Questions, reports and tips on the Marseille coastal hiking trail

Have you already hiked through the Parc National des Calanques near Marseille? Or are you planning to hike along the coast there?

Then we look forward to your comments, tips, suggestions or questions!

52 Comments

  1. Hi! Attached are our comments on the hike along your description from April 10th to 14th, 2019.

    Before the hike:
    Arrival and departure with the TGV from/to Stuttgart in about 8 hours and for a total of around €100 highly recommended!
    First we spent two nights in Marseille and visited the city. The "Vieux Port", the area around the museum and the district "Le Panier" (the old town) are particularly worth seeing. Also worthwhile is the ascent to the "Notre-Dame de la Garde", from which you have a great view.

    1st stage
    We started about 6 km east of the “Key Largo” hotel described, since our Airbnb was between Bandol and Sanary-sur-Mer. We particularly liked the "Sentier du Littoral" and it was relatively flat. Therefore, the first stage was very feasible overall.

    2nd stage
    This stage leads exclusively through the hinterland, mainly on relatively wide gravel paths - less spectacular than the other stages. When descending to La Ciotat, care should be taken to leave the concrete path on a footpath to the left in good time, as this offers a nicer hiking experience (as a guide: there is a broken down car on the left-hand side in the forest about 50 m after the turn ). After most of the altitude meters have descended in the forest, you have to cross the small valley as directly as possible on one of the numerous paths. We recommend going left at the T-junction.

    3rd stage
    This stage impresses with outstanding views over the coast. The trail mostly follows the edge of the cliffs. Since the road "Route des Crêtes" also meanders along the coast, you often cross parking lots where many people rest.
    The destination of the stage - Cassis - is already very crowded and touristy in April, which is also reflected in the overnight prices.

    4th stage – our favorite
    Before the stage, we received helpful tips for the upcoming stage from the owner of the hostel where we stayed. We therefore left the GR 51 twice and instead chose paths 4 and later 8, which run directly along the coast. Both paths are color and numerically marked (also on hiking maps of the region).
    The turning to 4 is in a bay that has to be crossed, approx. 30 m to the left of the GR 51. At the end of the path, you will meet the GR again at a large crossroads (there are signs). If you choose path 8, you have to keep left for a small descent and leave the GR again. At the end of the 8 you end up directly on the GR again. The 8 was much more strenuous than the 4 and included smaller, via ferrata-like passages (head for heights! Takes strength!). After the steep ascent, a relatively flat section rewards you with a fantastic view. The path mainly leads directly along the cliff. Although both paths meant additional kilometers and meters in altitude, they were very little frequented and are therefore absolutely recommendable from our point of view.
    We can also highly recommend the described accommodation in “Les Baumettes”!

    5th stage
    The second part of this stage mainly leads through the more frequented part of the Calanques. There are numerous bays where you can swim. The easy via ferrata corresponds to the description on the site.

    In 03/2018 we already hiked the path described by Frank along the Amalfi Coast. In comparison, the hike near Marseille is less demanding, as you have to cope with noticeably fewer meters in altitude. We both liked it very much and we regularly recommend your site to friends who enjoy hiking! :)
    Thank you for setting up the website. We have great respect for the effort behind the detailed descriptions and look forward to further tours!

    Sunny greetings from Marseille
    Sandra & Levin

    • Hello Sandra & Levin!
      Thank you for your detailed report! You are the first to comment here and as far as I know you are also the first to have been inspired by us for this coastal walk. That's why I'm all the more pleased that you liked the hike and our recommendations! Especially if you are "frequent hikers" and already at the Amalfi Coast been on the road, you can judge that quite well :-)
      You are right about stage 2 - it is less spectacular than the others. The hiking experience increases enormously with stages 3, 4 and 5. That's why I would never recommend the hike in the opposite direction.
      Regarding stage 4 and the small "detours" with the coastal paths 4 and 8: I assume you mean the junctions with the dashed paths shortly after km 3 on my map (path no. 4) and just before km 6 (path no. 8). Is that correct?
      Greetings from Hamburg!
      Frank

