Along its coastline, Cassis rolls out a string of magnificent beaches and calanques. We loved discovering them, especially in the Parc National des Calanques. Cassis is one of the jewels of the Côte d’Azur.
Here’s our selection of the best beaches and calanques in Cassis and the surrounding area, with our useful tips in pictures to make the most of your visit to the French Riviera!
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
The most beautiful beaches and creeks of Cassis – map
In and around Cassis, you’ll find a host of beautiful public and private beaches.
Here’s a map of the beaches listed in this article, to help you find your way around:
Cassis is a popular tourist destination for its beautiful sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters, but this charming Provencal town has much more to offer visitors. Cassis is full of hidden treasures and exciting activities to discover. Discover our selection of the best attractions in Cassis.
1. Grande-Mer Beach
Why we love it
Plage de la Grande-Mer is the main beach of Cassis. It’s close to the port, restaurants and charming alleyways. With its fine sand, you won’t want to miss it! We loved the view of the pretty Colline du Château.
Access
- The beach is located in the center of Cassis.
- Easy access, just a few meters from restaurants and the port,
- The nearest parking lot is Parking de la Poste.
Practical information
- Plage de la Grande-Mer is made of fine sand.
- The water entry slope is gentle.
- Showers and toilets are available for a fee.
- Wheelchair access is facilitated by the presence of mats on the sand.
- The beach is supervised in high season.
- You can rent pedalos, kayaks or windsurfing boards.
- There are plenty of bars and restaurants nearby, check out our favorites in our article on where to eat in Cassis.
- Ideal for families!
WHERE TO STAY IN Cassis
Option 1 : Around Bestouan beach
More peace and quiet between the calanques and the city
- Hotel Les Roches Blanches – prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel Le Jardin d’Emile – prices, pictures and availability
Option 2: Downtown
Close to restaurants and activities
- Hotel HPC – prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel Eden – prices, pictures and availability
2. Bestouan Beach
Why we love it
Made up of golden pebbles, this beautiful 150 m-long beach is the second longest in downtown Cassis. It offers an exceptional panorama of Cap Canaille. It’s a fairly narrow beach, but we found it very pleasant.
Access
- The beach is less than 5 minutes’ walk from the town center.
- Easy access on foot.
- The nearest parking lot is the Parking Bestouan, just behind the beach on Avenue de l’Amiral Gentaume. It’s a 105-space pay parking lot.
Practical information
- The beach is made up of small pebbles, but it’s not uncomfortable.
- The water entry slope is gentle.
- The beach is supervised in summer.
- We didn’t see any showers or toilets.
- Access to the beach is via a staircase.
- In high season, a straw hut is set up on the beach for refreshments. Alternatively, you can return to the center of Cassis in less than 5 minutes on foot and enjoy the many restaurants there.
- Dogs are not allowed on the beach.
More photos in our article.
3. Corton beach
Why we love it
Plage du Corton, also known as Anse du Corton or Magdeleine, offers a breathtaking view of Cap Canaille, Europe’s highest sea cliff. This is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Côte d’Azur! The setting of this cove is quite unspoilt. We loved its natural, almost untamed charm and the view of the Calanques National Park.
Access
- Plage du Corton is located to the east of the town.
- It’s a 15-minute walk from the port of Cassis.
- There’s a large pay parking lot nearby: Parking Madie on Avenue du Revestel.
Practical information
- The beach is adorned with fine sand and pebbles, but it’s not the most comfortable!
- The slope entering the water is gentle, but there are lots of rocks in the water. So be careful not to slip. We recommend you wear water shoes.
- The beach is not supervised.
- There are no showers or toilets.
- Access to the beach is via a staircase.
- In high season, you’ll find a snack stand on the beach. Ideal for cooling off after a sunny day!
- You can also rent kayaks and other water sports equipment on the beach.
- Dogs are not allowed on the beach.
More photos in our article.
