Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
mer, trails close due to fire danger: take a boat tour (
Click here
)
, though they don't stop
to let you swim; or try negotiating with a fisherman to take you from the Vieux Port (
Click here
)
. Otherwise, drive or take public transport.
Marseille's tourist office leads guided walks (no kids under eight) and has information
about trail closures.
Sea kayaking
from Marseille or Cassis is wondrous.
Raskas Kayak
(
www.raskas-
guides.
Sights
Calanque de Sormiou
The largest
calanque
hit headlines in 1991 when diver Henri Cosquer from Cassis swam
through a 150m-long passage 36m underwater into a cave to find its interior adorned with
prehistoric wall-paintings from around 20,000 BC. Now named
Grotte Cosquer
, the cave
is a protected historical monument and closed to the public. Many more are believed to
exist.
Two seasonal restaurants serve lunch with fabulous views, and require reservations.
Le
Château
( 04 91 25 08 69; mains €18-24; Apr-mid-Oct)
has the best food,
Le
Lunch
( 04 91 25 05 37, 04 91 25 05 39;
http://wp.resto.fr/lelunch
;
mains €16-28;
Apr-mid-Oct)
the better view.
By bus take the 23 from Marseilles' Rond-Point du Prado metro stop to La Cayolle
stop, from where it is a 3km walk. (Note: Diners with reservations are allowed to drive
through; otherwise, the road's open to cars weekdays only, September to June.)
INLET
Calanque de Morgiou
The scrubby windswept Cap Morgiou separates Sormiou from Morgiou. Nestled on the
eastern side of the cape, this
calanque
has a pretty little port bobbing with fishing boats,
and plenty of sheer rock-faces from which climbers dangle. An evening spent at its one
restaurant, the delightful
Nautic Bar
( 04 91 40 06 37; mains €20-25;
INLET
lunch & din-
ner Apr-Oct)
is dreamy. No credit cards.
Morgiou beach is a one-hour walk from the car park. The hair-raisingly steep, narrow
road (3.5km) is open to motorists Monday to Friday from September to June (daily year-
round with a Nautic Bar reservation).