*After studying about the way to hike Calanques Nationwide Park in Marseille, try the journey video under!
Our information is staring up into the limestone cliffs. His English is sweet however not good, and I can’t assist however marvel if his questioning is a warning he can’t fairly convey.
Regardless I really like a problem, and I wish to discover Marseille’s Parc Nationwide des Calanques (Calanques Nationwide Park) to the fullest.
I really like how a giant metropolis like Marseille, with all the very best huge metropolis facilities like nice eating places, avenue artwork, leisure and nightlife, can so seamlessly mix in nature.
How To Get To Parc Nationwide Des Calanques
From the Previous Port, my boyfriend Andy and I simply took a 40-minute ferry (5 Euros every manner) to Port de la Pointe Rouge.
Immediately, city panorama turned to seashores and nationwide park accessibility.
Which is the place we discovered ourselves now, about to traverse the two.5-hour path. After finishing the 10-hour round-trip trek up Concepcion Volcano in Nicaragua final yr, I really feel as much as the duty.
Professional tip: You’ll need a snug backpack for this expertise! Here’s a checklist that includes among the greatest inexpensive climbing backpacks for underneath $100!
Taking the ferry from Vieux Port to Port de la Pointe Rouge in Marseille
Desk of Contents
- About Parc Nationwide des Calanques
- Path Challenges
- Reaching The High Of Marseilleveyre Peak
- Port des Goudes
- Marseille’s Freshest Seafood
- Bonus South Of France Journey Guides
About Parc Nationwide des Calanques
The phrase “Calanques” (inlets) refers back to the “emerald fingers between the rocks” (pure inlets, usually in contrast with Norway’s fjords).
With such an outline it must be no shock that alongside the 12-mile stretch of shoreline and throughout the 120 acres of protected parkland you’ll discover secluded seashores — a few of which you’ll be able to solely attain by kayak or canoe — rocky inlets, vivid blue Mediterranean waters towards jagged white promontories and a powerful array of wildlife.
Mainly, you’ll be aware about among the most lovely trails on this planet. Truthfully, should you’re planning a visit to Europe you received’t wish to miss this place.
In actual fact, Parc Nationwide des Calanques is Europe’s solely to mix peri-urban, marine and continental landscapes.
Inside this, you’ll discover 140 protected animal and plant species on land and 60 within the water.
A few of these embrace the uncommon Bonelli’s eagle, the humungous European Free-tailed bat (considered one of 13 species throughout the park) and Europe’s largest lizard at 80-centimeters, the European Leaf-toed Gecko.
Fairly loopy to assume you’re nonetheless technically inside a metropolis of just about 1 million folks.
You’ll additionally discover a mixture of leisurely and intense — although all the time scenic — climbing trails, which is the side of the park Andy and I had been set to embark on.
A map displaying our route within the park
The start of the path
Path Challenges
Primarily “Le Col des Chèvres,” which we arrive to in an hour by following Chemin Vert (Path #1). The path instantly ascends up, damaged bits of limestone crunching underneath foot.
We’re instantly immersed in lush pine, with openings letting us see the seashores, glowing sea and metropolis from above, slightly greater every time.
Small view peeking out proper firstly of the trek
It’s round minute 30 after we get to Pas de la Cabre that I notice why our information had questioned our willingness to finish the duty.
Scrambling. For anybody who climbs it’s not a giant deal, however for me who’s used to having a harness when climbing, being fully left to belief in my very own hand-eye coordination is freaky.
One false transfer, incorrect hand placement or slip of the foot and I used to be going to be severely injured — or worse.
I really feel myself shaking. To me, journey excursions like skydiving in New Zealand and paragliding in Colombia are cake; thrills with no considering concerned. It’s after I’m truly being held accountable for my very own life that I begin to fear.
Fortunately I’ve Andy to behave as my second pair of eyes, guiding me gradual and regular to the highest. As soon as the bottom is lastly flat once more I let loose a sigh of reduction that the exhausting half is over.
Or so I believe.
Utilizing his fingers to get to the highest
Going up!
Reaching The High Of Marseilleveyre Peak
Truly, there are a couple of extra sections of scrambling, every difficult in its personal manner. For the grand finale there’s a rope connected to the rock, meant to help hikers to the highest of Marseilleveyre Peak at 1,421 ft.
At about 90 minutes in I’m rising snug with utilizing my fingers up the actually steep sections.
Plus, I do know there’s a panoramic view ready for me on the prime. For a photographer, this data is akin to consuming a Crimson Bull and sprouting wings.
Taking within the view from Marseilleveyre Peak
On the prime with my babe
That first second, searching over 360-degrees of Provençal panorama, my jaw actually drops. I can’t consider I’m in such a fantastic place — with my boyfriend no much less.
The glowing Mediterranean with a view of Bay of Marseilles and Riou Island are seen, and all of us take a couple of minutes to simply take pleasure in.
