In April 2023, we returned to the south of France with my favorite photographer to discover the pretty town of Cassis. This Provencal town of 7,500 inhabitants is located between the highest maritime cliff in Europe, Cap Canaille, and the remarkable calanques (inlets) of Marseille and Cassis. It is a town in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, in the PACA region (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) and is the perfect destination for a long weekend in the sun, with its colorful fishing port, the grand nature that surrounds it, and a typically Mediterranean way of life.
Practical Information
- Getting there by train: TGV from Paris to Marseille Saint Charles, then TER to Cassis (note: the Cassis train station is located about 3.5 km from the city center, but there is a shuttle from the station to the city center during the day, though not at night)
- Getting there by plane: from Paris airport towards Marseille Provence airport
- The tip if you are driving: parking is not easy in Cassis (everything is paid), so it is better to have a parking spot with your hotel, or there is a large free parking lot outside the city with shuttles every 30 minutes in high season connecting the parking lot to the city center
- The discount tip for a stay in Cassis: find your stay in Cassis with Voyage Privé
Cassis Tourist Office
Quai des Moulins 13260 Cassis
Table of Contents
What to see and do in and around Cassis?
The town of Cassis is a small place where it is very pleasant to walk around. It is nestled in an inlet and has a pretty, colorful pedestrian port (which still maintains its fishermen’s guild), charming narrow streets, small squares with fountains, and artisan and artist boutiques. The castle that overlooks the town (now converted into luxury accommodation) also reminds us that Cassis was a fortified town in the Middle Ages, owned by the Baux family.
Cassis is also a particularly rich destination for lovers of nature and outdoor activities, as the 15,000 hectares of the Calanques domain and Cap Canaille are a prime location for hiking, climbing, scuba diving, sea kayaking… Here, nature is grand and the scenery is stunning wherever you look. For those who want to chill on the beach and enjoy the sea (which isn’t really our thing, I must admit), the town also has several beaches. We went for a walk on l’Arène beach (a natural cove) tucked away at the foot of Cap Canaille, just a 15-minute walk from the city center (but I’ll tell you more about it further down in the article). Below, as usual, I offer a small selection of things to do and see if you come for a stay in Cassis.
Also see/do: don’t miss a look at the City Hall (former 17th-century private mansion of Désiré de Moustiers) where you will see medieval remains under a glass slab on the ground floor as well as a beautiful Grand Siècle staircase; the Saint-Michel church built from Cassis stone; the Calendal statue also carved from Cassis stone; sports activities, especially a lot of climbing (with discovery routes from the guide office), diving, cycling, and hiking; Meari club (former Peugeot factories), which offers visits on Wednesdays from May to October; the Presqu’île, the chic neighborhood of Cassis.
The parking tip: parking in Cassis is quite complicated, and if you are driving, be aware that the free parking lot for the town is Les Gorguettes. It has 220 parking spaces and is a bit set back, but you can then reach the city center or the calanques via a shuttle (€1.60 round trip) that runs approximately every 20 minutes, 7 days a week, between April and September.
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Visit the Cassis Museum
This small museum, located in the heart of the city on the main square, is housed in a former 18th-century presbytery. It was founded in 1910 thanks to two Marseille painters who gifted the village a collection of paintings. This museum of fine arts, ethnology (with a collection of traditional Provencal costumes), and archaeology also presents Gallo-Roman objects on loan, from underwater archaeological excavations by the Drassm (Department of Underwater and Submarine Archaeological Research in Marseille), originating from surrounding ancient shipwrecks. The site also regularly offers temporary exhibitions, which enrich its cultural offering.
Cassis Municipal Mediterranean Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions
Place Baragnon, 13260 Cassis
The tip: museum free for all
Open Wednesday to Saturday
Link to the town website
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Visit the Camargo Foundation
Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to do this, but I’m mentioning this visit because it’s a great tip. The Camargo Foundation is a residency site that has hosted artists, researchers, and thinkers since 1967. And it offers free visits on Friday mornings.
