Climbing in the Calanques of Marseille

For climbers and enthusiasts

Ready for a climbing session in the Calanques of Marseille ? Whether you are a climbing enthusiast or simply want to discover the discipline, here are the service providers who will take you up high and show you the calanques in an original and unforgettable way !

The climb in the calanques..

… An outing to prepare

With an average of 300 days of sun. You can clim the cliffs from january to decembre. However, you need to get prepared. :

Please check the conditions access to the massif and organize your trip thanks to recent reference books.
Study your route and plan your equipment accordingly: rope, hardne
In addition to specific climbing equipment always remember to take water and sun protection

Did you know ?

This is Gaston Rebuffat, famous alpinist from Marseille who discovered the climbing in the Calanques between 1930 and 1940. He opened many climbing routes. A plaque in his honour can be seen on the former road leading to the Gardiole Car-park.

A regulated practice

Some site closure are set up :

Permanent closures for these following sites.Landslide areas on Sormiou rideges, the pierre tombées calanque, muraille de Chine and Riou Archipel. Check up the interactive map of the permanent forbidden zone.
Temporary closures to protect the birds nesting. Checkout the interactive map of temporary closures.

Others rules to be followed :

Practicing climbing only on marked trails ( for example with the blue logo of the climber)
Inform the National Park of any related works of climbing, open access to the cliffs, installation. The equipment of via Ferrata and via Cordata is forbidden in the Calanques.
The mobile app Mes Calanques can help you to keep yu updated with useful information by sign in the climbing community.

For your safety :

Choose a climbing route suitable to your skills and experience.
Check out the weather conditions before leaving.
Inform your relative about your trip.

Where to climb in the Calanques?

Sectors with varying degrees of difficulty

The Calanques are an amazing playground to practice climbing since it owns different kind of routes for every level. Sormiou, Luminy and la Gardiole are often visited by climbers who discover the subject. Morgiou, Marseilleveyre, les Goudes are sectors offering a great heterogeneity in their routes, which allows to have ropes with different levels. But also : Malvallon, la Melette, En Vau, Port Miou.. You haven’t finished climbing in the Calanques National park

Climbing topo to guide you

The numerous and diversified routes, we invite you to get a Topo Escalade les Calanques de la FFME, which lists all the routes that can be climbed as well as their level of difficulty in a superb guide. On the V topo ROC calanques Escalade which also includes hiking, deep water solo sections.

Some sectors own a forbidden climb in order to protect nesting.