OUR TPS FOR RENTING YOUR CAR IN Provence
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a car that is powerful enough (the roads are steep) but compact (some passages are narrow).
- Think of thecomplete insurance (some roads are tortuous and narrow).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
4. Calanque de Port-Pin
Why we love it
Although close to Cassis, this calanque is part of the commune of Marseille. The calanque de Port-Pin takes its name from the abundance of Aleppo pines that characterize this charming wooded beach. We loved the magnificent indentation in the coastline that is the Calanque de Port-Pin. However, as one of the most beautiful beaches on the Côte d’Azur, it suffers from overcrowding in high season, due to its beauty and ease of access.
If you wish to extend your exploration of the Parc National des Calanques, pass the Calanque de Port-Pin and continue on the GR98-51 hiking trail. In around 40 minutes, you’ll reach the magnificent Calanque d’En-Vau, next to Port-Pin.
Access
- Calanque de Port-Pin lies to the west of Cassis.
- Access from the town center is a little long, and takes around 45 minutes. Alternatively, by car, you can park close to the Calanque de Port-Miou.
- The nearest parking lot is located on the peninsula at 7 Avenue de la Plage Bleue in Cassis. This is a paid parking lot. You can also park in nearby street car parks. It’s cheaper, but you’ll need to arrive early, as they’re often fully booked.
- By bus, stop at the Presqu’île stop on the Marseille-Provence public transport network. Find out more here.
Practical information
- The beach is adorned with a mixture of fine sand and small pebbles.
- The entry slope to the water is gentle and the water is transparent.
- The beach is unsupervised and there are no showers or toilets.
- To reach the calanque, you’ll have to take a small footpath and cross a few rocks.
- The calanque can only be reached by hiking or kayaking.
- Allow 2 hours round trip to get there.
- There’s no on-site catering, so if you want to spend the day there, don’t forget your picnic!
- We recommend arriving early, as this heavenly cove is very busy in summer.
- Dogs are welcome in the Calanque de Port-Pin!
- Tempted by a day out exploring the Calanques? – See prices, times and availability
- Would you like to discover the Parc National des Calanques in a different way? How about a trip on an electric mountain bike? – See prices, opening hours and availability
More photos and information on the hike in our article.
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5. Port-Miou cove
Why we love it
Port-Miou is the only calanque belonging to the commune of Cassis. It is distinguished from other calanques by its sinuous profile and its length: 1.4 km. It is bordered by high cliffs and features a remarkable coastal notch. This former quarry ceased operations in 1982. It now accommodates around 550 boats under 20m in length, as a light nautical base.
You can admire it from the top of the surrounding fallaises, from the parking lot upstream from the hike to the Calanque de Port-Pin.
Access
- Calanque de Port-Miou lies to the west of Cassis.
- Access from the town center is a little long, and takes around 45 minutes. Alternatively, you can park nearby.
- The nearest parking lot is located on the peninsula at 7 Avenue de la Plage Bleue in Cassis. This is a paid parking lot. Alternatively, you can park in nearby street parking spaces. It’s cheaper, but you’ll need to arrive early, as they’re often fully booked.
- By bus, stop at the Presqu’île stop on the Marseille-Provence public transport network. Find out more here.
Practical information
- The Calanque de Port-Miou is not a beach, but rather a marina.
- If you want to go down into the calanque to admire the boats up close, you’ll have to walk along the calanque and up the peninsula towards the center of Cassis. At the junction between the 2 banks, you’ll find stairs and 2 pontoons for access to the boats.
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6. Arena Beach
Why we love it
This magnificent, wild-looking beach once again offers impressive views of Cap Canaille. We loved this unspoilt oasis, as it’s rarely visited. In fact, due to the presence of numerous pebbles and rocks, the beach is not the most popular with visitors. On the other hand, we do recommend that you visit it, as it’s very pretty! Why not go there to watch the sun set, giving ochre hues to the cliffs lining the Mediterranean? To find out more about this beach, read our dedicated article .