  2. Hi!
    We are on our way home from Provence, tried the route you described last week. First of all: We really liked it, our coastal hiking fever was awakened! Thanks also for the GPS data, it's really impossible to get lost :)
    To the stages:
    Stage 1 was our favorite! The views are great, the bathing stop shortly after halfway is perfect!
    Stage 2 didn't really appeal to us from the area, but we accepted the sporting challenge;)
    Stage 3: We didn't have great weather here, but can imagine that the views are spectacular on a clear day! By the way, you can't rely on the tourist information in La Ciotat, because on arrival in Cassis, contrary to the information in La Ciotat, it turned out that the path was actually closed. In Cassis we put in a bathing day, great!
    Stage 4 is really phenomenal in terms of landscape, but quite steep for people who are a little more sensitive to height. Therefore - and because we wanted more time for swimming - we took a short shortcut on stage 5, from the last callanque a little along the road to Les Goudes, from there by ship to Marseille. The crossing costs 8€ pp and is a great conclusion, the stage with 10km on mostly easy paths really leaves time for swimming.
    Thank you again for your descriptions, without them we probably would not have discovered the path and thus missed a great experience! We have already browsed your website for what we want to do next :)
    Greetings from the train!
    Ute

    • Hello Ute,
      Thank you for your reply! We've just been hiking ourselves (I won't reveal where yet), hence my very late answer.
      I have included the reference to the alternative ferry connection on stage 5 in the description.
      Greetings from Hamburg
      Frank

  3. Hello Frank,

    First of all: Thank you for your effort in creating such a great website and sharing your experiences.

    Last year in February I hiked the loop trail in La Gomera with my friend. Due to a small injury we had to change the route a bit and partly move around with a rental car, but we were still able to enjoy the beauty of the island and are grateful to you because you brought us to this hike.

    At the end of September I want to do the coastal hiking trail in Marseille, this time alone. I will pull the GPX files both on my smartphone (in the Osmand app) and on a Garmin outdoor navigation system. However, since these two options only work via GPS, I have a few concerns about poor satellite reception.
    How is your experience with it? Did you also have a card with you? If so, could you recommend one for me?
    In La Gomera we got along well without a map. But since I'm traveling alone this time, I'm a little more worried about getting lost.

    Greetings from Hesse,
    Yasemin

    • Hello Yasemin,
      Thank you for your compliment on the website! I think with the double protection (two GPS-enabled devices) you are on the safe side as far as orientation is concerned. We hike exclusively with smartphones and don't have a printed map with us. There are also no extremely steep gorges on the Marseille Coastal Hiking Trail that would interfere with GPS navigation. And even if you did: you probably saved the map material in the app anyway, even if the GPS signal was disrupted. So why paper again?
      The only risk when hiking with a smartphone is actually an empty battery or that the cell phone falls down. But you have a second device with you for that.
      Enjoy France!
      Frank

  4. Hello Frank,

    I managed the hike in Marseille at the end of September well and wanted to give you feedback on a few comments in your description.
    For one, the shuttle bus from the airport to Marseille St. Charles still leaves from platform 6 and now costs €10. On the other hand, the Sentier du Littoral is still closed after about kilometer 10 (stage 1). But the bypass worked fine.
    On the 2nd stage I had the problem that at kilometer 7 a truck was parked at the side of the road without blocking the way. There was a sign on the truck that said "Chasse en Cours". Due to my lack of French and no internet connection, I went further without worrying about it. I had to realize that the sign draws attention to a hunting operation and I had to turn back. There is a bypass that is about 500 meters longer. I have not been able to find out if the hunt was a one off event or if it is regular in the area at this time of year. Perhaps this information will help one or the other future hiker.

    All in all I have to say about the hike: Phenomenal! I can only agree with the previous comments regarding the prioritization of the stages and would like to take this opportunity to thank you again for your very detailed travel report and especially the GPX files provided.

