Calanques National Park is paradise in Southern France and if you’re headed to the Provence-Alpes-Cote D’Azur area it really is a “can’t miss” experience. Getting to the secluded beaches takes a little bit of leg work (literally) but there’s something special and almost magical about hiking to a beach that can’t be accessed any other way but by foot. With a little bit of preparation and research it is also totally possible to do even with kids, though I would highly recommend a carrier We did two hikes in Calanques National Park while we were in France: one from Marseille to Calanque de Sormiou and one from Cassis to Calanque Port Miou and Calanque Port Pin. Here’s the information you need to make hiking Calanques National Park with kids a success
What is Calanques National Park
Calanques National Park is Frances newest national park and Europe’s only park that includes marine, land and semi-urban areas. The landscape is unique in that there is very little soil and limestone cliffs and hardy plants that emerge from between cracks are set against the crystal clear water and blue skies. There are a few options for seeing the park which is located on the southern coast between Cassis and Marseille.
What is Calanques National Park
Calanques National Park is Frances newest national park and Europe’s only park that includes marine, land and semi-urban areas. The landscape is unique in that there is very little soil and limestone cliffs and hardy plants that emerge from between cracks are set against the crystal clear water and blue skies. There are a few options for seeing the park which is located on the southern coast between Cassis and Marseille.
Things you should know
What to bring
A hat, sturdy shoes (no flip flops!), sunscreen and plenty of water are must haves for your hike. Because of the nature of the ecosystem there are not many large canopy trees so the hikes lack shade. Try to hike in the early morning or later in the afternoon to avoid peak sun. Make sure you give yourself lots of time to hike back, depending on the elevation changes it may take you longer than when you hiked in, and make sure that you have lots of water. Having a map will give you peace of mind although we found both hikes we did to be well marked.
Marseille: Calanque de Sormiou
Located just outside of the city core, the hike to Calanque de Sormiou feels like you’ve been transported a world away. it has the benefit of being easily accessible by public transit or a quick 15 minute drive from the city center. We loved that we were able to take two different trails to the calanque meaning that we had different views on the way down and on the way back up! The sandy beach was perfect for our toddler and the beach is lifeguarded during peak season.
- Between June 1 and September 30 the park may be closed to prevent forest fires. Check here before you go to ensure that the park is open and roads and hiking trails are accessible
- If you aren’t interested in hiking, head to Cassis and choose from one of the many boat tours of the park. You can choose the length of boat tour that makes the most sense for you but know that swimming from the boat is not an option.
- If you’re interested in swimming at one of the stunning and secluded beaches you will have to access them by foot.
What to bring
A hat, sturdy shoes (no flip flops!), sunscreen and plenty of water are must haves for your hike. Because of the nature of the ecosystem there are not many large canopy trees so the hikes lack shade. Try to hike in the early morning or later in the afternoon to avoid peak sun. Make sure you give yourself lots of time to hike back, depending on the elevation changes it may take you longer than when you hiked in, and make sure that you have lots of water. Having a map will give you peace of mind although we found both hikes we did to be well marked.
Marseille: Calanque de Sormiou
Located just outside of the city core, the hike to Calanque de Sormiou feels like you’ve been transported a world away. it has the benefit of being easily accessible by public transit or a quick 15 minute drive from the city center. We loved that we were able to take two different trails to the calanque meaning that we had different views on the way down and on the way back up! The sandy beach was perfect for our toddler and the beach is lifeguarded during peak season.
Because there are cabins (people live here I presume) and an emergency road down to the water it feels a little less secluded than some of the other calanques but the wow factor that you get from the calanque during the hike is totally worth while.
The hike was 2 km in length and took us approximately 1 hour each way. While there were some steep portions, it was generally safe and could be tackled by older children who are up for a challenge. For younger children I would highly recommend bringing a carrier. I found the hike up particularly challenging and it was compounded by the lack of shade. You will definitely not want to be short on water for the hike back!
