confectioner store of Autrefois full of sweets galore!

You’ll want to check out the cutest little boutique shop of Le Boutique de Nat if you’re into shopping. You’ll find the provincial French woven baskets, hats, and other goods in this cute little shop. There are other cute boutique shops to visit around Cassis .

Get Lost and Explore

No itinerary in hand for the day, and all I wanted to do was explore this seaside village and walk along the streets of Cassis. It’s full of quaint cafes, colorful old architects, and of course, full of life. You could take your time walking around this seaside village and feel like you are on a cover of a Condé Nast magazine. It’s worth exploring! Let me take you on a journey with my photos of every nook and cranny of this lovely French provincial town.

Visit the Calanques

This was something we didn’t have time to do on our visit, and I wish we had. As a seaside town, Cassis is tucked away in one of the most beautiful rocky, Mediterranean-like fjords, the Calanques. A natural wonder, the Calanques is nestled between the bustling seaside port of Marseilles and Cassis. These rocky coves made of limestones form a steep and narrow valley along the Mediterranean Sea waters. It is 20 km of protected National Park and has 26 calanques (25 in Marseilles, 1 in Cassis). However, to get to this beautiful location from Cassis, there are several ways to get to the National Park: hiking or boat tours.

Since Cassis is the ideal starting point for visiting the west of the Calanques range and the Cap Canaille area, I’d recommend adding an extra day to visit the Calanques, as this will take a full day to explore if you are hiking or taking the boat there. You can find more information regarding how to get to the Calanques here . If inquiring about boat tours to explore the Calanques, most are offered at the Cassis port. You can also find more hiking or boat tours to the Calanques from nearby locations here.

Try the Local Wines

We also didn’t get a chance to do this, but it was recommended. Cassis is known for their white wines in Provence, produced on the Mediterranean coast. The location is perfect for wine growers because the tallest coastal cliff in France, Cap Canaille, shelters Cassis. There are 12 wineries in the region. You can explore and find the wineries around Cassis on foot. Although dry and fruity whites are the most renowned, the reds and rosés are also well-known. You can find more information on the Office of Cassis Tourism website here .

Take a Tour of Cassis on Le Petit Train Touristique de Cassis

If you like rides and touring cities this way, taking the Le Petit Train in Cassis may be a wonderful option. It takes you on a 45-minute guided train tour through Cassis. You can buy your tickets at the tourist office or on-site on the train. More information can be found here . We didn’t take the train during our visit but thought it would be a good idea for those with limited mobility and/or wanting to see more of Cassis in a short amount of time.

Final Thoughts

Cassis is the quaint, French provincial seaside port you want to add to your Southern France itinerary. Not only was it the picture-perfect seaside port, but it also boasts so much charm in one tiny seaside town. You only need a day to explore this town, and I would not have minded staying overnight to enjoy the tranquil moments beyond the day tourists. It’s also a perfect way to get yourself acquainted with the Calanques, which you’ll need an extra day to explore this natural wonder. Are you adding Cassis to your French bucket list? You definitely should! Until next time friends! Jusqu’à la prochaine fois les amis !

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Cassis, South of France’s best kept secret

Here’s what makes Cassis the place to be in the South of France. The stretch of French Riviera between Saint-Tropez and Nice, our childhood playground, is the most sought-after summer destination in France. But the side west of Saint-Tropez , towards Marseille , is a lesser-known part of the French Riviera and therefore offers some well-kept secrets and hidden beaches. Many years ago, we totally fell in love with the gem called Cassis and we had been longing to return ever since. Now that we did this as part of our most recent French Riviera itinerary , we can’t wait to let you discover the wonderful seaside town of Cassis in France.

One thing’s for sure: By the time you finish reading about this wonderful part of the Provence, you’ll be reaching for your vacation packing list .

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You’ll find a Cassis map at the end of this post, indicating all places mentioned. And make sure to also check out the in-depth post on the spectacular Calanques d’en Vau hike we took from Cassis.