    Many greetings,
    Yasemin

    • Hello Yasemin,
      Thank you for your reply! I have just updated the information on the prices for the shuttle bus and the still existing closure of stage 1. Thanks for that! Exemplary :-)
      Many greetings
      Frank

  5. Hello Frank, we just got back from the tour. Unfortunately, we were pretty unlucky with the weather, but we still really enjoyed it. Thank you for your effort, you really don't need to organize much anymore. With your GPS data and the accommodation tips, it worked perfectly.
    Greetings from Munich

  6. Hello Frank,
    First of all, thank you for your hard work and preparation! We are currently sitting in the TGV back to Germany and have completed the hike from 29.10.-02.11. did. It was probably right after the rainy bad weather phase, because we really had dry and sunny weather without exception and were even able to go swimming.
    Here are our comments by stage:

    Stage 1: due to the relatively late arrival in Bandol, we spent two nights in Key Largo and can highly recommend it! We borrowed bikes and rode them to Sanary-sur-Mer, swimming extensively in the great bays on the way. On the first hiking stage, we misjudged the time a bit and therefore only arrived in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer in the afternoon. Luckily we had some provisions with us. For people who, like us, like to sleep in and are not the fastest, it might be relevant for planning. Punctually at nightfall we arrived in La Cadiere d'Azur, where fortunately only one restaurant was still open (absolute tip at this point: La Chaise Bleue) - due to the low season and the upcoming public holiday, all other restaurants were closed despite the French school holidays .

    Stage 2: we took a short cut here and are already down from the gr51 shortly after the picnic area between km11 and km12 and have taken another hiking trail that has led us to a bus stop (Les Palmiers) in about 4.5km. There we could take the bus to the old town to La Ciotat.

    Stage 3: this was the only cloudy day, which is why we ran partly in thick clouds and with little visibility. Still a nice stage!

    Stage 4: Especially on the first km to Cassis there was a lot going on and there were sometimes traffic jams at the descent points to the Calanques. After a few km, however, this got lost and so we were able to enjoy this great stage "in peace"! Arrived in Les Baumettes, we had to realize that the only restaurant far and wide (Pizzeria Chez Zé) was closed. So we ordered pizza and rosé, which was also a very nice way to end the day in William's cozy Le Garage.

    Stage 5: we also took a shortcut here in order to be able to swim and linger longer in the beautiful bay 'Le Belge'. So we ended the hike at km8.5 and took the bus to Marseille.

    All in all a really great hike and a final city stay in Marseille is perfect. We are totally hooked and will definitely hike more of your hiking trails!
    Greetings from Katja and Bob

    • Hello Katja and Bob,
      great that you enjoyed the hike and that you had better weather than Ingrid had a few days before! Thank you also for the detailed report with the many tips and ideas for shortcuts - you will definitely find one or the other imitator :-)
      Greetings from Hamburg
      Frank

      • Dear Frank, thank you very much for your great directions! I did the hikes on the Amalfi Coast and Malta last year and in a week I'll start with a friend in the direction of Marseille! I read in Katja's comment that stage 2 can be shortened. Do you happen to have more information about this, for example the name of the other hiking trail? :) I've searched the internet for a while now, but I couldn't find the bus stop "Les Palmiers"..
        Warm greetings
        barbara

  7. Hello Frank,
    a friend and I would like to do the hike in August. Is camping allowed on the trail or off the trail? How often do you pass through villages/towns? Are there public toilets or cafes to charge cell phones?
    We would be very happy about an answer! :)

    Warm greetings
    ann

  8. Hello,
    we went on the beautiful and varied coastal tour in mid-October 2019 and would like to thank you very much for the great planning here. We had really pleasant weather and can only recommend October as a suitable hiking time.
    We followed your suggestion as much as possible. We combined the last two tours.

  10. Dear Frank, thank you again for your great directions! We're on the train back to Germany, we really enjoyed the tour. Here are our comments on the individual stages:
    Stage 1: The closure between km 10 and 11 was still in place, but the fence had been moved and several people walked through. The supermarket in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer was closed for lunch, so next time we would take more water with us. Overall, we found the stage quite exhausting due to the length and the relatively high temperatures on the day. We really liked La Cadiere d'Azur. We stayed at B&B Les Oliviers and highly recommend this accommodation.
    Stage 2: Here we "shortcut" by first hiking back to Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer, spending a few hours on the beach and then walking along the coast to La Ciotat. However, the path from Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer to La Ciotat is not highly recommended, since most of it is along the road.
    Stage 3: Very nice and much less strenuous than the other stages.
    Stage 4: Beautiful stage, but from our point of view not to be underestimated because of the length - we stayed in the "Ginkgo" and therefore had a nearly 3 km longer way.
    Stage 5: Unfortunately, we couldn't complete it because one of us was not in good health. But then we took bus 20 to its terminus on the coast and hiked a bit along the Calanques. The landscape is super beautiful, from our point of view the last two days are clearly the highlight of this hike.
    Warm greetings
    barbara

