Faq Calanques of Marseille

From the metro station “Rond-Point du Prado”, you will find bus lines that allow you to get closer to the starting points of the hiking trails, including lines B1 (Campus de Luminy), 22 (Les Baumettes), 23 (La Cayolle), 19 (Madrague de Montredon), 20 (Callelongue). A sea shuttle to the  “Les Goudes” is also available in  summer  from the Vieux-Port ( Old Port).

Find out more about access to the Calanques by bus.

Traffic and parking are difficult around the Calanques. There are not many parking lots available and drivers can easily find themselves in violation by parking on the road. Just to let you know that the police proceed to electronic, invisible ticketing, it is therefore recommended not to drive to the Calanques and to use public transport.

Find out more about access to the Calanques by car

The Calanques National Park does not allow any boats to drop visitors in small harbors or even on the rocks of the creeks.
An exception though: The Calanque port and the village of the Goudes, a tourist site surrounded by the National Park. Between June and August, a maritime shuttle of the “RTM” public transport network in Marseille, provides access from “La Pointe-Rouge”port .  There are also boat taxi services allowing anyone who wants to be dropped off at the ” La Baie des Singes” restaurant by boat.

Learn more about water taxis and about the village of Goudes, click on the link bellow:

More about the taxi boats.              More about the village of Les Goudes.

Restaurants are mainly concentrated on the coastal part and in inhabited creeks, such as Saména, l’Escalette, les Goudes, le Cap Croisette, Callelongue, Marseilleveyre, Sormiou and  Morgiou.
As the access by motor vehicle is limited, it is imperative to announce your arrival and book your table at the establishment of your choice.
/!\ The restaurateur of the  Calanque de Marseilleveyre (Chez le Belge) does not take any reservations, you must arrive before eleven o’clock to block your table.
/!\   During the period of application of the prefectural decree regulating access to the creeks, the days classified red (access prohibited), the restaurants of Marseilleveyre, Sormiou and Morgiou are unable to receive customers and are closed.

In the heartland part  of the Calanques National Park there are above all guest rooms and seasonal rentals. Some of them have the “Esprit Parc” label. There are also hotels residences and hotels located nearby. Camping, bivouacking and caravanning are not allowed.

Overnight camping is not allowed  within the whole  perimeter of the Calanques National Park.

In the Calanques National Park, we cannot speak of a specific refuge, as it is usually the case  in other national parks. The few places that only exist,  allow you to take shelter during a break or a picnic. It is not allowed to stay overnight.
However, there is a youth hostel, la Fontasse, which can be compared to a refuge, located in the heart of the Calanques massif, in an atypical environment and isolated from all the usual infrastructure. Exceptional and original experience guaranteed.

Your pet can accompany you, always on leash so as not to disturb other visitors, who may be afraid of it and avoid it interfering with the fauna and flora of the National Park. It is imperative that you also provide sufficient water for your pet. There is no fountain or spring along  the way and it is often very hot, without shade. Like humans, your dog can suffer from heat stroke.

The Calanques National Park is particularly popular for hiking. It is a territory well-known for the diversity of its routes, which can be more difficult and dangerous than in the high mountains, because the hiker is always faced with a cumulative elevation. It is therefore  strongly recommended to wear suitableclothing (hiking or trail running shoes, anti-perspirant clothing, windbreakers, hat/beanie,etc.), to have goodequipment (comfortable backpack to have your hands uncovered, walking sticks, bottles to carry enough water as there is no fountain or water source, etc.). It is imperative to check the weather forecast  before leaving and especially in summer to ensure that the massifs are accessible due to the weather conditions. It is also useful to take a hiking map with you (we recommend the IGN map with a resolution of 15,000) or to download the free  app “Mes calanques” which references 25 walks and hikes for all levels.

To know everything about this specific sport, we invite you to read the following page dedicated to climbing in the calanques.