Table of Contents

Picturesque highlights of Cassis France

The heart of the seaside town of Cassis is its port , aligned with pastel-colored houses. It’s where fishermen moor their traditional pointu fishing boats to supply the restaurants along the Quai des Baux with the catch of the day. You’ll also find tour boats there, taking visitors to see the famous cliffs known as the Calanques de Cassis, as well as smaller yachts.

Escape the crowds in one of the alleys that lead away from the quay and wander the charming streets of Cassis. Admiring the pastel facades decorated framed with plants and flower pots. Find a bench at the church square, hidden behind the colorful oleanders, before reserving a table for dinner at one of the quaint restaurants.

Enjoy a lavender flavored ice-cream at the Place de la Republique before feeding the ducks at the park next to the townhouse. Then make your way to the Quai Saint-Pierre and watching locals during a lively game of pétanque at the La Boule de Cassis. It’s as authentic as it gets, since this variation on the famous jeu de boules game was first played at La Ciotat, on the opposite side from the cliff that borders Cassis to the east.

Dip your toes in the Mediterranean waters at one of the beaches in Cassis. Both the  Plage La Grande Mer  and the  Plage de Bastouan  are packed during summer months. So, don’t expect to have these Cassis beaches all to yourself. Quieter options, that you won’t find mentioned in most travel guides, could be the Plage du Corton and the Plage de l’Arène to the east of the port.

Look up to see the the Carolingian Château de Cassis , which was once a refuge for locals in a time of foreign invasions. Stepping into history is not an option since nowadays: The Castum Carcisis site is only accessible to guests of this high-end guesthouse. You’ll have the best view over the castle from the opposite quay of the Cassis port.

Have a white or rosé Cassis wine from one of the local vineyards on a shaded terrace. Contrary to what you may think, the crème de cassis liqueur, made from blackcurrants, does not originate from this region. It’s a specialty that found its roots in Burgundy. What’s interesting is how you do pronounce the final s in the cassis fruit but not in the name of the city of Cassis.

During the months of July and August, you’ll see artists from the Cassis region set up shop along this Quai des Artistes around 6 pm, selling their colorful crafts to delighted visitors. At the Place Baragnon , next to the town hall, you’ll find a second artisan market . We’ve visited evening markets at several towns and villages in the Provence over the years because we just love the convivial atmosphere. The one in Cassis counts as one of our favorite artisan markets in southern France because of its enchanting setting. At the same spot, there’s a farmers market, the Marché Hebdomadaire , every Wednesday and Friday morning.

Hiking in Cassis

The fishing village of Cassis in the South of France enjoys a privileged location between limestone cliffs, endless vineyards and the azure waters of the Mediterranean. This stunning natural setting offers plenty of activities for the active traveler. Hikers in particular will enjoy the variety of trails and sweeping vistas. Make sure to wear sturdy shoes. We can highly recommend  Merrell  or  Keen  for (water-resistant) hiking shoes.

Calanques National Park to the west

The Calanques National Park , one of the most important landmarks in France , stretches from Marseille to Cassis. It features limestone cliffs topped with pine trees and several rocky inlets, known as les calanques . In the cliffs of the town of Cassis, you’ll find 9 of those inlets. The first 3 are the most popular ones: The Calanque de Port Miou, the Calanque de Port Pin and the Calanque d’En Vau. Several hiking trails offer visitors the chance to reach the Cassis calanques with their aquamarine waters and explore the park’s biodiversity.

We hiked all the way to the Calanque d’En Vau , a strenuous but highly rewarding hike. The inlet’s gorgeous pebble beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in the French Riviera , can only be reached from the trail or by kayaking or supping your way from the port of Cassis. It’s easy to see why it counts as one of the most iconic photo spots in the South of France. The boat tours that leave from the Port de Cassis can’t moor in the inlet but do offer a nice view from the ocean inwards.

Fun fact: The limestone of Cassis’s cliffs is said to have been used in the pedestal of New York City’s Statue of Liberty , although this claim seems to be open to debate.