    • Dear Barbara!
      Thank you for your great feedback! I agree with you on stage 4 and 5. When planning a route, I always try to put the highlights at the end of the tour. Like in a good play that increases from act to act :-)
      Unfortunately, you always have to take the landscape conditions into account when planning the tour - stage 2 is therefore noted to some extent that it mainly represents the connection between stages 1 and 3 and is less suitable as an independent hike.
      I puzzled for a long time whether there was a better way, but apparently the way you described also has some disadvantages.
      Maybe someone has an even better idea?
      Many greetings
      Frank

  11. Bonsoir,

    J'ai longtemps cherché à randonner dans ce coin mais le GR ne passait pas assez sur la côte pour moi et le CP pas assez sur les hauteurs.

    Votre itinéraire mélange les deux et est génial sur ce point. J'ai fait Toulon-Marseille du 10 au 14 octobre dernier, c'était formidable. J'ai tordu 2-3 fois vos itinéraires mais j'ai globalement suivi, la balance est idéale entre mer et montagnes.

    Comme relevé plus haut, le sentier côtier est coupé par endroits, et visiblement pour longtemps, ce qui implique des détours, parfois long en raison des lotissements privés qu'on ne peut même pas "traverser" - très désagréable d'ailleurs.

    J'ai dormi majoritairement dans des chambres Airbnb et des auberges - ce que j'ai vu des hotels est ridiculement cher pour pas grand chose, partout. Je conseille totalement l'auberge de La Fontasse, au-dessus de Cassis. Je me suis perdu en y montant depuis Cassis, le chemin rocailleux est par endroits costaud et invisible, mais ça valait le détour. De nombreux sentiers y mènent, on ne peut y aller qu'à pied de toutes façons. Il y a des perdrix et des sangliers qui rôdent, c'est superbe.

    Le cap Canaille est incroyablement beau mais assez dur, foudroyant de lumière et de pierre.

    Je ne détaille pas tout mais je vous remercie pour cet itinéraire qui m'a décidé à partir.

    Toma.

  12. Hello Frank,
    Thank you for the great hiking recommendation, all stages were scenic and varied.
    We hiked the route in mid-March and had perfect hiking weather and still quiet even in tourist sections.
    The road closure on stage 1 at km 10 was still there as described and the bypass with GPS map works well.
    We have printed all the maps and downloaded the GPS maps on Komoot and can recommend this combination. On the printed maps were not all smaller paths marked - there the GPS data helped us.
    We found the stages somewhat challenging despite hiking experience and were on the road from 8am-5pm each day.
    As a low-budget traveler, you should be well informed where to buy provisions (with good planning easily doable without restaurant visits). We found cheaper accommodations via AirBnB and booking.com.
    We took two break days in Cassis to be able to explore the sweet town and the Calanques National Park in peace and enjoyed it very much. There we can recommend the very cozy and homely hostel Au petit chez soi.

    All in all a great recommendation!!!

    Warm greetings
    Julia and Luna

    • Hello Julia and Luna,
      I'm glad you enjoyed the hike! And thank you for the current status of the road closure.
      Many greetings
      Frank

  13. Dear Frank,
    many thanks for all your information incl. GPX data that you provide here to the general public! That there is a lot of work and a lot of thought behind it, you can see. All the nicer that you share it!
    We have been able to rely well on your information and have done well both with the recommendations for accommodation and with the GPX data, according to which we hiked exclusively.
    Small hint: At the end of the beach in Bandol (day 1) the access is currently closed with a high fence, so you have to look much earlier to get on the road.
    Overall, we found the trail nicely varied. Only the last day was very similar to the previous day with the views. There we lost a little motivation, especially since the running on the stones and scree was quite exhausting. I was glad for the walking sticks I had with me. Perhaps a break day in Cassis as described above would also have done us good if we had the time.
    The hiking time now at the beginning of April was perfect. It was already quite warm and sunny. Also there were not so many people on the road.
    In any case, we came back from this trip very satisfied and with great impressions. Thanks again for this!

