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This snorkelling spot in Marseille attracts swimmers from all over the world

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The Mediterranean lends itself particularly well to snorkelling, and Marseille is home to a unique spot that attracts snorkellers from all over the world.

Published on 15 May 2024
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Virginie Verdi
  • Marseille in 3 words

    Solar, contradictory, bubbling.

  • My favourite neighbourhood

    The Castellane district. Always lively even on Sundays. You can have a drink with friends, have a coffee before going to work or stroll around the market on Saturday morning.

A sport accessible to all swimmers

With snorkelling, you don’t need to be an experienced swimmer or diver to discover underwater life. You move about on the surface, admiring through the glass of your mask the ballet of fish, octopus and seahorses as they wander among the rocks, coral and Posidonia meadows.

Knowing how to swim is the only requirement for snorkelling: you don’t need to hold your breath or immerse yourself completely. The equipment is simple and affordable, and can be lent to you if you take part in a group excursion with a guide. All you need is a mask, snorkel and fins. You can also swap your swimming costume for a neoprene suit if the water temperature is a little cool.

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      Snorkeling, a leisure activity that is on the rise

      Appearing in the 1940s, underwater hiking has grown significantly since the 1960s. It is driven by the development of seaside resorts and holiday villages, which see this as an opportunity to offer tourists keen on new activities a fascinating, affordable and risk-free underwater experience. Snorkeling has been enjoying renewed interest for several years and is now practiced all over the world, on the coasts of all seas and oceans.

      Among the most famous snorkeling spots in the world, there is one that attracts swimmers from all over the world. Just a stone’s throw from the city centre of Marseille, you can set off to meet underwater flora and fauna teeming with life and contemplate fascinating landscapes that you would never have guessed existed by staying on a boat or from the coast.

      An exceptional and preserved coastline south of Marseille

      Rocky coves and steep cliffs follow one another from the south of Marseille to the small town of Cassis. This splendid natural site seduces hiking enthusiasts with its spectacular landscapes, and offers a major challenge to climbers who come to rub shoulders with its sparkling white rock.

      This exceptional territory, protected since 2012 with the creation of the first urban national park in Europe, hides its most precious treasures under the blue waves of the Mediterranean Sea. With its fish that slip into the crevices of the rocks, its octopuses that propel themselves gracefully and its red coral reefs that look like a tropical paradise, the Calanques National Park  is the must-see spot in Europe for snorkeling enthusiasts! Life abounds just a few meters below the surface, in a vast marine world preserved from fishing and pollution.

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        ©Snorkeling A.domenici Dune|A.domenici-Dune

          A famous snorkeling spot… But reserved for initiates!

          The Calanques National Park is home to several heavenly spots suitable for snorkeling. But you still need to know these privileged places that shelter the most spectacular underwater landscapes.

          Sormiou, Morgiou, Sugiton or En-Vau, each cove or almost conceals its secret corner for an unforgettable aquatic hike. The islands off the coast of Marseille are also home to beautiful marine circuits, from the Frioul archipelago to Maïre ​​Island.

          To be among the privileged few who access these exceptional spots around Marseille, you can take part in an excursion with a local instructor, who knows the best circuits depending on the seasons and the weather. The good weather is coming: discover our snorkeling and diving activities in the calanques of Marseille!

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