Provençal village
Cassis
A Mediterranean harbour and the calanques.
On the shores of the Mediterranean, less than an hour from Aix-en-Provence, Cassis nestles its fishing harbour between cliffs and sea. Pastel façades, cobbled lanes, sunny terraces: the village has kept the soul of a true Provençal port.
On either side, nature reigns supreme. To the west, the calanques unfold their coves of white rock and turquoise water. To the east, Cap Canaille raises the highest sea cliff in France.
Cassis is also a matter of taste. On the hillsides overlooking the sea, the vines yield a renowned white wine, born of one of the oldest appellations in the country.
Life follows the rhythm of the seasons — swimming and lively markets in summer, grape harvests in autumn, luminous mildness in winter. Cassis is an invitation to slow down, between sea and garrigue, in the very heart of Provence.
Calanques
The turquoise coves of the national park
Cap Canaille
The highest sea cliffs in France
AOC Cassis
World-renowned white wines
Discover
TO SEE
The harbour and old Cassis
It all begins at the harbour, the beating heart of Cassis, where fishing boats sit alongside sailing yachts. All around, pastel façades huddle together, ochre, pink and yellow, bathed in light. You stroll through the lanes of the fishermen’s quarter, from square to fountain, down to the terraces on the quay. Above the bay stands a medieval castle, now privately owned. As evening falls, you settle at a table facing the boats, a glass of white in hand.
Le Cap Canaille
East of the village, Cap Canaille plunges into the sea from a height of three hundred and ninety-four metres. It is the highest sea cliff in France, a wall of rock in shades of ochre and red. The Route des Crêtes runs along it, corniche-style, towards La Ciotat. At every bend, a lookout opens onto the deep blue and onto Cassis, tiny far below. At sunset, the cliff blazes — one of the most beautiful sights on the coast.
Experience
TO DO
Setting off into the calanques
At the foot of Cassis lie the calanques, coves of white rock ringed by turquoise water. Port-Miou, Port-Pin and En-Vau can be reached by boat from the harbour, by kayak, or on foot along the trails. Port-Pin, the most accessible, is earned after half an hour’s walk, and rewards you with a swim. The whole area belongs to the Parc national des Calanques, a protected landscape between Marseille and Cassis. Please note: in summer, access to the massifs is restricted because of the fire risk — check the day before.
Tasting the wine of Cassis
Cassis has grown vines on terraces between sea and mountain for centuries. Its vineyard was among the very first appellations d’origine contrôlée in France, as early as 1936. It produces mainly a white wine, dry and fragrant, made from marsanne and clairette. Several estates, a stone’s throw from the village, open their cellars for tastings. A glass on a terrace facing the harbour is the simplest invitation of all.
Walking the sentier du Petit Prince
On the peninsula, a kilometre from the centre, an easy trail of around two kilometres follows the coast. It takes its name from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, whose plane disappeared off Cassis in 1944. The path offers lovely views over the calanque of Port-Miou and Cap Canaille. The walk is short and accessible, ideal at the end of the day. A breath of sea air, far from the bustle of the harbour.