The hike was 2 km in length and took us approximately 1 hour each way. While there were some steep portions, it was generally safe and could be tackled by older children who are up for a challenge. For younger children I would highly recommend bringing a carrier. I found the hike up particularly challenging and it was compounded by the lack of shade. You will definitely not want to be short on water for the hike back!
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How to get there
By public transit: Take the metro to “Rond Point de Pano” and then take bus 22 to the last stop “Les Baumettes”. The parking lot is approximately 400 meters from the bus stop.
By car: Navigate to “Parc des Baumettes” There is free parking. As with everywhere in France, be sure the lock your car and take all valuables with you.
By public transit: Take the metro to “Rond Point de Pano” and then take bus 22 to the last stop “Les Baumettes”. The parking lot is approximately 400 meters from the bus stop.
By car: Navigate to “Parc des Baumettes” There is free parking. As with everywhere in France, be sure the lock your car and take all valuables with you.
Trail Notes
From the parking lot, cross to the far left side of the park and find the red trail markers. The trail is initially hard packed dirt/gravel and you will hike uphill a bit before starting your descent to the calanque. You can return the same way, but if you are interested in taking a different route, head to the far left of the beach (if you’re facing the water) walking along the road that leads to the port. As you approach the port you’ll notice a little community of cabins behind you. Cutting down the “main street” you’ll find markers for the black trail “chemin des escourtines”. Follow it up (way up! Feel the quad burn!). It switchbacks a bit and you will end up with incredible views back toward the calanque at the col des escourtines. Keep left and rejoin one of the main pathways which will lead you back toward the parking lot at Parc des Baumettes.
From the parking lot, cross to the far left side of the park and find the red trail markers. The trail is initially hard packed dirt/gravel and you will hike uphill a bit before starting your descent to the calanque. You can return the same way, but if you are interested in taking a different route, head to the far left of the beach (if you’re facing the water) walking along the road that leads to the port. As you approach the port you’ll notice a little community of cabins behind you. Cutting down the “main street” you’ll find markers for the black trail “chemin des escourtines”. Follow it up (way up! Feel the quad burn!). It switchbacks a bit and you will end up with incredible views back toward the calanque at the col des escourtines. Keep left and rejoin one of the main pathways which will lead you back toward the parking lot at Parc des Baumettes.
Cassis: Calanque Port Miou and Port Pin
We fell in love with Calanques National Park and so even though we had limited time in Cassis, we made sure to squeeze in this easy hike on our last day in France. This hike was much more manageable for kids of all ages, with the majority of the 2 km trail being fairly flat with hard packed gravel. It took us about 45 minutes each way with the last stretch – the descent into the calanque – being the most precarious. As you may imagine from the name there are lots of pine trees that provide shade along the way. As with all the hikes you will want to pack lots of water, a hat and sunscreen, sturdy shoes as well as water shoes since the beach here is pebbles and not sand.
We fell in love with Calanques National Park and so even though we had limited time in Cassis, we made sure to squeeze in this easy hike on our last day in France. This hike was much more manageable for kids of all ages, with the majority of the 2 km trail being fairly flat with hard packed gravel. It took us about 45 minutes each way with the last stretch – the descent into the calanque – being the most precarious. As you may imagine from the name there are lots of pine trees that provide shade along the way. As with all the hikes you will want to pack lots of water, a hat and sunscreen, sturdy shoes as well as water shoes since the beach here is pebbles and not sand.
Where to park
There is a large car park at Port Miou which is free in the low and shoulder seasons but during high season can be up to 10 euro per day. There is also some street parking but even during shoulder season we didn’t notice any free spaces
There is a large car park at Port Miou which is free in the low and shoulder seasons but during high season can be up to 10 euro per day. There is also some street parking but even during shoulder season we didn’t notice any free spaces
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Whether it’s by foot or by boat, visiting Calanque National Park while you’re in the south of France is an absolute must. I hope we’ve inspired you to bring the kids and experience this little slice of paradise.
Save it for later!
Save it for later!
