Cassis · Calanques National Park · Provence, France
Cruise from Marseille into the heart of the Calanques National Park — past white limestone cliffs, hidden coves, and turquoise inlets of Sormiou, Morgiou, and Sugiton — all the way to the legendary Cassis calanques of Port-Miou, Port-Pin, and En-Vau. Wetsuits, snorkeling gear, GoPro cameras, and soft drinks included.
The Experience
A full guided cruise through the Calanques National Park with swimming stops, snorkeling gear, wetsuits, GoPro cameras, and soft drinks — all included.
Four steps from choosing your cruise to swimming in the calanques.
Pick the tour that fits your day. The featured boat cruise explores the Archipel de Riou and the calanques of Sormiou, Morgiou, Sugiton, Port-Miou, Port-Pin, and En-Vau — with swim and snorkel stops in clear Mediterranean water. Wetsuits, snorkeling gear, GoPro cameras, and soft drinks are provided on board.
Most tour slots offer two departure options: Marseille's Vieux-Port (central, easy access) or Pointe Rouge (south of the city, closer to the park entrance). Pick the date and departure that suits your stay and click through to check availability.
Reserve online with instant confirmation — you'll get a mobile voucher by email. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure means you can book well ahead without risk. Payment is secured by GetYourGuide.
Arrive 15 minutes early at the meeting point for check-in — the boat departs on time. From there your captain guides you along the coast, past limestone cliffs and into the blue-green coves of the Calanques National Park, with swim stops on the way.
Photo Gallery
White limestone cliffs, secret coves, and turquoise Mediterranean water from Marseille to the legendary calanques of Cassis.
Book Your Experience
Select your preferred date and time. Instant confirmation — free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
The iconic boat cruise and a catamaran alternative — both operated by Bleu Evasion, both covering the Calanques National Park from Marseille.
| Feature | TOP PICK · 1,147 REVIEWS Iconic Calanques Boat Tour | Calanques Catamaran Cruise | All Marseille Calanques Tours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $91/per person | From $91 | Varies |
| Vessel Type | Motorboat — fast, agile | Catamaran — stable, social | Various |
| Operator | Bleu Evasion | Bleu Evasion | Multiple operators |
| Snorkeling Gear | Yes — included | Yes — included | Varies by tour |
| Wetsuits | Yes — if water is cold | Yes — if water is cold | Varies |
| GoPro Camera | Yes — on board | Not specified | Varies |
| Picnic & Wine | Soft drinks only | Yes — picnic + rosé wine | Varies |
| Calanques Visited | Riou, Sormiou, Morgiou, Sugiton + Cassis side | Calanques of Cassis area | Depends on tour |
| Rating | 4.7 (1,147 reviews) | 4.8 (209 reviews) | Various |
| Free Cancellation | Yes — up to 24h before | Yes — up to 24h before | Most tours yes |
| Best For | Maximum calanques coverage + snorkeling action | Relaxed sailing with a gourmet picnic included | Private tours, kayaking, half-day options |
| Book the Boat Tour | View Catamaran Option | Browse All Tours |
The full-day boat cruise and a catamaran alternative — both by Bleu Evasion, both with snorkeling, both with free cancellation and instant confirmation.
Field Notes
What the calanques actually are, how the cruise unfolds, which departure point to choose, and what to bring for a day on the water.
The first thing that hits you from the boat is the scale. You leave the harbour behind, the city drops away, and the limestone cliffs rise out of the sea — two hundred metres of white rock plunging straight into water so clear you can see the bottom ten metres down. This is the Calanques National Park, one of the few places in Europe where a protected ancient landscape is also a working coast, reachable by sea in under an hour from a major city.
A Cassis Calanques boat tour is the way most people see it properly. On foot, the approach to calanques like En-Vau or Port-Pin involves a serious hike under a Mediterranean sun. By boat, you slide into the narrows directly — the cliffs close in on both sides, the water turns from blue to green to the particular turquoise of sheltered limestone coves, and the skipper cuts the engine so you can swim.