    Many greetings
    Anne and Sabine

    • Hello Anne and Sabine!
      Thank you very much for the feedback! The last stage we found then terrific - there seems to have actually run out of breath with you :-)
      Many greetings
      Frank

      • Hello Frank
        From April 29 to May 4, 2023 we were able to enjoy the coastal walk from Bandol to Marseille in wonderful spring weather. We enjoyed the 5 varied and attractive day hikes very much. Many thanks for the GPX data provided and the helpful directions. The trail markings were almost consistently reliable and together with the Komoot app we were always able to orient ourselves well.
        Here are a few more notes about individual stages:
        Stage 1: the closure at the end of Bandol still exists, it is recommended to take the stairs about 200-300m before to the road.
        Stage 4: on this stage it is worth making a detour to the beautiful Calanque d'En-vau after about 1/3 of the way (about 15 min one way); don't forget your swimsuit!
        As another place to stay at the end of this stage, we can recommend the Bed and Breakfast La Calanq'Aise.
        Stage 5: the boat trip from Port Point Rouge to Marseille Vieux Port was a successful conclusion to our coastal walk.

        We would do this hike again anytime and enjoyed it very much.
        Andrea & Raffaella

  14. Hello Frank,

    Thanks for your trip report - we have now hiked in early May.
    We already followed your footsteps on the Amalfi Coast in 2019 - red letterbox.

    A super experience with varied tours in a fantastic landscape.

    The routing and bus rides worked out great thanks to description and gps track. We had great weather, nice hotels and BBs, during the day something from the bakery and plenty of water and in the evening delicious food. The 2 open stone huts with grill on stage 2 would be times ne change - at one was just a group at the grill and we could have grilled with.

    We left one suitcase in Marseille at the train station at bagmobile - worked well with reservation for 5 days. http://www.bagmobile.fr

    Greeting Jürgen

    • Hello Jürgen,
      I still remember the insider with the red mailbox :-) Glad that you also liked it in Marseille. I have added the tip with the luggage storage on the page.
      Many greetings
      Frank

  15. Hello together
    I plan to spend a few days in the region in mid-September. I would rather do some day hikes. Do you think it would make sense to spend eg 2 nights in Cassis or La Ciotst and then 2 nights at Willial ( Le Garage) and just do hikes from there? Or would all stages also be doable if the base is at the accommodation at William?

    And does anyone have experience with the travel zeot September? Is it very crowded with tourists or also still a bit too hot?

    Thank you and and love greetings
    elena

    • Hello Elena,
      I had already put together on the following page my thoughts on the variant with fixed accommodation (with overnight stay in Marseille): https://www.kuestenwanderweg-marseille.de/variante-wanderurlaub-mit-fester-unterkunft-in-marseille/. It is advisable to stay relatively close to the station Saint-Charles, William's accommodation is great, but in my opinion too far away to make good various day hikes.

      My recommendation for day hikes from Marseille: Stages 4 and 5, possibly also stage 3 as well as the exploration of the "Côte Bleue" - i.e. the coastal section west of Marseille (e.g. from Plages de Corbières or Niolon to La Redonne -. approximate route on Google Maps). I haven't been there yet, but it's on my list (and is more accessible than stage 1 or 2).

      Unfortunately, I have no experience in the travel season September.

      Many greetings and have a great time in Marseille!
      Frank

  16. Hello Frank & Christiane,

    I solo hiked the coastal walk in mid-Sept 2023, and absolutely loved it!
    Your directions & added information were immensely helpful.

    I luckily had perfect weather (and rarely too much wind), and was often
    the only hiker for long stretches.

    I was constantly amazed at the beautiful views, and they kept improving as the
    stages went by. The small French villages at the end of each day's hike were lovely.

