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The Calanques

Site classified since 1975, the Calanques whose attendance is estimated at two million people a year are still waiting for their appointment as "National Park".

The Calanques reserve the visitor with little ordinary sensations.
In Marseille and Cassis, they offer their white limestone notches to all the desires of nature strong. Few forests here and few sources, yet those places are rich point of view, land and sea excursions, swimming and diving. It seems that all recreation were given appointments in this theatre of sea and rock slides which begin in full Marseilles. On this stage mineral, is everywhere dévident anchor chains, ropes start climbing for the adventurous crossings evocative names: Lane without a return path Tabarly, large cruise around the extreme tip Sormiou ...
For hikers, lookouts of Devenson and En-Vau offer impressive views. For swimmers, the beaches, as Sormiou provide a clear and fresh water. Recently magnificent paintings dating back more than 20 000 years have been discovered in the cave submarine of Cosquer.
Activities: canyoning, adventure, climbing, caving, rafting, hiking, diving…

The Calanques side Marseille are accessible by car much of the year.
The Goudes and Marseilleveyre by Pointe Rouge until Callelongue.
Sormiou by Bonneveine then La Cayolle. The road was then closed from June to September. A shuttle will then go to the Calanque.
Morgiou and Sugiton by road "Baumettes", the notorious prison, followed by the Col de Morgiou. Route also closed from mid-June to the second weekend of September 7 am to 19 pm
The sector of the Great Candelle and Devenson are accessible from the faculties of Luminy located at the exit of Marseilles in the direction of Cassis.
For Calanques later Cassis:
Envau and Oule on the road to Gardiole which starts in front of the military camp Carpiagne on the road to Col de la Gineste which connects to Marseillle Cassis. This road leads directly to the House Forestry NFB and the Hostel of the Fontasse.
In Port-Miou and Port-Pin and is accessed from Cassis following indications "Calanques."

The beaches, an anachronism:
If you are looking for sandy beaches between the tip of the Eagle (La Ciotat) and Marseilles via Cassis, the entire field of Calanques do provide a few pebble beaches.
However, access to the sea is possible practically everywhere.
A place to dream, it is true, which deserves.
From the beak of the eagle, a magnificent carved out of the cove poudingue (alluvial rock) awaits you in a setting of both Provence and tropical.
By taking the road of peaks, you will discover the whole area of the Calanques upper cap Canaille (highest cliff in Europe) with the far Archipelago Riou. You finally arrive on the village of Cassis and its pebble beach at the foot of the castle. Returning to Cape Canaille, near the port, you enjoy the beach and Corton Beach Arena dominated by the cliff.
For the most courageous and nature lovers, a relatively accessible way you will go along the seafront to find your place of choice. This is the Petit Paradis.
Starting from the centre of Cassis and direction of the Calanques, discover the beach Bestouan and the "Garden of Emile" with its pine ordered for a moment of relaxation.
Finally, you take the route of the Calanques. On the way, indigenous you about the famous rock naturists with "flat rock", "Grapefruit", "Blue Beach" and "Rock of the Good Mother." To know that these slabs are former farms career.
At 1.5 km from the centre, you reach the 1st cove known as "Port-Miou." It goes quite deep into the land and acts as a natural harbour today sheltering about 500 pleasure boats.
Most interesting for bathers, another half-hour walk, you discover Port-Pin, intimate and attractive with its pine trees clinging to the rock, bathed in a turquoise water licking a small beach.
An hour's walk further, one of the most famous creeks you tend arms: climbing cliffs, crystal clear water with its pebble beach is "En-Vau."
From there, it's a little adventure, you will need a detailed map of the area, or be accompanied by a guide or a licensed instructor.
It is of course possible to cross the entire field to Marseilles, even bivouac and access to shelters (attention, summer, access is regulated).
Any enclave of water in the white limestone rock could almost be named cove. You discover so in chronological order, the inlet of the Oule, a mouth open on Wednesday, Eissadon a net sky through rock immaculate, Devenson, and imposing steep, the inlet of Saint-Jean dominated by Great Candelle, Les Pierres Tombées, bathing it imposes, the inlet of Sugiton, a small jewel, Morgiou, like a trip to Greece with his small port, Sormiou, grandiose finally with a sandy beach in water blue more blue than blue of her eyes. Make a visit to his small port.
The inlet of Cortiou to avoid because of sewer. The inlet of Podesta still too close to the collector, then calanque screes, stop intimate. Marseilleveyre, a micro-village at the gates of Marseilles, a window on the archipelago of Riou. The famous cove of the Mounine today perhaps too busy to give a hug. Then Callelongue and return to civilization.
It is here that the field ends with Les Calanques Goudes, well after the sandy beaches of Marseilles, in the middle of the Corniche, the road along the seafront, lies the valley Auffes.
You should know that the port of Marseilles is the largest of the creeks throughout the region.
If the heart tells you, take micheline which you will discover the Blue Coast.