One of the most famous cities in France is Marseille. It's about the second largest city in the country and it is located on the beautiful south coast, at the gates of the Mediterranean.
Marseille has long been an important city because since Roman times it was a valuable commercial port, but today we are interested in its beaches. Perhaps the city itself is not a mecca for beach tourism but it does offer varied beaches along its coastline, so let's see which are the best beaches in Marseille.
Marseille, destination of beaches
Perhaps we do not immediately think of Marseille when talking about beaches or summer under the sun and by the sea. The truth is that it is a huge coastal city with many inhabitants and urban life, soit is far from the tranquility or laid-back life of a spa.
But Marseille has many beaches of various styles so there is one for each type of tourist. Many of these beaches are great to go with the family with children, others to have fun in bars and restaurants, others are more remote and rocky and others are great for sports such as skateboarding or surfing.
Also, just as there are natural beaches too there are artificial beaches although the latter are located more towards the north coast in the district of L'Estaque. Of course, you have to forget about the white sands of the French Riviera. It is not the same here.
The official season for bathing in the sea officially opens at the beginning of June and continues until the end of August, the beginning of September. From June onwards there are lifeguards on the most touristy beaches but not on most of the Calanques.
Prado Beach
Without a doubt this is the most popular beach in Marseille and the one with the easiest access because you arrive by bus or taxi from anywhere in the city. Has bars and restaurants You barely stop stepping on the sand and a very large area to practice sports left in 2008 by the organizers of the FIFA Beach Soccer Cup.
By having these characteristics there are always people and being alone is very difficult. Still, even in summer, it has fewer tourists than other French beaches. The waters are clear, you can swim and also surf if there are not too many people in the sea.
Basically Prado se divided into North and South and the group also includes the beaches of l'Huveaune and Scale Borely and of Bonneveine.
La Prado Norte is a beach in the south bay, with pebbles, and great for swimming and hiking. The Prado Sur was baptized as Le david and is chosen to stroll at sunset. The beach of l'Huveaune is sandy and is half an hour from Le David and the last two are beaches near l'Hubeaune and contain many private beaches.
In 1975 Marseille created the Prado Coastal Park, 26 hectares of forests with 10 hectares of beaches along two kilometers long. 40 hectares were reclaimed from the sea but it was worth it because a new space dedicated to summer tourism was created. It is here where the last beaches we mentioned are located.
Catalan Beach
This is also a very popular beach because it is close to the Old Port of Marseille but it is not the best for sunbathing or resting. It is located between the Prado and the port, heading north, and has good views across the bay of Castillo 'dIf.
It is the beach chosen by those who practice windsurfing since there are good waves, in winter there are better ones, and it has restaurants, public showers and other amenities. Next to it is the Playa Prophet, with similar characteristics, and before arriving here it is Personalized vallons, a long strip of sand that is accessed from the highway, the Malecón JF Kennedy. Both are reached by bus 83.
Beach of the Pointe Rouge
Marseille has many pebble beaches but this it is a sandy beach. It is south of the city and is perfect if you have children. It is a family beach very comfortable, with calm waves and a sea floor that goes down smoothly so the water is usually warm.
In summer they are armed Simple food stalls and restaurants all over the beach so if you arrive by car it will be difficult to park. It is a good beach to rent a pedal boat or try kitesurfing.
There are also lifeguards and showers, but only in high season. Nearby there are a handful of interesting beaches, among which I would like to highlight the Abri Cotier, a small and quiet beach accessed by a staircase.
It is narrow but beautiful and is located just after La Pointe Rouge and a little beach called Bain des dames.
Calanques at Cassis
Cassis is a small town which is close to Marseille, a place that people choose when they want to get away from the noise and crowds. There are many calanques and Cassis is the most famous.
The calanques are like miniature fjords, striking limestone cliffs that plunge into the blue sea fiercely and create spectacular landscapes and cute little beaches.
The beaches of Cassis are popular and there are two in particular that attract people: d'En-Vau and that of Port PinBoth are enclosed by cliffs, so if you arrive early you won't have many people because there simply isn't room for more.
In Cassis another beautiful beach is that of the Big mer. It is the main beach near the city and has soft sands and a beautiful architecture of pastel colored houses located on the coast. It is not as touristy as Marseille but still in summer there are people.
These are some of the most recommended beaches in Marseille, but beyond the biggest names or many lesser known beaches to know along the extensive coast of Marseille that goes from north to south and alternates between rocky parts, with sand or with pebbles.
Always remember that to the south is the Calanques massif with its islets and coves, beautiful destinations. In summer and spring the circulation of cars is prohibited, yes, so to move around the beaches there is the bus.
In fact, each of the Marseilles beaches can be reached by bus and there are more services in summer than at other times of the year. Between the end of April and September, another means of transport is added: the boats or batobus which are great for reaching more remote beaches. They go between the Old Port and Pointe Rouge.
Between the end of June and the end of September, there is also an extended service that runs from Pointe Ruge to Les Goudes. This is just a glimpse of the beaches of Marseille, your destination will be the one that best suits what you want to do so my advice is that you do your research, select different beaches, put together a comfortable backpack and get ready to travel by bus along the beaches of Marseilles.