Great place to visit, long walk as you have to park the car outside national park area... Little hint , if you gave kids or don't want to walk tell the guard that you gave booking in the restaurant - the only place to eat anyway, they let you drive in! We walked, had swim in amazing blue water, great lunch in restaurant and hiked for 2 hours around calanques !
One of the bigger beach in a calanque by Marseille. Great turquoise water and an awesome swim place! We were there at the end of September and were able to drive to the calanque. The road is little and two cars cannot cross each other and it is very steep . There are spots to stop when you see another car. Parking was 4 euros once you get there. Overall, it's a fun place to spend a nice sunny afternoon and relax!!
Visiting Calanques is one of the most recommended things to do in Marseilles. There are many of them. This Calanque is accessible by car only during off peaks. If you are here during peak seasons, you need to walk down and then back up through long hikes, or take the boat from Cassis (Recommended). In any case, driving down the slopes and then back up again requires a lot of concentration and prayers, so I don't recommend to arrive here by car any way.
It proved challenging to access this calanque by car in that, at it's gate ( some 2 km from the sea...and with steep roads not easily walked) ,there was a rather arbitrary control of cars allowed to enter. We had a local with us, and a pregnant guest, so we were allowed, but most were not. Would a few euros have worked? Once at the beach, we discovered that the (2) restaurants did not serve food after 2PM until dinner at 7PM. And we could not sit at their tables. Drinks were available but even that was arbitrary as to where they would serve you. Being resourceful and by mixing with the "locals", we eventually established a rapport to allow some pasta for our pregnant guest, bottles of chilled rose for the rest. The swimming was ok from a small , busy beach area. All in all, the place left much to be desired and seemed to not want our business.
You have to go there to see by yourself this amazing place!! This calanque is reachable by car, so in case you have a car this is the best one to visit.
We visited in September, it was perfect time. The summer weather were still there but with much less tourists ( I imagine ) . We were ready for walking in rocky trail...so we arrived with our hiking shoes. Arrived in the gate, they did not allow us to enter with the car. It took us 45 minutes walked down rocky cliff with view of Calanque de Sarmiou and its blue turquois water in front of us. We passed some small holiday houses (?) before arriving at small size sandy beach. We got picnic on the beach, sunbathing and swimming all day there. It's very beautiful place to visit...
We didn't know what we were getting ourselves into on this jaunt into Calanque Country. We took the 23 bus from Rond Point du Prado to La Cayolle. It deposited us in a remote-seeming residential area surrounded by rocky hills. We asked a woman for directions and, heeding them, "continued straight".We soon realized how much easier our trek would have been had we come by car. But we are young and can hold our own on a hill or two, so we began: up a steep winding asphalt road (cars passing us), then the start of the trails. From there you can descend to the little village of Sormiou or go up and around to the left for a scenic hike, which is what we did. We also noticed that most people had come with a picnic, which made us jealous/hungry (don't forget your picnic!!). We hiked up to a scenic vista - one of Marseille and a bit further, down on Sormiou. We sat and chatted before taking the steep trail down to the village. The wind (mistral) was roaring at the top of the cliffs, and we fluctuated between being hot and cold the whole way. Meanwhile the sun beat down. The trail to the village was less windy, as we were protected by the rocks.We dipped our toes in the sea, surrounded by tourists and babies and kids building stick forts. I don't think there was a single local around. We sat for a €4 Heineken at a bar (where space in the sun was in high demand and where the bathroom light was broken and the water didn't run...too much traffic I guess?).The hike back up from the low port was extreme. I don't even know how we managed. We just didn't stop, navigated the rocky path like two serious hikers. Which we are not - proving that even you can do this.All in all, fantastic. The weather held, the hike did us good, the views were beyond belief. It was maybe a little disappointing to go into the village, but for a cold beer on a hot day, a great place to rest.
A must see in Marseille. Beautiful cliffs, blue water. Can be seen either going there by car or from the sea by taking a boat.
I have a painting in my house and after 7 years ....i have discovered that is Sourmiou!Visiting In february nobody was here:just like heaven!the colours of the water so green and blue..breathless!
Beautiful peaceful spot with great walks in and out. Loved it in May although I hear it gets crazy in summer.