Walking Holidays
France

Calanques National Park

This self-guided French walking holiday explores the Calanques National Park in southern Provence where gleaming white limestone forms a stark contrast with the deep blue sky and the turquoise Mediterranean Sea.

Les Calanques on the Mediterranean coast offers a truly unique landscape of fjords where deep valleys have been drowned by the clear blue sea. The rugged and tormented cliffs gleam white rising high above the sea between Marseille and Cassis forming a stunning and dramatic coastline. The calanques or Mediterranean fjords are narrowest near Cassis, with the calanque d'En-Vau being the most spectacular, with vertical cliffs encircling a beautiful narrow inlet. Port Pin and Port-Miou are also amazing places where you can bathe in the clear waters providing wonderful moments of relaxation and the chance to gaze at the wonderful coastline.

During your self guided walking holiday you'll stay in a wonderful guest house in the pretty Mediterranean resort of Cassis. You can choose which walks you do on different days of your walking holiday. Some walks leave from your guest house, whilst most require a short bus, boat or taxi journey.

Holiday Profile

4 - 7 nights / 5 - 8 days: 3 - 6 days independent centre-based walking 

Dates

Everday of week subject to availability during March, April, May, June, September & October

Walking Profile & Grade

This independent walking holiday is suitable for experienced walkers of an average fitness (with a minimum of preparation). You should be used to walking on a variety of paths and be comfortable on rocky and steep ground. The paths are variable in their quality and nature. The paths are sometimes mountainous and challenging but the distances involved are moderate. A choice of walks allows you to vary the difficulty. Walking days average about 5 hours and the amount of ascent in the day varies between 200m and 700m. The walks allow for time to rest and take advantage of some of the interesting sites en route.

This walking holiday is graded moderate/challenging. See more information about walking grades.

Accommodation & Meals

Your accommodation is a delightful guest house in a central location in the coastal resort of Cassis with double or twin rooms (or individual room with supplements depending on availability) with ensuite bathrooms. Your guest house provides an excellent quality of service and warm welcome. Lunches, drinks and evening meals are to be provided at your own expense. You can buy provisions in Cassis which has several shops, bakers and cafes.

When to Travel

Our self-guided centre-based walking holiday in the Calanques is available from March to June inclusive and in September and October. We do not run this holiday in the height of the summer due to the high temperatures and the difficulty in securing our top choice accommodation. Even as early as March the coast is awash with wild flowers. Because much of the vegetation is evergreen the landscape remains relatively colourful the whole year round. Ideal walking temperatures are experienced up to mid June, after which it can become very warm. Average day time temperatures are 18°C for mid April and 23°C for mid-May. By Mid June temperatures have reached 27°C on average in the afternoon whilst September highs average 25°C. March can still be fresh with morning temperatures averaging 6°C and highs of about 16°C. It is also a relatively dry and calm period. October remains warm with temperatures often still reaching 20°C. Mistral winds are more common during the transition periods of April/May and September. The autumn is wetter than the spring in general due to the chance of stormy weather.

Please note that during June and September there is a higher risk that walking will be forbidden in the park by the authorities due to risk of fires. Detailed information and contact numbers will be provided in your walking guide.

Navigation, Walking Notes & Maps

The Calanques trails are virtually all waymarked with a variety of colours. The walking follows a mixture of good paths and tracks for the most part, but some of the walks do contain steep, rocky and difficult terrain. Our walking notes are very detailed (more information here) and include intermediate distances for sections of the trail. They also include information about the sites which can be explored along the route. We supply one walking guide per person on this holiday. As well as the detailed walking notes we supply official walking maps produced by IGN at a scale of 1:25,000 as well as a walking map at 1:15,000 which shows the different waymarked trails. Your trail is highlighted on the maps.

Luggage Transfers

This is a centre-based walking holiday with no luggage transfers.

Travel Info

Arriving at Cassis

Transfers between Marseille train station and your guest house in Cassis included in your holiday price.

By Train

Eurostar and the TGV provide a fast and relaxing journey from London to Marseille changing at Lille or Paris. There is also now one direct train per day. The train journey from Paris to Marseille takes just 3 hours. Transfer provided from the train station Marseille St Charles.

By Plane

Fly to Marseille Marignane. There are regular flights from Bristol, Edinburgh, London Stansted and London Gatwick. Shuttle bus every 20 minutes between 6.30am and 8.50pm for the station SNCF Marseille Saint-Charles. Journey time: about 25 minutes.
Transfer provided from Marseille Saint Charles to Cassis. Supplement of about £25 per journey if you wish a transfer from and to Marseille airport.

• From €835 (March, Oct & Nov, 1.00); From €980 April, May, June & Sept
• Price per person based on 2 sharing
• Prices for up to 7 nights are available on request - please contact us for a quote
• Loyalty scheme reduction applies for returning customers (see terms and conditions)