Hikes in Cassis

The landscape around Cassis is characterised by vineyards and the shrub heath formations of the garrigue, which include rosemary, kermes and holm oaks, pines, snowball and rock pear. The hiking trails lead you through a historically important region. Cassis was already settled in the 5th century BC and belonged to the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis. The Roman term province eventually led to parts of the landscape of Southern France being called Provence today.

A beautiful old town directly at the harbour

Originally, people settled here on higher ground. Today's old town was built on the harbour in the 18th century and the settlements on the surrounding hills were gradually abandoned. The 13th-century Chateau de Cassis, where you can stay today, still bears witness to the past. In tranquil Cassis, you can relax after your hike and end the day on the Plage de la Grande Mer, Place Georges or at the pretty harbour with wine and freshly caught fish with a view of the bay and the blue water.

The Calanques Nature Park in Provence between Cassis and Marseille, 30 kilometres away, of which it is a part, has well-developed hiking trails and is perfect for exciting hikes in a unique landscape. The Calanques are a magnificent natural landscape. Rosemary bushes and Aleppo pines blossom between red and white limestones, which offer views of the turquoise and crystal-clear Mediterranean Sea.

The limestone is called "Pierre de Cassis" and has been used to build famous houses in Marseille, Alexandria and Piräus. In between, you can always take a refreshing dip in the sea on small beaches in picturesque bays or linger a little longer. Not every route here has to be difficult. Smaller hikes of two to three hours are possible, but also longer ones, for example if you want to hike all the way to Marseille.

The Calanques nature park offers many an exciting and smaller route from Cassis. From the harbour in Cassis, excursion boats depart for tours along the steep limestone cliffs that form small fjords and extend as far as Marseille. The original natural landscape with cliffs covered with shrub heath, ferns and junipers was formed after the last ice age, when the sea level rose over 100 metres and reshaped the coast.

The short and long hiking trails here are well signposted. Worthwhile destinations are Cap Canaille, the Plateau de Cadeiron, the Refuge du Piolet or the bay of En-Vau. The hiking tours will take you all over the cliff country. The GR®98, for example, will take you to the white sandy beach of the Calanques de Port-Pin, the greenest and smallest of the three calanques of Cassis. If you then continue along the path, you will reach the peninsula of Prêsqu'île de Cacou, which marks the municipal boundary between Cassis and Marseille.