Access
- Plage de l’Arène lies to the east of Cassis.
- From the port of Cassis, it’s a 20-minute walk.
- Parking spaces are available just up the road from the beach.
Practical information
- The beach is adorned with rocks, so you won’t find any sand.
- To enter the water, we advise you to wear shoes to avoid slipping on the rocks. Also, avoid swimming on this beach in case of heavy swell. It can be dangerous if you fall on the rocks.
- The beach is unsupervised and there are no showers or toilets.
- Access to the beach is via a large concrete staircase.
- If you would like to eat near this beach, please note that the offer is limited. You’ll need to get to the center of Cassis to enjoy the town’s best restaurants (article to come). However, for the most discerning palates, the gourmet restaurant La Villa Madie is less than 10 minutes away.
- Dogs are allowed on this beach all year round.
More photos in our article.
Other beaches and creeks around Cassis
La Plage Bleu
La Plage Bleu in Cassis is not a beach in the strict sense of the word. It’s a stretch of large, flat rocks where you can bask in the sunshine while bathing in the critaline waters below.
It’s also the name of a restaurant where you can enjoy a magnificent swimming pool overlooking the sea.
Roches Blanches Beach
Les Roches Blanches is a hotel-restaurant in Cassis with a breathtaking view of Cap Canaille and a magnificent swimming pool. We loved staying there! And we recommend it if you want to spend the night in Cassis! In fact, we’ve dedicated an article to it if you’d like to find out more.
Plage des Roches Blanches, of the same name as the hotel, is not a beach in the strict sense of the word, but it lives up to its name. In fact, it’s an area with huge, flat white rocks, situated below the hotel. Here you can bask in the sun and cool off in the clear waters of the Mediterranean. Plage des Roches Blanches is one of the region’s naturist beaches.
Calanque d’En-Vau
The Calanque d’En-Vau is the one after Port-Pin, if you continue along the hiking trail. It’s really quite beautiful, with sharp cliffs all around.
However, for the less athletic, it can be a little difficult to get to, as it can only be reached on foot or by kayak from Cassis.
Frequently asked questions
What naturist beaches are available in Cassis?
Here are the places and beaches where you can practice naturism in complete tranquillity in Cassis:
- Arena Beach
- Crique de Pamplemousse
- Pointe de Bon Voyage
- Pointe de la Cacau
Where are the best children’s beaches in Cassis?
- Plage de la Grande-Mer: located in the center of town, this is the largest beach in Cassis, with children’s play areas, a snack bar and a supervised swimming area.
- Plage du Bestouan: located to the west of Cassis, is smaller than the Grande-Mer beach, but offers a calmer setting and shallower water. It is also supervised in summer.
Where are the supervised beaches in Cassis?
The following beaches are supervised in Cassis during the summer months:
- Grande-Mer Beach
- Bestouan Beach
- Arena Beach
Which beaches in Cassis are dog-friendly?
- Dogs are allowed on Plage de l’Arène, although it’s difficult for their little paws to get around.
- You can also take your pet down to the Calanque de Port-Miou, even though there is no beach there.
- In principle, dogs are allowed in the Parc National des Calanques, i.e. in the Port-Pin and En-Vau Calanques, but given the summer crowds, this can prove complicated. It’s up to you!
When to swim in Cassis?
Cassis enjoys a mild to warm Mediterranean climate. The water temperature never drops below 13°, even in the depths of winter. However, swimming is recommended between June and October. In summer, the Mediterranean Sea heats up to 26°. So you can swim all year round on the Côte d’Azur. A word of advice: opt for a wetsuit in low season!
Private beaches in Cassis
Are you looking for a private beach that combines optimum comfort with exceptional scenery? Here are the main private beaches in Cassis:
- Grand Large Beach
- Bada Beach
- Same Same Beach
- Bestouan private beach
- Presqu’île Beach
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