Calanques National Park
The Calanques are the sequence of narrow limestone inlets cut into the 20 km of coast between Marseille and Cassis, protected since 2012 as Parc national des Calanques — the only national park in Europe spanning land, sea and a major city's doorstep. White cliffs drop several hundred metres into water that reads turquoise over the pale rock floor, and the best-known inlets — Sormiou, Morgiou, Sugiton, En-Vau, Port-Pin — are reached on foot over dry scrub, by kayak, or by boat from Cassis. Climate here is Cassis's climate: hot rainless summers (July averages 31°C with roughly one rain day), mild damp winters, and long shoulders. What separates a Calanques trip from a Cassis trip is not weather but access. From 1 June to 30 September the prefecture rates fire risk daily for the following day, published between 17:00 and 18:00; on a red day land access to the massif is forbidden and the route des Crêtes closes, though boats may still pass so long as nobody lands. Separately, from early June to the start of October the roads down to Sormiou, Morgiou and Callelongue are shut to cars between 07:00 and 19:00. The park is open on most summer days — it is regulated, not closed — but it is the one destination on this site where you should check the day before you go.
Plan your trip from
Climate, scoring, and month-by-month planning live on the page for the city you'd actually stay in:
When to go
Calanques National Park shares Cassis's climate, so these are Cassis's measured numbers — see the full month-by-month breakdown.
Cassis, France
Best months: June, September, May
Tours & map
Tours below are listed against Calanques National Park itself — the map is centred on Cassis, the nearest destination we cover.
Tours in Calanques National Park
19 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you.
- 1
Shore Excursion: Drive a Convertible to Cassis & Calanques - 2
Calanques Panorama e-bike tour in Marseille - National Park - 3
Hiking in the Calanques National park from Marseille - 4
La Ciotat Private Kayak Rental in the Calanques National Park - 5
Kayak Tour at Calanques National Park (La Ciotat) - 6
Sormiou Calanques National Park Electric Bike Tour from Marseille - 7
Evening cruise at sunset - 8
Sightseeing Tour of Marseille with a Private Driver - 9
Calanques National Park integral - 10
Marseille Shore Excursion: Calanques National Park by Electric Mountain Bike - 11
Marseille shore excursion; Drive to Cassis Calanques La Ciotat - 12
Marseille | Brunch at Sea | Calanques de Marseille - 13
Cassis hike: Port-Miou, Port-Pin, En-Vau - 14
Marseille | Signature Day | Calanques de Marseille - 15
Aix en Provence & Cassis Private Tour with Official Tour Guide ! - 16
In Vau la Magnifique - 17
Cassis, Bandol and Le Castellet Wine tour - 18
Panoramic hike on Marseille from Les Calanques - 19
Marseille Shore Excursion Private EBike Tour to the Calanques
Last refreshed 2026-08-13.
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Common questions
- When is the best time to visit the Calanques?
- May–June and September–early October. You get warm-enough water (sea temperature reaches about 17°C in May, 21°C in June and stays above 20°C through October), comfortable walking temperatures, and you sit outside the June–September fire-restriction window. July and August are hot on unshaded limestone — 31°C average highs, near-zero rainfall — and carry both the daily fire rating and the daytime road closures.
- Are the Calanques closed in summer?
- No — regulated, not closed. Between 1 June and 30 September the prefecture publishes a fire-risk rating each day between 17:00 and 18:00 covering the following day. Green and yellow days are open. On a red day, land access to the massif is prohibited and the route des Crêtes closes; boat trips can still run but landing is forbidden. Check the 'Mes Calanques' app or the prefecture's map the evening before you plan to go.
- Can you drive to the Calanques?
- Not to the main ones in season. From roughly early June to the start of October the access roads to Sormiou, Morgiou and Callelongue are closed to cars between 07:00 and 19:00. Outside those hours, and outside that period, driving is possible but parking is very limited. Most visitors walk in, or take a boat from Cassis — which is also the easiest way to reach En-Vau and Port-Pin.
- Should I base in Cassis or Marseille for the Calanques?
- Cassis for the eastern inlets — it is a small port about 3 km from Port-Pin and En-Vau, and the boat tours leave from its harbour. Marseille for the western end (Sormiou, Morgiou, Callelongue) and if you want a city alongside the park. The climate is effectively identical either side; the choice is about which inlets you want and whether you want a town or a city in the evening.
- Can you swim in the Calanques?
- Yes, and it is the main draw in summer. The inlets are sheltered and the water is clear over pale limestone. Sea temperature climbs through the season — mid-teens °C in spring, low 20s from June, peaking around 23°C in August and still about 20°C in October — so the swimming window is considerably longer than the classic July–August visit. See the Cassis page for the full month-by-month sea temperature strip.