Cap Canaille to the east

At the side of the Cassis Castle are some of the highest cliffs of Europe. The ochre-colored Cap Canaille mountain separates the towns of Cassis and La Ciotat. There’s a hike from the Port of Cassis to the bus station of La Ciotat. Alternatively, you could start mid-way from the Belvédère parking lot towards the magnificent Bec de L’Aigle cliff. Expect spectacular vistas over the Mediterranean and from Cassis all the way to Marseille .

Tip: You don’t necessarily have to hike to enjoy Cap Canaille’s gorgeous views. La Route des Crêtes is a panoramic road that runs from the bay of Cassis to the bay of La Ciotat.

Getting there: Marseille to Cassis

Marseille is the main gateway to Cassis and Marseille Provence the closest airport. Here’s how to travel from Marseille to Cassis in France:

• Marseille-Cassis train: Take the train at Marseille’s St-Charles station for a 22-minute ride to the station of Cassis. From there, take the hourly bus to the final stop called Casino. Looking for timetables and rates? Check Eurail (non-EU passport holders) or Interrail (EU passport holders).
• Marseille-Cassis bus: A 45-minute bus drive on the M8 line from Marseille Castellane (just outside of the city center) to the Cassis gendarmerie.
• By car: It’s a pretty straightforward drive from Marseille. Finding parking in Cassis is not always that easy, especially during the peak summer months. We parked at Les Mimosas but there are several other parking lots throughout the city. Discover Cars is our go-to European car rental comparison site. The prices are highly competitive, the booking process is effortless and you can even select a pay later option that comes with free cancelation. Click here to get the best car rental deal for your trip to Cassis .

If you’re looking to start a calanque hike, then it’s recommended to park near Port Miou. The parking lot there is pretty small. So, unless you arrive really early, you’ll probably end up parking in one of the residential streets nearby, like we did.

Coming from elsewhere in the (south of) France, Paris for example? Then check out the full access information on the Cassis tourist information website .

Where to stay in Cassis France

To make the most of your trip to Cassis, we’d certainly recommend spending at least a few nights in one of the guesthouses or hotels in Cassis . That being said, it’s important to take into account that Cassis accommodation options are somewhat limited, which is rather atypical for southern France. Then again, it does give Cassis a certain exclusive elan. It also means that booking well in advance is essential .

Hotels in Cassis France

Here are two amazing hotels in Cassis, one of which is located in the town center and the other near the Calanques. The luxurious Hôtel Les Roches Blanches is an iconic place to stay in Cassis and definitely worth a splurge. Hôtel Les Volets Rouges is a delightful boutique hotel in the countryside, close to the many hiking trails that crisscross Calanques National Park.

Looking for more options on where to stay in Cassis? Our article on the best hotels in Cassis is a great place to start.

Les Roches Blanches

Hôtel Les Volets Rouges

Guesthouses in Cassis

If you prefer the comfort of your own home-away-from-home, then a Cassis guesthouse might be what you’re looking for. La Demeure Insoupçonnée offers 5 spacious and individually designed guest rooms and The Address Cassis offers 1 room, 2 junior suites, and 2 suites. Both guesthouses feature a beautiful swimming pool and serve a wonderful breakfast.

La Demeure Insoupçonnée

The Address Cassis

Holiday rental in Cassis

And if you’re looking for a true home-away-from-home in Cassis, the following rental properties might fit the bill. Villa Talabar is a luxury villa with a private pool in the heart of town while HPC Suites offers self-catering accommodation in a verdant setting with a shared pool.

To give you even more options on where to stay in Cassis, we plan on publishing an article on the best Airbnbs in Cassis soon.

Villa Talabar

Hôtel Particulier Cassis (HPC Suites)

If you don’t plan on spending that much time in Cassis and you’re looking to spend most of your time at another French Riviera destination, then our article on South of France villas with a private pool might help you find that perfect place to stay.

Cassis France map

For your convenience, we’ve created this map indicating all things to do in Cassis that were mentioned in this article.

That’s it for the gorgeous town of Cassis in the South of France. Have you visited this gem yet? Or do you feel inspired to visit after reading this article? Let us know in the comments. Happy travels!

Author: Sarah

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