Archipelago of Frioul
ISLAND
See photos (5)
Hiking in Frioul on the island of Ratonneau
Sport, Pedestrian sports, Hiking itinerary
in Marseille 7ème
6.6
km
3h
Medium
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The Frioul archipelago (1) is made up of several islands and islets. This hike takes in the island of Ratonneau.
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The island of Ratonneau was invaded by rats. As early as the 13th century, the port was called "portus Ratonelli", a name that would be retained for the entire island.
The hike takes in beautiful coves, ancient military fortifications and the Caroline Hospital, a health facility originally designed to cure carriers of yellow fever and later used as a lazaretto.
The hike to the Caroline Hospital is flat and unproblematic. Except that you're always walking in the sun on the wide track....The island of Ratonneau was invaded by rats. As early as the 13th century, the port was called "portus Ratonelli", a name that would be retained for the entire island.
The hike takes in beautiful coves, ancient military fortifications and the Caroline Hospital, a health facility originally designed to cure carriers of yellow fever and later used as a lazaretto.
The hike to the Caroline Hospital is flat and unproblematic. Except that you're always walking in the sun on the wide track. First you pass the Léo Lagrange vacation center (2), then the Hoche pavilion (3), once used to quarantine officers on ships arriving from ports where the plague was rife. Today, the area awaits redevelopment, security and renaturation. The city and the National Park are working closely together to define the project that will bring these eight hectares back to life.
Then we see the Port Pilotage Department building (4), recognizable by its façade in the shape of a ship's bow. Continue along the path that winds along the coast.
Before reaching the Sainte-Estève cove (6) and its turquoise waters, turn right and you'll see the future Villa Marine (5). The Villa Marine is due to open its doors to the public in the near future, to raise awareness of the importance of preserving island areas such as the Frioul archipelago.
The first part of the walk ends in front of the grand entrance to the Caroline Hospital (7). Then turn around and take the same path back to Villa Marine. At the bend in the road, take the path leading up to Fort de Ratonneau (8), which you will cross from east to west. At the western end of the fort, a path leads back down to the rocky rift that gives access to the Morgeret cove (9). The best beach for watching the sunset in summer.
Take the left-hand side of the calanque to join the path leading to the Mangue battery (10) and the Brigantin fort. Once you've discovered this area, retrace your steps until you see a path to the right leading to the calanque du Grand Soufre (11) and its small beach. A staircase leads down from the beach. Head towards the houses and turn left to reach the large esplanade with its chapel (12). Further steps take you to the Quai d'Honneur, completing the loop.
- Departure
- Marseille 7ème
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Difference in height
- 130 m
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Plain text period
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All year round.
Subject to favorable weather.
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Environment
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Spoken languages
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Documentation
- GPX / KML files allow you to export the trail of your hike to your GPS (or other navigation tool)
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- See all reviews
- Points of interest
1
The Frioul archipelago
2
Léo Lagrange Centre
3
Pavillon Hoche
4
GPMM Steering Department
Leaving the Frioul in the late afternoon, you can often see a pilot following the ferries at high speed as they leave the port to cross the Mediterranean to Corsica. Watch the man in the red watch-jacket climb a small ladder along the side of the ship to leave or rejoin his boat. It's often a sport!
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Villa marine
Initially, it was used to house military personnel, then senior officials from the merchant navy. It is now managed by the Conservatoire du Littoral, which is working closely with the Parc National des Calanques and the City of Marseille to turn it into a visitor centre. Visitors to Frioul will be able to learn more about the landscapes and the diversity of the sea, islands, land and underwater world.
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Sainte-Estève cove
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Caroline Hospital
8
Ratonneau Fort
9
Morgeret cove
On the left, after the toilet block, part of which is only accessible in summer, there is a crack in the rock. You have to cross it to reach the calanque.
It's a wide pebble beach and Morgeret is not its real name. The cove is actually called Calanque de la Courale. In Provençal, "couralo" means the heart, the centre. It's a fitting name for this cove, which lies deep in the heart of the island of Ratonneau. This geographical position also means that it is well protected from the easterly wind. The bay as a whole, on the other hand, is known as "Havre de Morgeret". The name "Morgeret" or "Morgiret" is linked to the prefix "mor", which means "height". Here, to the south, there is a high plateau that protects the creeks. This root can also be found in the name of the Calanque de Morgiou.
At the end of the day, it is an ideal spot to watch the sunset.
The beach offers no shade and is unsupervised.
Frioul is accessed by a shuttle boat from the Old Port, Quai des Belges (Quai de la Fraternité).
The current owner, Marseille designer Ora Ïto, wanted to create an art centre and a luxury hotel. For the time being, this has not happened. The site is inaccessible to the public.
10
Mangue Battery
This battery was built in the middle of the 19th century, between 1860 and 1862, after the sea wall had been built and the passage closed! The umbilical cord between the two islands was completed in 1824. The German troops made no changes to it, preferring to build their own bunkers on the plateau, which can still be seen today. The Mango Battery, also known as Fort Brigantin, is privately owned and was once home to the short-lived Free Republic of Friuli. Its current owner, Marseille designer Ora Ïto, wanted to build an art centre and a luxury hotel here. For the moment, this is not the case. The site is inaccessible to the public.
11
Grand Soufre cove
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Chapel of Port Frioul
- 130 meters of difference in height
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- Maximum altitude : 61 m
- Total positive elevation : 130 m
- Total negative elevation : -130 m
- Max positive elevation : 31 m
- Min positive elevation : -52 m
Services
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Services
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