Calanques Tours: The 15 Best Boat Trips from Marseille and Cassis

1.Sea trips Scandola Girolata and Calanches de Piana

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,146 reviews · 3 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $84Our pick

Set out from Porto Ota for a fast, scenic boat ride along Corsica’s coast. You’ll see the Calanques de Piana and Scandola Reserve, then stop for about 30 minutes in Girolata, a fishing village reachable only by sea. Boats carry no more than 12 people, and guides may include Jacques Antoine.

“Fantastic to see everything, you are not bored for a moment but the tour leader also takes care of that. Clear explanations and fun boat trip without being boring for a moment.Auto-translated”

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2.Côte Bleue Calanques Half-Day Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 877 reviews · 3 hours · from $64

Paddle from Estaque along Marseille’s Côte Bleue with guides such as Loup, Jordan, or Audrey. You’ll pass cliffs, caves, small homes, Establon and Aragnols creeks, then stop at a beach for swimming. The kayaks are usually doubles, and the three-hour route suits beginners who can swim and handle a moderate workout.

“I would definitly recommend this tour, if you have half a day on your vacation. The sea and the landscape are amazing and its a unique experience to do sight seeing in a Kajak. Maybe you should be at least a bit sporty - paddling 3 hours get a bit exhausting in the end, but its worth it! Organization was perfect and our guide was fun and explained everything very well. Even as someone who has never been on a Kajak before, I always felt safe.”

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3.2.5-Hour Esterel Calanques Boat Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 808 reviews · from $88

From Port du Béal, a small Black Tenders boat carries you along the Esterel coast toward Cap Roux. Expect jockey-style seats, local commentary in English or French, red volcanic cliffs, sea caves, natural pools, and usually one or two swimming stops. Captains such as Stephan, Damian, Julian, and Alex are praised for making the trip safe and lively.

“Thank you our captain David , everything is perfect , I recommend to take towels with you , one thing is difficult to swim because jellyfish , also life jacket is available , if you go by car you should pay for parking 10 euros”

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4.Porto: Scandola and Calanches of Piana Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 719 reviews · 3 hours · from $76

Board a motorboat at Porto’s La Calypso Hotel dock for a three-hour cruise through Scandola Nature Reserve and the Calanche de Piana. A local guide speaks English, French, or Italian. Look for Porto Marine Evasion signs, bring water and sunscreen, and note that swimming is possible only at Girolata.

“Le confort du bateau sièges trop durs par rapport à un confrère et un petit en cas lors de l’arrêt sur l’île car pas grand chose à faire”

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5.From Porto: Scandola and Calanche de Piana Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 681 reviews · 3h 30m · from $82

Join a small French-language boat trip from Porto for 210 minutes along Corsica’s UNESCO-listed Scandola Reserve and pink granite Calanche de Piana. You’ll visit sea-only Girolata, pause in the Bay of Elbu, look for seabirds and dolphins, and swim if conditions allow. Guide Nicolas is known for lively explanations and good humor.

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6.Porto: Half-Day Cruise Scandola Reserve & Calanche de Piana

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 672 reviews · 3 hours · from $82

Set out from Port de Porto-Ota on a three-hour guided cruiser trip through the Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Nature Reserve, Calanche de Piana, and Capo Rosso. Your captain guides the route, with live commentary in French, Italian, or English and audio support in several other languages. Swimming depends on weather.

“Bonne connaissance du guide et des explications intéressantes sans trop en dire. une belle balade”

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7.From Sagone/Cargèse: Scandola Calanques Piana Girolata Swimming

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 670 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $76

Spend about seven hours at sea from Sagone aboard Isula Croisières, visiting the Scandola Reserve, Girolata, the Gulf of Porto, Piana’s red cliffs, and Capo Rosso. Expect commentary in English, French, or both depending on the crew, a two-hour stop in Girolata, a swim near Capo Rosso, onboard toilets, showers, shade, and a bar.

“The operator canceled the tour and Viator did not provide a refund. Very poor customer service. We booked this tour after missing the previous day’s tour because of a flight delay and got no refund for that.”

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8.From Porto: Boat tour to the Calanches of Piana & Capo Rosso

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 605 reviews · 90 - 270 minutes · from $37Best value

From Porto, you cruise the Gulf of Porto aboard Nave Va’s quiet hybrid boat. The route includes Ficajola Beach, the red granite Calanche de Piana, Capo Rosso’s arch and Genoese tower, and a clear natural pool. French-speaking captains, including Nicolas, add geology, history, humor, and local detail.