    Thank you again for all the work you did putting into this site!!!!
    Doug

  17. Ciao,
    ci piacerebbe affrontare il cammino tra Natale e Capodanno di quest'anno. Lo consigliereste come clima o le temperature saranno troppo rigide per camminare?
    Grazie, a presto

    • Hello Enrico,

      Around Marseille it can sometimes freeze at night in December/January, but if you are well equipped (mountain boots, thicker jackets, gloves) I think you can go for it. No guarantee of good weather, of course :-)

      Many greetings
      Frank

  18. Hey Frank,

    We have decided to do the hike because of your great site:) Is it possible to hike the stages in reverse? So we start from Marseille (Madrague de Montredon) and end our trip in Bandol ?

    Best regards from Hamburg

    • Hello Ramin,
      That makes me happy! In principle, or from a purely practical point of view, there's nothing wrong with hiking in the opposite direction, but I find that the stages in the direction I suggested increase from day to day. The most "boring" stage in terms of scenery is definitely stage 2 - so in terms of dramaturgy it makes sense to put this at the beginning rather than the end. But in the end, it really is a matter of taste. Of course, it also depends on whether you want to add a few more days in Marseille at the end or a few more days east of Marseille.
      Best regards (also from Hamburg)
      Frank

  19. Ciao, potrei chiedere un'informazione? Stiamo pensando di fare il percorso così as è suggerito, però partiremmo da Marsiglia. I would like to know, therefore, whether, in part, from the point of view of the material, the paths, the stations, etc., it is feasible or whether, on the other hand, it is impossible to do. Grazie mille per l'informazione!

  20. Hello Frank,
    Thank you for this page, it made planning the coastal hiking trail much easier for us. We walked it in mid-March 2024 (weather at night around 10 degrees during the day to 18 degrees perfect). Arrival by train from Stuttgart worked out perfectly. We also canceled stage 2 (we hadn't found any accommodation), but spent 2 nights in Cassis and did a day hike there without luggage. As accommodation in Les Baumettes we can recommend the Bed and Breakfast: Chez Guy https://www.hotels-in-marseille.com/de/property/chez-guy.html recommend. Very helpful host, even drove us to the restaurant after a long day of hiking.
    We were all 65+, started at 9 am in the morning and arrived at our destination at around 6 pm. These are alpine trails, which means that older people need a little more time to protect their joints and ligaments, but also to enjoy the wonderful views.
    It was a wonderful week, thank you for that.

    • Hello Verena,
      Great, that makes me happy! Thank you so much for the lovely feedback! Chez Guy also looks very nice, thanks for the tip!
      Many greetings
      Frank

  21. Hello Frank!

    We have just returned from this wonderful hiking trip and we are still blown away by the enchanting landscape. There were three of us on the trip and so we booked all our accommodation in advance (triple rooms were less easy to find); we skipped stage 2 because we couldn't find any accommodation.
    Thank you, thank you for all the helpful information and the TOP researched route.
    We traveled by plane, as the journey from South Tyrol by train is very long and involves many changes. This time we had very nice weather. We hiked the tour one to one. We only spent the night in the Sormiou district after stage 4 and then started stage 5 directly from there. There is also a well-stocked supermarket in this part of Marseille.
    In Marseille, we took a half-day trip to the Frioul Islands (with the ferry connection); beautiful at this time of year, as everything is in bloom and the birds are nesting. It was simply magical to watch the seagulls with their fluffy chicks, a wonderful end to our hiking trip.
    Thanks Frank, for this great hiking route (now our 4th hike :-)

    LG Martina

  22. Hello lovelies,

    We hiked the Calanques last week according to your route planning.
    First of all: THANK YOU very much for the careful planning of the route and the good tips on accommodation etc.!

    We are a couple in our early 50s who regularly do sport and hike in the low mountain ranges. The stages were easy to master for all of us. You should definitely have a basic level of fitness, as the 23 km stage, for example, can be very strenuous for inexperienced hikers with a few meters of elevation gain. Important: In temperatures above 24 degrees, always wear sun protection, set off at least at 8.00 a.m. or earlier and spend the rest of the day in a bay or on the beach after the stage.