Camargo Foundation
15 avenue de l’Amiral Ganteaume 13260 Cassis
the tip: free guided tours on Fridays from May to October
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Hike in the calanques
There are many hiking trails around Cassis. Starting from the center of town on foot, it takes about 30 minutes to reach the beginning of the hiking trails towards the Calanques National Park. This Calanques National Park was created in 2012 and offers an exceptional heritage, with over 138 protected plant and animal species living there. If you don’t have much time or don’t really like to walk, you can take the Petit Prince walking circuit (a loop that lasts 1 to 1.5 hours with explanatory panels). Plus, this circuit is open all year round, even when there is a risk of occasional closure due to fires.
For our part, we did the 3 calanques hike (although we didn’t have time to go all the way to the end, as it takes 4 hours in total for this hike). This hike allows you to discover the calanques of Port Miou (the first calanque on the route, located in the town of Cassis and home to sailboats), Port Pin, and finally Port Vau.
The tip: the hiking trail is also accessible by taking the bus from the Gorguettes parking lot (€1.60 round trip starting from the Easter school holidays).
My recommendations: this hike can be a bit strenuous, and it is imperative to be well-equipped and have good walking shoes, as there are many small pebbles and slippery stones due to the repeated passage of hikers; also bring water, sunscreen, and something to cover your head if it is very sunny.
Hiking in the Calanques
Info: access regulated from June to September due to fire risks
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Take a boat trip in the calanques
The Cassis boatmen offer year-round commented tours of 3 to 9 calanques via boat cruises that depart from the town’s port. For our part, we did the boat tour of the 9 calanques (which lasts 2h20). But what actually is a calanque? The Calanques formed about 120 million years ago. The Calanques Massif, located to the west of Cassis, is made of white limestone over 400 meters thick! This trip is the opportunity to see them from the sea:
- The Port-Miou calanque: the only calanque that is actually in the town of Cassis (the others are in the town of Marseille)
- The Port-Pin calanque: its name comes from the Aleppo pines that grow there
- The Port Vau calanque: considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the world (it takes about a 2-hour walk one way to get there on foot), it is also called “the pearl of the Calanques” and it also houses exceptional climbing routes
- The Morgiou calanque: in which there is a small fishing village
- The Sormiou Calanque: which is undoubtedly one of the most popular
Commented Calanques cruises with the Cassis boatmen
Every day (depending on the weather and the state of the sea)
Rates: from €19
duration: between 1h and 2h20 depending on the number of calanques seen
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Take the Ridge Road
This panoramic road that connects Cassis to La Ciotat while passing by Cap Canaille is open all year round, except on very windy days. It is part of the Calanques National Park. There are hiking trails, but there is also a large part that is on a road used by cars. So, I recommend you go there by car if you have the possibility. This 16 km long road is equipped throughout with superb viewpoints over the town of Cassis and the sea.
My advice: if you want to go for a walk there, I recommend checking on the park’s website the day before from 6 p.m. to see if the hiking trails are open for the next day.
The Ridge Road
Free and open access
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Take a (SHORT) hike TO L’ARÈNE BEACH
L’Arène beach is a natural cove tucked away at the foot of Cap Canaille. It is only a 15-minute walk from the city center and it is a pleasant enough short walk to do if you want to stroll along the seaside.
L’Arène beach
Beach in Cassis
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Discover the Vins de Cassis designation
This controlled designation of origin (AOC and its French acronym AOP), obtained on May 15, 1936, is one of the oldest in France, but it is also one of the smallest. This vineyard, one of the first in France to be labeled, has 215 hectares of vines in the town of Cassis and benefits from a particular microclimate. The designation produces a majority of white wines (over 70%), as well as rosé wine (about 26%) and very little red wine. The white wine of Cassis is a dry and mineral wine (due to the limestone rocks of the area) with iodized notes. Furthermore, 85% of the vineyard is organic or in the process of conversion. We had the chance to discover two estates of this designation (out of the 12 existing) during our stay, which offer guided tours on-site (I’ll tell you more about them in detail just below).
Main grape varieties for white Cassis wine: Marsanne (minimum 70% in the designation); Ugni Blanc; Clairette.
Good to know: deal with local restaurateurs who highlight Cassis wines and offer them in their restaurants.
