Visit the Calanques National Park: what are the activities to do?

Visit the Calanques National Park: what are the activities to do?

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Located to the south of Marseilles, Calanques National Park is as Mediterranean as a destination can get. Created in 2012, the 10th largest French national park is a unique place in Europe. It not only surrounds the city, but is both a terrestrial and maritime park. It is an exceptional oasis that offers breathtaking landscapes and strong emotions.

Sormiou, Callelongue, Morgiou, Sugiton, Marseilleveyre, the Anse des Phocéens... so many enchanting names that smell of summer, cicadas, and the sea. The whiteness of the cliffs goes hand in hand with the greenness of the maritime pines. Popular among countless visitors, its diversity makes it a destination of choice. Every visitor is bound to find more than they could dream of and will be able to combine sun, land, and sea. A car-free area during the summer, access to the park is highly regulated to preserve this exceptional site as effectively as possible. A Mediterranean gem, the park houses the Calanques massif, the Riou and Frioul archipelagos, the île Verte (Green Island), and the Cap Canaille massif. It is a place where you can admire highly diverse landscapes, spot preserved fauna and flora, indulge in the joys of sailing, and escape the city in no time.

Activities at the Calanques National Park

The main activities include hiking and rock climbing. Although the GR51 long-distance footpath crosses the Calanques massif, it has trails for all types of hikers, from the most knowledgeable to the most relaxed. As for rock climbing, the massif boasts countless cliffs making up an exceptional network of 3,400 routes.

Of course, who says Calanques also says swimming, diving, and snorkelling in the Mediterranean's crystal clear waters full of fish. To discover this exceptional site by sea, embark on a sailing trip and drop anchor in order to appreciate this undeniably charming white limestone massif in all its beauty and tranquillity.