    We traveled to Bandol on Saturday and treated ourselves to another day on the beach and enjoyment on Sunday, e.g. in the Cafe Tropezienne (best little cakes ever!). We stayed at the Hotel VILLA FLORIDA and were delighted. In addition to the ideal location: 3 minutes (only downhill) from the train station, 5 minutes to the beach and 10 minutes to the town, the owners are super nice, there was a great comprehensive delicious breakfast in the garden and recommendations for good restaurants at the harbor. The rooms were simple, clean and small in the usual French way. But with 2 windows, very quiet location, private bathroom and stucco ceilings :). Recommendation!

    Thanks to the GPS tracks, we found all the paths easily. There are no dangerous passages if you are a bit sure-footed. In stage 5, you have to use all 4re for a short time at the pass. As it's uphill and you can use concrete steps, it's great fun even for the inexperienced and was a highlight of the day for us. We just almost walked past the spot :).

    All the stages are beautiful and each has its own character.

    to stage 2:
    The tour into the hinterland past vineyards and through the primeval forest was very beautiful, arriving later in a romantic meadow landscape in the ancient town of La Cadiere. We can highly recommend the Hotel Bertrand. 4 stars for 140 EUR with use of the pool in this setting - great! Unfortunately, the hotel restaurant is closed on Mondays. There are great alternatives next door, cheaper but also typically French. Only the pizzeria on the market square was open on Mondays. We also enjoyed it there very much.

    Cassis: Hotel Les Golfes. We didn't sleep well there as it was very noisy at night and in the morning at the harbor. In addition, the room on the 2nd floor was right next to the kitchen exhaust vent. The rooms are small, without a balcony and shabbily furnished. The breakfast buffet was ok, we didn't miss anything. There are also renovated rooms.

    to stage 4 / M. - Beaumettes:
    Unfortunately we didn't get a room at Chez William and stayed at Chez Guy. The landlords are very friendly and the breakfast is just like the pictures on Booking. You share the bathroom and toilet with other guests. We were accommodated in the son's children's room where there were lots of personal belongings. The family has a cat and a dog, both of which run around the whole house, including the guest rooms. Smoking is allowed in the lounge area in the immediate vicinity of the rooms. The house is in a gated community: you have to be let in through a large entrance gate and then walk a long way through the grounds to get to the house. Everything is surrounded by a high wall and fences. We didn't use the pool. As the recommended (and only restaurant in the area) was closed for good, we bought sandwiches from the bakery on the way. From our point of view, the B&B is not highly recommended. It does not correspond to the 9.0 rating on Booking.

    All in all, it was a great hike, during which we were able to enjoy one of the most beautiful coasts in the south of France in the best weather. Thank you!

    Best wishes from the Palatinate
    Susanne and Mirko

    • Hello Susanne and Mirko!
      Thank you very much for your feedback and the tips and assessments of the various accommodation options. The accommodation options after stage 4 are definitely a bottleneck and a small weak point on the tour. Of course, you can continue by bus towards the center of Marseille if you can't find anything "at the top". But then the Tour loses some of its charm. But you seem to have made the best of it :-)
      Greetings from Hamburg to the Palatinate!
      Frank

  23. Hi Frank, we came across your interesting description of the coastal hike and would like to do it. But I still have one question: Are there any exposed places (narrow ridges or narrow paths in rocks or next to deep abysses)? Do you have any pictures?
    Thank you very much for your answer.
    Best regards Christoph

    • Hello Christoph,

      It took me a while to reply - but I've finally managed to embed the 3D preview of the hike on the website. Here it is: 3D preview of the long-distance hike.
      As I am fortunately quite free from giddiness myself, it is always a bit difficult to make an assessment (especially in retrospect). Stage 3 is quite scenic and leads along the cliffs without any barriers - but in my opinion there is always the option of walking at a distance and, if necessary, directly along the road. Stage 4 is also very scenic - if there are any exposed sections, you can be sure that I have photographed them (because they are "spectacular" and so on). So it's best to take a look at the photo galleries for the stages and the 3D preview. If nothing puts you off (with the exception of stage 3), then that should be it.

