Cassis does not need defending. It defends itself with its position, nestled between the Calanques massif to the west and Cap Canaille to the east, in a bowl of white limestone that geologists love as much as photographers. What is rarer is that Cassis manages to remain Cassis despite intense tourism: the port is alive, restaurants still serve real Cassis bourride, and the AOC winemakers continue to produce one of the best whites in Provence.
The port and local life
The port of Cassis is the place where a day can begin and end without you tiring of it. In the morning, fishermen unload their nets while the first cafés open. At noon, the terraces on the left bank serve seafood platters and sea urchins in season. In the late afternoon, when the tourists leave, the port regains its slow rhythm and its smells of salt and pastis.
Cap Canaille: the highest maritime cliff in France
At 394 metres high, Cap Canaille is the highest maritime cliff in France, and one of the most spectacular in the Mediterranean. The Route des Crêtes, which runs along the edge of the cape from Cassis to La Ciotat, is dizzying and splendid. The successive viewpoints look out over the sheer drop to the sea, the calanques to the west and La Ciotat to the east.
The calanques on the Cassis side
Port-Miou, Port-Pin, En-Vau: the three calanques of Cassis differ in character and in accessibility. En-Vau, the most remote, is often cited as the most beautiful calanque on the coast. Access on foot from the car park or by boat from the port. Boat trips from Cassis let you enter the calanques from the sea, an entirely different perspective.
MR Taxi takes you to Cassis from Marseille or La Ciotat. Book your Marseille–Cassis taxi, available 24/7.
