Harbour

Port-Miou

3.3Cassis, FranceMarseille and the Calanques

Maximum length: 55 ft
VHF channel: 9
Maximum draught: 9 ft

A 457-berth marina set inside the Port-Miou calanque, 0.9 NM SW of Cassis, within the Calanques National Park.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

South-facing entrance into a narrow calanque, sheltered from all sectors except SE. Maximum draught 3 m. Visual approach from seaward with lateral marks at the calanque mouth. Berths are mostly bow to a buoy with a stern line run to a ring in the cliff, so carry 20 to 30 metres of warp and often two. Staff help when free but can be busy, and the outer buoys lie well off over rocky ground. Speed limits apply inside the national park. Harbour on VHF 9.

Practical

457 berths on pontoons and buoys. No fuel on site, nearest at Cassis harbour. There is no electricity and water only at the quay, so on a buoy be self-sufficient for water, power and black water. A launderette and ice machine sit at the harbour office, reached by dinghy, with bins at the cliff-top car park. Book ahead, the office opening about 2pm to 8pm; berths are scarce and dear for the lack of services, roughly 17 to 70 euros by size.

Ashore

National park trails start from the marina, En-Vau calanque 2.5 km on foot via GR 98-51. The Calanque de Port-Pin is a 15 minute walk. Cassis town centre is about 2.5 km by the coast path, a 30 minute walk, with shops and the market on place Baragnon Wednesday and Friday mornings. A few restaurants stand by the car park. Cap Canaille cliffs visible from the quay.

History

The calanque was worked as a limestone quarry until the mid twentieth century, Cassis stone being used for the quays of the Suez Canal among other projects. It became a yacht harbour after quarrying ceased.