During our European vacation, our cruise stopped at the Provence / Marseille, France port. We loved visiting Cassis and The Calanques during our day stop in the French Riviera!
After speaking with some friends, we decided to take a cab to Cassis, and I’m so glad we did! We were on our way to Cassis when our cab driver offered to take us to see the Calanques first.
We had dramatic Mediterranean views, turquoise water, cappuccinos, the best croissants, time at the beach, a delicious lunch and time for wandering through town.
For another bonus, our cab driver took us to see Notre-Dame on the way back. It was an amazing way to experience the south of France at this cruise port.
Checking out The Calanques Views
The Calanques National Park has steep limestone cliffs and narrow Mediterranean inlets stretching along the coast between Marseille and Cassis. The park is famous for hiking and amazing views.
From above, you can see the deep blue and turquoise water tucked between the cliffs, with the coastline stretching out into the distance.
I'm so glad our driver suggested stopping here because it gave us a completely different perspective of the area before we explored it from the water's edge.
Get a Taxi When Arriving to Marseille
Before I get into more details, I have to share a bit more about our taxi driver, Boba. We arrived at our cruise port and he was one of the drivers there that was willing to take us to Cassis and back to the port.
This is important for cruisers because getting a car back can be more difficult than getting one to go there. We negotiated with him to stay with us in Cassis. This may seem high but we paid $250 for our cab experience for the day. If you try to book a ship excursion, you'll be paying that much per person for this experience.
In addition to taking us to Cassis and back, he also took us to Calanques and Notre Dam. He gave us time to stop and explore both places. He is very kind and shared details about places we drove by as well. His taxi number is 602 Marseille.
Arriving in Cassis
After taking in the views, we headed down into Cassis. Cassis is a beautiful little fishing village on the Mediterranean coast, east of Marseille and right at the edge of the Calanques National Park.
The harbor is lined with colorful buildings, cafés and restaurants, with fishing boats and sailboats filling the water.
Cappuccino & Croissants in Cassis
We found a little café, Le Delphin, and settled in for a cappuccino and croissant before continuing our day. The croissant was so crispy and fresh. The kids had delicious crepes too!
A Little Time at the Beach
After breakfast, we headed toward the water. The beach in Cassis was beautiful, with incredibly clear Mediterranean water and the rocky coastline surrounding us. We had a drink at Le Comptoir de la Plage.
The kids had a chance to explore and get in the water, and we spent some time just enjoying being there.
Lunch by the Mediterranean
Eventually, we worked up an appetite and stopped for lunch at Brasserie Le Cendrillon. I tried their special which had large shrimp, veggies and rice. Mark tried the steak tartar with fries. The rose was amazing and comes from this region of Cassis - a must try!
Wandering Around Cassis
We wandered through Cassis before heading out and found the cutest little bakery, Les Roches Blanches, with fresh French Pastries. We picked some up to go and brought them back on the cruise ship with us.
Notre-Dame on the Way Back
Just when we thought our day was over, our cab driver had one more suggestion. On the way back, he took us to see Notre-Dame. Notre-Dame de la Garde, also known as "La Bonne Mère" or The Good Mother, is a Catholic basilica in Marseille, France. We loved learning about the history while viewing the inside of the church.
The stop gave us another beautiful perspective of Marseille and the surrounding area before we headed back.
A Beautiful View of Marseille
The views of Marseille from Notre Dame were incredible. If you have the time, it is a must see destination. There are so many other things to see in this area, and I'm so glad we got to experience the places we did.
Visiting Cassis from a Cruise Ship
We really enjoyed visiting Cassis during our Mediterranean cruise. There were a lot of options in this port for what to do and I can't speak about the other options, but we absolutely loved this day. If you get a chance to visit Cassis or The Calanques, I highly recommend it!
If you like this post, check out 3 Days in Barcelona with Kids Itinerary or purchase my 17 Days through Barcelona, the Mediterranean and Rome Travel Guide on Etsy! xo, Bri
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