“Superbe activité, magnifique. Les calanques mais surtout la visite de la réserve naturelle sont à faire. Nous avions la compagnie Naev va, génial. Beaucoup d'explication et d'humour de la part de l'équipage.”

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9.Calanques National Park Guided Hike with Picnic

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 516 reviews · 5 hours · from $41

Join Planetazur for a five-hour guided hike through Marseille’s Calanques National Park. Guides such as Adrien, Jade, Geoffroy, and Sebastian lead routes to coves including Morgiou, Sugiton, or Saint Jean de Dieu, sharing local stories, plant facts, and a picnic before free time for swimming. Expect steep, rocky sections and bring at least 1.5 liters of water in summer.

“We went on a beautiful hike in the Calanques National Park. Our guide, Adrien, was very knowledgeable, especially on the flora present. He made sure everyone was okay during and that everyone had enough water. He also got us some charcuterie, cheese, bread and hummus for lunch which we ate by one of the beaches and was lovely! Would recommend to anyone visiting Marseille!”

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10.Calanques National Park Guided Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 489 reviews · 4 - 5 hours · from $41

Meet your English or French-speaking guide at Luminy for a 7.51-kilometer hike through pine woods and rosemary to a calanque beach. Expect rocky paths, over 250 meters of elevation, a picnic, swimming, and an optional 700-meter round-trip swim to the Blue Grotto. Guides including Geoffrey, Yana, Freddy, and Sébastien are praised for safety and local insight.

“My guide Reagan was the absolute best! The hike was so beautiful and our guide made us all feel super welcome. I was solo tripping and this hike made my weekend! Totally recommend and make sure to ask for Reagan I couldn’t recommend her enough!!!”

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11.Frioul Calanques Sailing Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 433 reviews · from $113

Join a skipper aboard the white TEAM WINDS yacht for a four-hour sail from Marseille to the Frioul Islands. You can help raise the sails, steer, swim, and snorkel in a calanque. Skippers including Julien, Valentin, Leo, and Denis are praised for friendly instruction, while the group size is limited to eight people.

“Sailing through the afternoon with my friends was an experience I'll never forget! The wind in our hair, the sun on our skin, and the endless sea ahead of us - it was pure bliss! But what made it even more special was our amazing guide who not only showed us the ropes (literally!), but also shared fascinating local stories with us. Can't wait to come back for more adventures!”

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12.Calanques Côte Bleue Marine Park Boat Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 429 reviews · from $102

Leave Marseille’s Mucem area on a comfortable semi-rigid boat for four hours along the Côte Bleue Marine Park. With skippers such as Cédric, Thomas, Maxence, or Louis, you’ll visit quiet ports, sea caves, and clear swimming coves. French is the official tour language, and groups are limited to 11.

“This is our first trip to Marseille and this will be unforgettable! With the help of our guide Thomas.. he amazing guide and so fun to be with! Places and stops are awesome! We really enjoyed and recommended! Not for exaggerating but it is indeed fun and enjoyable. 😍”

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13.Calanques Sailing Day Trip with Lunch and Wine

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 411 reviews · 7 hours · from $159

Sail from Marseille aboard the historic Le Don du Vent to a weather-dependent cove in the Calanques or along La Côte Bleue. Start with coffee and navettes, then swim, snorkel, and enjoy a generous vegetarian buffet with organic white wine and rosé. English and French-speaking crew are on hand throughout the seven-hour outing.

“A perfect day on the Mediterranean! We can’t recommend this excursion highly enough - beautiful scenery, swimming, and a delicious lunch aboard a grand sailboat with a gracious, knowledgeable crew. We’re so grateful we got to experience the beauty of Calanques!”

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14.Calanques Catamaran Tour & Standup Paddle

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 411 reviews · 3 - 4 hours · from $93

Meet Bleu Evasion at Marseille’s Vieux-Port for a 3 to 4-hour catamaran trip with English and French-speaking skippers. Cruise past Vallon des Auffes, Château d’If, and the Frioul Islands, then swim, snorkel, paddle, and jump from the roof board. Nico, Julie, Marie, and Alex are among the friendly guides who may lead the outing.

“Was fun! Was a little bit cold and windy so we didn’t go the paddle boarding but had fun anyways. The views are amazing.”

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15.Ultimate Calanques Panoramic e-bike Ride – 3h (Small Group)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 335 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $83

Start near Pointe Rouge and pedal through Marseille toward Calanques National Park with guides such as Martin, Vincent, Iris, or Frank. Expect city streets, cycle paths, gravel, hills, beach time, and dramatic views. The route changes with weather, park access, group ability, and safety conditions.

“Wonderful host great experience friendly helpful charming informative and took great care of the group”

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