Vins de Cassis
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Domaine La Dona Tigana
This wine estate, which spans 14 hectares of vines at the foot of the Crown of Charlemagne, belongs to a former professional football player from the 80s, Jean Tigana (maybe this name rings a bell), who is also passionate about wine. It has existed since 1994, and its first production came to light in 1999. The estate produces AOP Cassis wines in white and rosé (3 grape varieties), which have been organic since 2017. Here, the harvest is done by hand by friends and family, and the estate produces between 45,000 and 55,000 bottles per year. I advise you to take advantage of your time in Cassis to visit the estate’s cellar, as it was completely renovated 4 years ago. On-site, you will also find a boutique to buy the estate’s wines as well as local products. The estate notably offers a prestige vintage in the Burgundian style, aged in oak barrels, which has an aging potential of 8 years.
The estate offers several visits and activities with different packages: vine aperitifs, musical evenings, vineyard tours, cellar visits, tasting…
Domaine La Dona Tigana
25 avenue Pierre Imbert, 13260 Cassis
Open 7 days a week all year round
Tasting and cellar tour (by reservation with a minimum of 4 people) / Vine aperitifs and musical evenings from February to November by reservation
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The Domaine Bodin
This family estate is the oldest in the designation. It was born from the work of Emile Bodin (founder of the estate) and his friend Jules Savon at the very beginning of the 20th century, who together wrote the history of the Cassidain vineyard after the phylloxera invasion. The estate, from which you can see Mont Gibal (where Princess Esterelle is said to have taken refuge), has been operated by the same family since that time and is passed down from generation to generation. Today, the estate produces 4 white wines, 1 rosé wine, and 2 red wines with a vineyard of about 30 hectares with a clay-limestone terroir and a mineral and dry typicality for the wines. The estate is not organic, despite the fact that the Vin de Cassis designation is predominantly organic, as I mentioned above.
The estate’s production: the blanc de blanc “tradition Emile Bodin” AOP Cassis (40% Marsanne, 40% Ugni Blanc and 20% Clairette); the Pur Jus de Gouttes, another white with the same grapes but with different vinification; a white in IGP Méditerranée (70% Rolle and 30% Sauvignon Blanc); the AOP Cassis rosé (50% Grenache, 25% Cinsault, 15% Mourvèdre and 10% Sauvignon Blanc); the AOP Cassis red (60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre); the Cuvée d’Emile in white and red.
Other estate activities: rental of electric mountain bikes, scooters and guided tour (Calank Bike); tasting visits.
Domaine Bodin
Mas de Fontblanche, route de Carnoux, 13260 Cassis
My recommended spots in Cassis
As usual, below you will find my selection of recommended spots in Cassis (one hotel and several restaurants) that we had the opportunity to test during our stay with my favorite photographer. These addresses often offer the chance to discover local products and some regional specialties to taste if you come to Provence. This stay was also an opportunity to discover Provencal cuisine, simple and family-style, which highlights products from both the sea and the land.
My recommendation for buying local products: go to the Provencal market, Wednesday and Friday mornings; there is also a farmers market on Saturday mornings; if you are looking for objects in Cassis stone (or calanque stone), I recommend you visit Bazarette (a sort of Ali Baba’s cave for decor in Cassis).
To taste: the majority of restaurants in the town offer Cassis wine, which I told you about a little earlier; regarding fish, be careful for those who might be put off, in restaurants in Cassis they always present the fish’s head before carving it (I think it’s to prove it’s fresh and was whole before being carved); garlic (if you don’t like garlic, it will be complicated, because it is in almost every Provencal dish); you can also buy your fish on the fishermen’s stalls, of which about ten are still active in the town (every morning on the port quay).
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Where to go shopping in Cassis? L’Eau de Cassis
This artisanal perfumer from Cassis has been perpetuating the know-how of this house since 1851. You can find perfumes and scents that evoke the town of Cassis, but also the scrubland and the sea. I advise you to take a look at their very beautiful boutique, which also exhibits the first still of the company. I really liked the brand’s flagship fragrance: L’Eau de Cassis. This was created in 1851 by Lorenzo Salvaire, the great-great-grandfather of the current nose Fabrice Cicot, for a Marseille socialite on vacation in Cassis. Since 2023, the place has also offered perfumed workshops to compose your own perfume.