      The only feedback I have received so far on the subject of a head for heights relates to a variation of stage 4 (see the very first comment by Levin). You might want to avoid that.

      I hope this helps you with your planning!
      Many greetings
      Frank

  24. So, before I postpone it again for all eternity, I'm finally writing my little report on this wonderful hike that I did with a friend at the end of April 24. First of all to thank you for this great website, such unique hiking tours, and then described in such detail, are rare to find. Marseille will not be my last tour with Wandern Deluxe.

    Day 1: landed very early in Vitrolles, so still had time to go up to Notre Dame de la Guard with a friend who currently lives in Marseille. Highly recommended. Our companion for the entire tour, the wind, made an appearance here. The weather was generally great for hiking, very sunny and not too hot, only the very stormy wind spoiled it in places.

    Midday train to Bandol, hike to Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer (modified because there are more accommodations there than in La Cadiere.) Beautiful hike along the coast, not at all unchallenging. A nice start. Eating out, as at all other stops afterwards, expensive (similar to Croatia and Italy), drinks very expensive (then switched to canned beer ^^)

    Quartier Studio MADO bord de mer was ok, not so easy to find.

    Day 2: We didn't have the motivation for the long inland hike, so we headed along the coast to La Ciotat. As others have already written, it wasn't in any way beautiful or easy to walk (road, sometimes no sidewalk) but it served its purpose and we spent more time in La Ciotat, which worked out well. By boat over to Île Verte, highly recommended, beautiful nature and ruins, 1 hour was a bit stressful, had to catch the last boat, 2 hours would have been fine. From there also beautiful view of the very striking eagle rock. Lots of seagulls.
    The Parc du Mugel is another natural highlight in the city, which I used for a short run.
    Apartment Leslielou T2 perfect, huge and nicely furnished, good location.

    Day 3: La Ciotat to Cassis, beautiful route where you keep coming across the road where the drivers enjoy the view quite undeservedly ;)
    Lingered on a very beautiful and quiet beach off Cassis (unfortunately still no real bathing weather), complete with swing that someone had hung from a tree.

    Chambre hôte residence sous les pins was good, but is more or less an Airbnb room even if it is on Booking. but you have to walk far up the hill.

    Day 4: As promised in the description, definitely the most scenic day. The already long hike was extended by deliberate and intentional detours, but it's okay to be completely exhausted after a day of hiking. Tips: The Calanque d'En-vau, and the beach near the small island of Le Torpilleur. Beautiful (quite a lot of people there too), definitely worth the extra meters in altitude due to the descent to the coast.
    Frank's accommodation recommendation Via Calanques was perfect. Food was hard to come by, so we quickly made our way to the edge of Marseille, where we unexpectedly got a grilled chicken from a small store.

    Day 5: Also very beautiful again in the Calanques, different landscape because of the wider view along the coast, felt like Ireland (always had to think of Banshees of Inisherin). Wind even stronger, but manageable. We only had to descend the last mountain in Marseille and take the bus from Callelongue because the wind was now so strong that it blew me away with my 90 kilos plus heavy rucksack.

    Truly a wonderful hiking tour.

    Bonus: Day 5 train from Marseille to Nice.
    Day 6: With eBikes to Monaco. Really bad idea, including a flat tire halfway (I got a new bike), the route is definitely not made for it (but some of the views are very nice). Monaco: Nice old town, the rest: fun to have been there, but very unappealing to me. Coincidentally, it was Formula E weekend and we suddenly found ourselves in the pit lane with half-dismantled cars, very cool.
    In the evening in Nice in an affordable Irish pub, necessary after the crazy bike tour. Highlight: The guy who just takes half my Guinness as he passes by outside the pub, walks on and drinks it. Just had to laugh at the absurdity of it.
    Day 7: Rain, so unfortunately nothing more seen of Nice. Back to Marseille and flight to Vienna.

    • Hello David,

      Thank you very much for your feedback and the very entertaining description of your experiences. Nice that you are traveling with so much humor - I am curious when there will be an official travel warning for Nice because of Guinness mouth robbery :-)

      Many greetings
      Frank

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