Discover the famous Massif des Calanques with a Yacht Charter in Marseille

When in France, all roads lead to Marseille, a port city famous for its Greek origins, sailing tradition and hospitable people. It’s also the starting point for a sailing tour in the Mediterranean that can take you from the gems of the French Riviera – including Nice, Cannes and Monaco – to Corsica or Sardinia. With a yacht charter in Marseille, you can also visit the famous Massif des Calanques, an almost otherworldly scene of rugged rocks landing graciously onto the Mediterranean blue.

Discover Marseille

Marseille is a large commune in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region in the South of France. It boasts many marinas, listed below, so it’s the perfect place to start your boat rental.

Marinas

Le Vieux-Port, L’Estaque, La Pointe Rouge, Le Frioul, Callelongue, Les Croisettes, L’Escalette, la Fausse Monnaie, Les Goudes, La Madrague de Montredon, Malmousque, Morgiou, Sormiou, Le Vallon des Auffes.

The old port (Le Vieux Port) is an emblematic place to dock your boat in Marseille. The famous church of Notre-Dame de la Garde towers over the city’s largest marina. Even today, the old port is deemed to be the heart of this bustling city, welcoming sailors from all over the world. Take some time to have a cup of coffee at one of the cafés nearby. Or try the city’s iconic anise-flavoured spirit, Pastis, and have a chat with the locals.

Highlights in Marseille

Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde, The Massif des Calanques (Port-Miou is also located in the communes of Cassis), The Château d’If, The Vieux-port de Marseille, Longchamp Palace, Borély Park, Abbaye Saint-Victor, Fort Saint-Jean, The museum of European and Mediterranean civilizations (MUCEM), Orange Velodrome stadium (build for the 1938 World Cup), The Navy Museum, The Museum of Natural History.

Nearby points of interest

A visit to the Calanques is a must if you are in Marseille or anywhere else in the French Riviera. Stretching along 20km, these famous white cliffs rise dramatically out of the sea. From Saména in the West to Port-Miou, the area is also a great spot for hiking, picnics and relaxing.

• La Ciotat, Toulon, Hyères, Saint-Tropez, Fréjus, Cannes, Antibes, Nice, Monaco, Menton, île des Embiez, Agde, Sète, Corsica
• Spain: Barcelona, The Balearic Islands (Ibiza, Majorca, Menorca)
• Italy: Sardinia, Tuscany, Genoa

Weather

Marseille is known for its warm temperature climate. The temperature varies between 16 °C in May and 25 °C in August. The best time to charter a yacht in Marseille is between the beginning of June to the end of September.

Sailing distances from Marseille

• Toulon: 46 miles
• Cassis: 15 miles
• Les Embiez: 29 miles
• La Ciotat: 20 miles
• Porquerolles: 50 miles
• Le Lavandou: 63 miles
• Barcelona: 183 miles
• Calvi: 155 miles
• Monaco: 93 miles.

How to get to Marseille

• by plane (Aéroport Marseille-Provence)
• by car (775km from Paris/ 314km from Lyon/ 646km from Bordeaux)
• by boat (rent or charter).

3 reasons to visit Marseille

It’s a city full of surprises. Every time you visit, you find something new.

It’s close to the magnificent Calanques, a masterpiece of mother nature.

From Marseille, you can set sail for a unique cruise in the South of France.