L’Eau de Cassis Museum/Boutique
8 rue Saint-Clair, 13260 Cassis
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Where to have a cocktail with a view in Cassis? Les Roches Blanches
This magnificent 5-star hotel (the only one in the city) is located in the heart of an oasis of greenery and tranquility and offers its guests an incredible panorama. Housed in a remarkable building constructed at the end of the 19th century, it has kept many of its Art Deco elements from the 20s-30s, which were brought back into the spotlight with the recent renovation of the establishment, under the direction of the architect Monika Kappel. Indeed, the 1887 building was a master’s house that was transformed into a hotel in the 1920s. The site, facing the sea, also offers a splendid view of the “Big Blue” and Cap Canaille, as well as the port of Cassis.
Since its opening in 2018, this independent establishment has expanded even further and now offers 45 rooms and suites and a 4-bedroom villa on the terraces, the Villa Cala Bianca. It also has 4 restaurants open according to the seasons, with Nicolas Sintes as executive chef, a native of Cannes with a career marked by great starred tables. And finally, the establishment also houses a Sisley Spa for the relaxation and well-being side. It is a seasonal hotel (meaning it is closed during the low season, like many establishments on the Côte d’Azur), but in 2023, the hotel was exceptionally open continuously until January 2024! For our part, we came to have a drink and enjoy the house’s delicious cocktails and the incomparable view from the main restaurant’s terrace.
The tip: come for a drink on the terrace to have an unobstructed view of Cap Canaille at the Loup Bar, because if a 5-star hotel is not necessarily accessible to everyone, it is still possible to enjoy this magical place over an exceptional appetizer!
We tasted: a cocktail with melon, basil, Saint-Germain liqueur, and vodka (it was a new item, so I don’t remember what it was called); the house signature cocktail Les Roches Blanches with rum, Cointreau, and thyme.
Les Roches Blanches
9 route des Calanques 13260 Cassis
Cocktail prices: between €19 and €26
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Where to have lunch in the vineyards in Cassis? Baïto restaurant at Cassis Bodin
This ephemeral restaurant, which has existed since the summer of 2022, takes place every year during the summer season in the heart of the Cassis Bodin vineyard, which I already told you about above. In this chic and rustic setting, the chef offers Mediterranean cuisine on a brasero (grill), made from fresh and local products (vegetables even come from the estate’s garden). You can find fine cuts of meat or the daily fresh catch of fish. To complete the experience, the estate’s wines are obviously served at the table (in 50cl/75cl/150cl of your choice).
This restaurant is open during certain periods and quite early in the year, as guests can be sheltered by a nomadic tent in front of the vines when it is still a bit too cool. A beautiful address, quite “confidential” and known only to locals, but which is a real nice surprise and that I highly recommend if you happen to be in Cassis at the right time.
We tasted: the smoked and 12-hour confit lamb shoulder with its rich jus (for 2 people – €69); the sole meunière (price depends on daily catch); for dessert, you absolutely must taste the 3 (huge!) madeleines to share with their sauces (€16).
Baïto Restaurant at Domaine Bodin
Mas de Fontblanche, route de Carnoux, 13260 CassisKids menu at €15
Brunch served only on Sundays at €37
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A fish restaurant in Cassis? La Poissonnerie Laurent
This fish shop has existed for 5 or 6 generations and was run by a family of fishermen. It is still a family restaurant today that offers fish specialties. The address is ideally located facing the port of Cassis, in an idyllic setting. The dishes are prepared with the daily catch of fresh fish, and the house also specializes in fish tartares. We ate very well there, and it was an opportunity to enjoy the establishment’s terrace (and even get a little sunburn in April) and its magnificent view of the port.
To taste: the scorpionfish tartare, the house specialty (€16.90 as a starter and €20.90 as a main course), and as a starter, I recommend you try the Provencal supions (squid) (€17.90); you can also test the grilled fish (depending on the arrival) which are delicious, such as the whole grilled gilt-head bream (€25 for 1 person and €55 for 2 people); for dessert, I recommend the house’s signature dessert, the “Provençal” (€9.90) with 2 scoops of lemon sorbet and Forcalquier thyme liqueur (made artisanally in the region); Cassis wines in 50cl between €23.90 and €29.90 per bottle or otherwise by the glass at €7.90.