Apart for climbing off the height, the hike down (through the #5 yellow path) is void of technical sections. As a substitute, the problem is considerably steep-sloped descents lined in free stone.
Each few steps considered one of us inevitably stumbles, although fortunately we’re capable of catch our footing and make it out with our ankles in tact.
Making the descent
Port des Goudes
By “out” I imply Port des Goudes, a small port that we’re advised will get very crowded in summer season. We discover it tranquil and beautiful.
Not the luxurious yacht-style form of beautiful you get in Monaco, however a less complicated, much less flashy kind of attractive.
How lovely is Les Goudes?
Within the small village of Les Goudes everybody appears to know one another. In actual fact, our information takes us to his pal’s home for refreshments — two mugs of Provençal rose, after all.
Throughout the 40 minutes we’re there his pal runs outdoors to greet three totally different locals passing by.
It’s a enjoyable look into native life.
I might have frolicked sipping wine all day, aside from one scrumptious element: we’ve got lunch booked at L’Esplaϊ du Grand Bar des Goudes Restaurant.
Dreaming of Les Goudes
Marseille’s Freshest Seafood
Speak about a decadent lunch! We swap our mugs for crystal glasses and sip our wine whereas taking in attractive waterfront views, a sea breeze cooling us down.
Furthermore, the seafood is so contemporary our waiter truly introduces us to our fish earlier than heading into the kitchen handy it off to the chef. We additionally savor prawns, peppers with sardines, squid, mussels and crostini. Yum!
The meal ends with a fantastically plated assortment of desserts, the very best of which we unanimously agree is a molten chocolate brownie. I end each chunk, regardless of wanting to save lots of my determine for the seashore.
A scrumptious lunch after an intense hike
Not solely are you able to take pleasure in nationwide parks within the huge metropolis of Marseille, however seashores, too.
We take a bus again to Port de la Pointe Rouge (2.50 Euros), getting off on the central terminal and strolling about 20 minutes, to shoreline lined with adventures like kayaking, jet snowboarding, get up paddleboarding and extra.
Andy and I say farewell to our information and nestle into our personal little patch of sand.
The seashore is crowded with households, however the journey paired with the lavish lunch leads us each to dip into the cool water earlier than promptly passing out.
It’s not till sundown that we make our manner again to the ferry, abandoning pure Marseille for city Marseille.
It’s actually a various metropolis providing not solely a mixture of experiences but additionally totally different settings during which to take pleasure in them. Mountaineering by day and bar-hopping by evening is a very possible itinerary.
For a greater concept of our hike in Marseille’s Parc Nationwide des Calanques, try the video under:
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How To Take pleasure in Wine, Mountaineering & Skinny Dipping Close to Cannes, France
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Exploring Good Past The Promenade
Park Closures: In accordance with Lonely Planet the park is closed in July and August resulting from fireplace hazards; nonetheless, we hiked in August within the park simply advantageous. That being mentioned, I’m assuming the summer season does have its fair proportion of closures so pay attention to this. Click on right here for actual time updates about Parc Nationwide des Calanques situations.
Parc Nationwide des Calanques Map: Click on right here for a PDF map of Parc Nationwide des Calanques. Different useful maps could be discovered right here, and right here, and right here.
Path Specifics: We had a information so how we began was barely totally different from what I’d suggest for somebody with out one (if in case you have a information, you don’t actually need these instructions). When you’re with out a information or automobile:
- Take the ferry over from Marseille’s Previous Port (Vieux Port) to Port de la Pointe Rouge.
- From proper behind the #19 bus station you may entry the Inexperienced #1 Path.
- Take this till you can also make a proper onto Yellow Path #5
- Take this till you come to a fork and may veer left down the Crimson #1 Path, which leads down into Les Goudes.
- Good (with day journeys to Eze for a medieval village, Monaco for a VIP afternoon and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat for the Villa & Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschild)
- Cannes (with day journeys to St. Tropez/Ramatuelle for seashores, Gassin for wine tasting and La Croix Valmer for seashores and climbing)
- Moissac Bellevue (we stayed at a woodland set horse farm then had been about 20-minutes from Verdon Gorge)
- Hyeres (the cobbled commune itself is enjoyable to discover, and is close to lovely seashores and is accessible to the untouched Port Cros Island; definitely worth the journey for this cool citadel keep alone!)
- Aix-en-Provence (my private favourite spot of the journey because of the small quiet metropolis filled with facilities and accessibility to lovely Provence farmland; a cheesey rooftop lunch at La Fromagerie Du Passage and a day journey biking outdoors the town with Arthur of Secrets and techniques d’ici are musts!)
- Marseille (don’t miss climbing within the city Calanques Nationwide Park, which doesn’t really feel city in any respect and is accessible to lovely port cities and seashores)