This is a field guide to the experience: what the calanques actually are, how the featured cruise from Marseille unfolds, what it includes, and what to bring for a day on the water.
Calanque is a Provençal word for a fjord-like coastal inlet carved by rivers during ice ages and then submerged as sea levels rose. The result is a series of narrow, steep-sided coves along roughly 20 kilometres of coastline between Marseille and Cassis. The Calanques National Park, established in 2012, protects both the land and the sea.
The calanques range from broad, accessible coves to razor-thin slots you can only enter from the sea. The famous ones have names: Sormiou, Morgiou, Sugiton on the Marseille side; and Port-Miou, Port-Pin, En-Vau on the Cassis side — En-Vau in particular, with its cathedral walls and pebble beach at the foot of sheer rock, is what most people picture when they think “calanque.”
The limestone turns the water a colour that has no exact word in English — somewhere between turquoise and green, translucent all the way to the pebbled bottom. Field Notes · Issue 01
The featured cruise departs from Marseille — either the Vieux-Port (the old harbour in the city centre) or Pointe Rouge (a marina south of the city, closer to the park). Your booking confirmation will show the specific meeting point for your slot.
From Marseille, the boat heads southeast along the coast, passing first the Archipel de Riou — a cluster of uninhabited islands with a sea cave — before entering the protected park waters. The skipper makes stops for swimming and snorkeling, then continues into the calanques: Sormiou, Morgiou, Sugiton on the Marseille side, before rounding the headland toward the Cassis calanques of Port-Miou, Port-Pin, and En-Vau.
The tour includes:
The featured tour departs Marseille, not Cassis port. The boat leaves from a Marseille harbour and cruises southeast into the park, reaching the Cassis calanques by sea before returning to Marseille.
Cassis itself is a small fishing village about 23 km east of Marseille, at the eastern end of the Calanques National Park. It gives its name to the most dramatic calanques — Port-Miou, Port-Pin, En-Vau. Many of the best boat tours operate out of Marseille because of the larger port infrastructure and visitor base there. If you want to see the Cassis calanques from the water, a boat cruise from Marseille is the right route. You will see the entire park and arrive at the calanques of Cassis by sea — which is in any case the best way to arrive.
Bring: swimwear, a windproof jacket or light layer (open water at speed is cold even in summer), sunscreen, sunglasses, and a towel. Luggage, alcohol, and pets (other than assistance dogs) are not permitted on board.
Expect: a shared boat with other passengers — this is a group tour, not a private charter. The skipper narrates in multiple languages; most slots operate in English and French. The sea can be lively in wind — Mistral conditions can cause cancellations; arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before boarding.
May through September is the main season. The park imposes foot-path access restrictions on some calanques in summer, so a boat tour is often the only way to reach En-Vau and Port-Pin between July and mid-September when foot access is closed due to fire risk.
Early summer (May–June) and September offer calmer water, fewer crowds, and still warm enough to swim comfortably. Book in advance for weekends and peak-season dates — free cancellation up to 24 hours before means there is no reason to wait.
Guest Reviews
"We saw breathtaking views that can only be seen by boat. Stefan was an excellent guide and provided lots of good information and stories related to the Calanques. He made several stops allowing for swimming and snorkeling. On the way back, when the wind picked up and the water got a little rough, he expertly steered us safely back to port. A must-do experience when you are in Marseille!"
"I can highly recommend this tour! In advance, we received detailled information about where exactly we'll meet. We booked the 3,5 hour morning tour from Vieux Port and could swim two times. In the open water, our guide really speeded up to make sure, we have enough time to visit lots of beautiful spots at the coast. He also gave us background information and made sure, everybody feels comfortable. One important thing though: Make sure, you bring a windproof jacket (and maybe an additional sweater)! Although we had 25 degrees, the wind was cold when the guide drove fast and after having swum, you become cold..."
