The Calanque de Port-Miou is a fjord on the Mediterranean: a narrow inlet of turquoise water, the white limestone cliffs rising on either side, and the boats — the sailing yachts, the small motorboats, and the kayaks — moored in the shelter of the inlet. The calanque is the first of the three Calanques of Cassis (Port-Miou, Port-Pin, and En-Vau — the most beautiful of the three, the beach at the end of the inlet, the water the colour of a jewel, and the view from the cliffs above — the Mediterranean, the limestone, and the sense of being in a landscape that belongs to a myth), and the experience of walking from Cassis to the calanques — the path along the cliffs, the pines, the cicadas, and the sudden, heart-stopping view of the inlet below — is the most beautiful walk in Provence. Cassis is a fishing village that has made peace with tourism: the port (the pastel houses, the fishing boats, the cafés, and the best bouillabaisse on the Côte d’Azur), the vineyards (the Cassis AOC — the white wine, the rosé, and the 12 vineyards that produce the oldest and smallest appellation in Provence), and the calanques (the fjords of the Mediterranean, accessible only on foot or by boat, and the most beautiful landscape in the south of France). Here is your guide.

Cassis — Quaint & Cosmopolitan

• The Calanques — the essential hike: The three calanques of Cassis — Port-Miou, Port-Pin, and En-Vau — are accessible by a coastal path that begins at the port. Port-Miou: the easiest, the walk from the car park at the Presqu’île (the peninsula, ~€8 for the day, and the car park fills by 9am in the summer — arrive early or park in Cassis and walk). 30 minutes each way, the inlet, the boats, and the first taste of the calanques. Port-Pin: the second calanque, the beach, the pines growing to the edge of the water, and the swim in the turquoise water. 45 minutes from Port-Miou, the path is rougher, and the reward — the beach, the water, and the sense of having found a secret — is the best swimming on the Côte d’Azur. En-Vau: the third and the most beautiful calanque, the narrowest inlet, the cliffs rising 150 metres, the beach at the end, and the water that is the colour of a swimming pool in a fever dream. 1 hour from Port-Pin, the path is rocky and steep in places, and the beach — the pebbles, the sun, and the most beautiful swimming in France — is the reward. Essential tips: the calanques are closed in the summer (July–August, the fire risk — the access is restricted, and the closure is enforced. Check before you go at the Parc National des Calanques website), the best months are May–June and September–October (the weather is warm, the sea is swimmable, and the crowds are manageable), and the essential gear: good shoes (the path is rocky, the flip-flops will destroy your feet), water (2 litres per person — there is no water on the trail), and a swimsuit. The boat alternative: the calanques can be visited by boat from the Cassis port — the tours (45 minutes, ~€15 for the three calanques — the view from the water is beautiful, and the walk is the more rewarding experience. The combination — the boat to En-Vau and the walk back — is the best compromise). More France →
• The port and the town — the bouillabaisse and the pastis: Cassis is a working fishing port, and the cafés on the waterfront serve the catch of the day at tables that look out over the boats. The essential restaurant: La Poissonnerie (the fishmonger by day, the restaurant by night — the freshest fish on the port, the tables by the water, and the best meal in Cassis. ~€30 for the fish of the day, and the booking is essential — the restaurant seats 20 and the queue is legendary), the Nino (the bouillabaisse — the Provençal fish stew, the rouille, the croutons, and the ritual of the meal that is the essence of the south of France. ~€45, and the essential experience in Cassis), and the Grand Large Jeantou (the seafood platter — the oysters, the prawns, the crab, the langoustines, and the view of the port. ~€50, and the best splurge in Cassis). The essential drink: a pastis on the port (the Ricard, the water turning the liquid milky white, and the view of the fishing boats returning with the catch. ~€5 a glass, and the best value in Cassis)
• The Cassis wine — the oldest AOC in Provence: The Cassis wine appellation — the AOC Cassis, the 12 vineyards, and the white wine (the Marsanne, the Clairette, and the Ugni Blanc — the dry, mineral, and aromatic white wine that is the best in Provence) — is the smallest and oldest appellation in Provence (1936), and the vineyards, planted on the terraces above the town, produce wine that is drunk locally and rarely exported. The essential vineyard: the Domaine du Paternel (the family vineyard, the tasting room, the view of the Cap Canaille — the highest sea cliff in France, 394 metres, the red rock, and the most dramatic view on the Côte d’Azur — and the white wine that is the taste of Cassis. Free tasting, the bottles from ~€15). The Clos Sainte Magdeleine (the most beautiful vineyard in Cassis, the white buildings, the cypresses, and the view of the sea. The tasting room is open to the public, the wine is excellent, and the experience — the terrace, the view, and the glass of white wine — is the best hour in Cassis)

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