Restaurant La Poissonnerie Laurent
5 Quai Jean Jacques Barthélémy
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Where to have lunch in the narrow streets of Cassis? Le Romarin
This restaurant, open since 2003, is located in one of the charming narrow streets of Cassis. It also has a small terrace in the street, where we had lunch on this pretty Sunday in April, and it was quite nice. The address notably makes pizzas (prices between €11 and €15) as well as minute-minced beef tartares, but we preferred to eat more traditional regional dishes.
We tasted: as a starter, we shared homemade gratinéed mussels (€13) because we had seen them a lot on the menus and hadn’t had the opportunity to test them yet; for the main course, we had fried calamari Provencal-style with garlic pasta (€24), one of the house specialties, and the daily special, “paccheri” pasta with grilled sun-ripened vegetables (€18); for drinks, you always have white or rosé Cassis wines.
Restaurant Le Romarin
5 Rue Dr Séverin Icard, 13260 Cassis
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Where to have a SIMPLE dinner in Cassis? Brasserie le Yacht Club
This new brasserie is located on the port, but on the other side of where the majority of restaurants are, after the tourist office. The address has a nice little terrace at the water’s edge to have an aperitif and then two indoor dining rooms. The cuisine is correct without being exceptional, and the service is friendly.
Brasserie le Yacht Club
Quai des Moulins, 13260 Cassis
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Where to eat Provencal in Cassis? La Vieille Auberge
This Provencal institution of the town is also located on the port. In the dining room, there is a family team that hasn’t changed since 1978, and homemade cuisine with Provencal flavors. Inside the restaurant, you also discover a pretty wooden room with beams and a very rustic atmosphere.
To taste: we had a fish soup (with rouille and croutons) as a starter, which I highly recommend because it was delicious (€15); for the main course, we tested the Provencal-style daube (stew) (€22) and the grilled sardines (€16), not easy to eat if you’re not used to it; here again, we find a selection of Cassis wines (50cl bottles at €26).
La Vieille Auberge
14 Quai Jean Jacques Barthélémy, 13260 Cassis
Price: menu at €32 or €38 with starter + main course + dessert
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Where to stay in Cassis? Best Western Cœur de Cassis Hotel
This 3-star hotel, finished quite recently in 2022, is ideally located in the heart of the village of Cassis and a 5-minute walk from the sea and the port of the town. The hotel also has the international “Clef Verte” label, which is the 1st “sustainable tourism” label for accommodation. It is also equipped with a pretty roof terrace with a beautiful view of the castle and the village rooftops. The hotel’s breakfast, which is completely fine, can be taken on the terrace if the weather permits.
Finally, the hotel has a wellness area accessible free of charge for hotel guests (a slot to book upon your arrival at the hotel) with a spa, relaxation pool, hammam, sauna, sensory shower, and massage area. I notably tested a 30-minute relaxing back massage (price €45) using an Ayurvedic technique, and it was also very interesting to chat with the masseuse about this type of massage after the treatment.
Best Western Cœur de Cassis Hotel
2 rue Pierre Eydin, 13260 Cassis
Standard room rates from €109 in low season / breakfast €14
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Practical questions
Parking in the city center is very difficult and expensive. The real good tip is to park at the free Gorguettes parking lot (slightly off-center). From there, a shuttle for €1.60 round trip drops you off directly in the center or at the start of the calanques.
You have two options! The more athletic can do the 3 calanques hike (Port Miou, Port Pin and Port Vau). If you prefer comfort, opt for a commented boat trip from the port (3 to 9 calanques tours).
Head to the 5-star Les Roches Blanches hotel. Even without staying there, you can enjoy their bar terrace to sip excellent cocktails with an incredible panorama of the sea and the Cap Canaille cliff.
I recommend that you test the Baïto Restaurant! It’s an ephemeral summer restaurant set directly in the heart of the Domaine Bodin vineyards. You can enjoy dishes cooked on a brasero, accompanied by the property’s Cassis wine.
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Thanks to the Cassis Tourist Office for organizing this great trip to discover Cassis and its surroundings.
I hope that with all this, I have made you want to visit Cassis, and if you also have your own recommended spots and tips for this destination, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments below!
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez Photos not royalty-free, authorization from the photographer mandatory before any use
