{"id":5191,"date":"2023-11-01T10:22:42","date_gmt":"2023-11-01T09:22:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/provencelovers.fr\/visit-vieux-port-la-ciotat\/"},"modified":"2024-07-13T08:55:54","modified_gmt":"2024-07-13T06:55:54","slug":"visit-old-port-la-ciotat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/provencelovers.fr\/en\/visit-old-port-la-ciotat\/","title":{"rendered":"Old port of La Ciotat: visit + photos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Located in the heart of the city, La Ciotat’s old port is a fishing and yachting harbor dating back to antiquity. It’s lined with colorful houses and restaurants, making it a great place to stroll and relax, which we really enjoyed.Here are our tips<\/strong> for planning your visit to La Ciotat’s old port.<\/p>\n\n

\"visit<\/figure>\n\n
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This guide is completely independent<\/strong>, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

The old port of La Ciotat<\/h2>\n\n

To really get a feel for La Ciotat and its atmosphere, take the time to stroll along the old port at different times of the day. Here, the yachts aren’t 3 stories high, so you can discover a rather picturesque place, with the church standing proud. We love the atmosphere of the old port, which is why it’s one of our favorite towns on the C\u00f4te d’<\/a>Azur.<\/p>\n\n

The area has retained its authenticity, with its fishing boats and numerous terraces all around. The old port is home to between 700 and 850 boats. It’s one of La Ciotat’s 4 ports, along with Port de Plaisance, Port des Capucins and Port St Jean.<\/p>\n\n

A tour of the old port is one of the city’s best attractions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Tour of the old port – what to see<\/h2>\n\n

Traditional “pointus” boats<\/h3>\n\n
\"Traditional<\/figure>\n\n

Like many small ports in the region, you’ll see many traditional fishing boats in the old port of La Ciotat. These are low boats with colored stripes. They are called “pointus” because of their shape.They first appeared in Marseille at the end of the 19th century, in the workshops of a carpenter of Italian origin.It’s a typical Proven\u00e7al boat, with its roots firmly planted in the local heritage.<\/p>\n\n

Sailboats<\/h3>\n\n
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In addition to traditional fishing boats, the port also boasts a number of sailing boats.For example, Le Serena dates back to 1960. It was designed by architect Bill Luders. Its length is 15.60m.<\/p>\n\n

Equatorial dial<\/h3>\n\n
\"Equatorial<\/figure>\n\n

On the port’s western quay (Quai Fran\u00e7ois Mitterand), don’t miss the equatorial sundial. It’s an hourly sundial whose table lies in a plane parallel to that of the earth’s equator.Here you’ll see a marble block with two tracings (the more visible one above, the north face), and another on the face leaning downwards, the south face).The town’s elders call it the Barometer Dial. It dates back to 1873.<\/p>\n\n

Church of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption<\/h3>\n\n
\"Notre-Dame<\/figure>\n\n

In the heart of the town, discover the Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption church. Impossible to miss as it dominates the port. We really appreciated its sober, elegant Romanesque architecture (built between 1603 and 1625). And once inside, the sobriety is shaken by a series of 3 modern frescoes, a biblical interpretation by a local artist. A quick but surprising visit.See our article on Notre-Dame de l’Assomption church<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Ciotaden Museum<\/h3>\n\n
\"Amphoras<\/figure>\n\n

The town’s other museum is dedicated to the town of La Ciotat. In 13 rooms, you’ll discover different aspects of the town’s history: amphorae found on the seabed, the first p\u00e9tanque balls, sacred art in the region, the history of the Lumi\u00e8re brothers and, of course, lots of information about shipbuilding.Read our article on the museum<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Shipbuilding house<\/h3>\n\n
\"House<\/figure>\n\n

What’s most surprising about La Ciotat is that between this picturesque town and these impressive rock formations lies a shipbuilding yard still in operation today! To find out more about 150 years of shipbuilding history, visit the museum. You’ll discover the techniques, tools and materials used, as well as numerous model boats.See museum news here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Shipyard<\/h3>\n\n
\"Shipyard<\/figure>\n\n

From the part of the quay near the “I Love La Ciotat” sign, you can see directly into the shipyards.It must be fun to live in this city and watch the giant yachts being built as the weeks go by.<\/p>\n\n

Statue of the fishing court<\/h3>\n\n
\"Statue<\/figure>\n\n

Above the restaurant La Barque, not far from the church, look up at the facades of the houses. You’ll notice a small statue on one of them, with the words “Tribunal de p\u00eache” above it.<\/p>\n\n

Shuttle service to \u00cele-Verte and the calanques<\/h3>\n\n

From the old port, you can take boats to Ile Verte or to the calanques of La Ciotat and Cassis.In both cases, we really enjoyed the boat ride out from the shore and the view towards Cap de l’Aigle.The \u00cele-Verte tour can be done in 1 hour, so don’t hesitate to add it to your daily schedule.See our article on \u00cele-Verte<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

\"Shuttle<\/figure>\n\n

Access to the old port of La Ciotat<\/h2>\n\n

Access by car and parking<\/h3>\n\n

There are two main parking lots to make the most of the old port:<\/p>\n\n