"Stefan was a brilliant captain! The weather was great and the water crystal clear - albeit cold! There were several swim stops, great knowledge of the parc and historic sites, good snacks and drinks and it was fabulous afternoon. The Blue Evasion office is hard for cabs to find but once you are there everything is plain sailing!"
"The activity was amazing! We had a great time, our captain was the best!! Highly recommended, I was travelling with teenagers, and they enjoyed this activity the most when there was the option to swim!"
"It was an amazing experience where we learned about the history of the Calanques and swam in the beautiful ocean. Highly recommend."
Read all 1147 verified reviews
See All ReviewsReserve through GetYourGuide — instant confirmation and free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. Snorkeling gear, wetsuits, and soft drinks are all included. Starting from $91 per person.
Check Availability & BookMore Options
Explore the full range of Calanques National Park cruises — half-day, full-day, kayak, catamaran, and private options — all with free cancellation.
What to know before you book your calanques boat cruise from Marseille.
The featured cruise departs from Marseille, not Cassis port. Depending on your booking slot, departure is either from the Vieux-Port (Marseille's historic old harbour in the city centre) or from Pointe Rouge (a marina south of Marseille, closer to the park entrance). Your booking confirmation will show the exact meeting point. The boat cruises southeast through the Calanques National Park and reaches the Cassis calanques by sea — which is the best way to see En-Vau, Port-Pin, and Port-Miou anyway.
The featured Bleu Evasion tour includes: the skipper and guided narration, snorkeling gear (mask and fins), wetsuits if the water is cold, GoPro cameras on board for photos and video, and soft drinks. Swimwear and a towel are not provided — bring your own. The calanques access tax is also included in the price.
The cruise covers the main calanques of both Marseille and Cassis. On the Marseille side: L'Archipel de Riou (with swim stop), Calanque de Sormiou, Calanque de Morgiou, and Calanque de Sugiton. It then continues toward the Cassis calanques: Port-Miou, Port-Pin, and En-Vau. The tour also passes the Cosmopolitan-famous Riou sea cave (the Blue Cave). Exact stops depend on weather and sea conditions on the day.
Yes — swim stops are a core part of the tour. The boat anchors in coves with clear turquoise water and the skipper announces swim time. Snorkeling gear is provided. Water temperature ranges from around 13–15°C in winter to 22–24°C in August — wetsuits are provided when the water is cold. The underwater visibility in the calanques is typically 10–15 metres, making snorkeling genuinely worthwhile.
May through September is the main season — warm water, reliable weather, and the most tour slots. Between July and mid-September, foot-path access to some calanques (including En-Vau and Port-Pin) is restricted due to fire risk, meaning a boat tour is often the only way to reach them. Early summer (May–June) and September offer slightly fewer crowds and calmer conditions. Always check the weather before you go — Mistral wind can cause cancellations or departure-point changes.
The tour runs approximately 3.5 hours for morning slots (from Vieux-Port) to around 5 hours for the full-day option. Check your specific booking for the duration of your chosen slot. Arrive at the meeting point at least 15 minutes before departure — the boat leaves on time, and there is no refund for late arrivals.
Bring: swimwear, a towel, sunscreen (reef-safe recommended in a national park), sunglasses, and a windproof jacket or light layer — the boat at speed is cold even in summer, and after swimming you will feel the wind. Water shoes or flip-flops are useful for pebble beaches. The tour provides snorkeling gear, wetsuits if needed, and soft drinks. Large bags, luggage, alcohol, and pets are not permitted on board.
The featured tour offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. Book through GetYourGuide — you receive instant confirmation by email and a mobile voucher. To change or cancel, log in to your GetYourGuide account before the cancellation deadline. Reserve in advance for peak-season weekends as slots fill quickly.
Still have questions? Email us at info@cassiscalanquesboattour.com
