A walking holiday in France starting in the vibrant city of Marseille
Marseille is the second biggest city in France after Paris and is centered around the old port, one of the largest ports for freight, commerce, and cruise ships. It is internationally renowned as the capital of soap making ‘savon de Marseille’ and for the ‘santons’, small religious figurines that depict Provencal life.
A self-guided walking holiday through the oldest city in France
Founded by the Greeks 2600 years ago, Marseille is the oldest city in France. A cosmopolitan pot-pourri of neighbourhoods, culture, and architecture, you could easily spend a few days on your French walking holiday just exploring the city. Marseille has a wealth of monuments dating back to its Greek and Roman origins, places of interest, museums and lush green parks to visit. The Marseille coastline stretches in a North-South crescent and alternates between rock, sand and shingle.
The fish market: a unique experience on your walking holiday in France
Set your alarm and head out early morning to the port and the daily fish market. The hustle and bustle of the fishing boats coming into shore, the haggling of prices and the general ambiance of the fish market is an absolute must-see. Sit and enjoy a coffee in one of the quayside cafés and watch the spectacle… there is no other word for it!
A walking tour of France, along the Mediterranean coast from Marseille to Cassis
Chateau d’If and the Frioul Islands
Take a day trip and catch a ferry from the port of Marseille and explore the small archipelago of the Frioul Islands and the Chateau d’If. Here you can spend the day alternating between walks along sun bleached hiking trails, swimming, and admiring the hundreds of plant species that flourish here.
The Calanques
From the Calanque of Callelongue in the west to the Calanque of Port Pin in the east, along a coastline of 20 kilometers, magnificent white cliffs rise vertically from the sea. The Calanques themselves are the limestone inlets from Marseille to Cassis, their turquoise waters highlighted by the pure white limestone. The Calanque national Park is home to a rich diversity of fauna and flora, some rare and endemic species. The Calanques is a paradise for rock climbers, hikers and scuba divers’ all year round.
See our Provence walking holiday starting in Marseille, here
Hiking to Cassis calanques and in Cezanne footsteps : Aix en Provence
