Choose your beach
Marseille is brimming with beaches and swimming spots. Here’s our guide to the main places to swim, starting with the nearest to the city centre, and ending with the furthest away.
- The Catalans beach (83 bus)
As the nearest beach to the city centre, this spot is often very, very busy but if you dive a bit deep, you’ll find statues: The Marseille Underwater Museum! There are also pitches where you can play volleyball on this beach.
- The Vallon des Auffes (83 bus)
A bit further along the corniche, you’ll find the Vallon des Auffes, a small port where many people go for a dip in the sea. Easily reachable on foot or by public transport, you won’t find any fine sand here, just big rocks.
- Malmousque / Endoume / Maldormé (83 bus)
The cove of Malmousque, an old fishing port, is now a very popular spot for swimming. Follow the seafront and you’ll also find other small rocky spots where you can sunbathe and go for a dip. If you’ve got water shoes, they’ll come in handy!
- Prophètes beach
The Prophètes beach is sandy and quite large, and is popular with families, and friends meeting for the traditional French ‘apéro’, meaning an early evening social gathering around drinks and perhaps a small snack.
- Prado beach
The largest beach in Marseille is at Prado. It’s more touristic than the city’s other beaches, with many sporting facilities, lawns, and food outlets.
- The Pointe-Rouge beach and beyond…
A bit further along, the Pointe-Rouge beach is a big, fine sandy beach with a family-friendly atmosphere and surrounded by restaurants. It can quickly get very full in the summer.
After the Pointe-Rouge, you’ll find a number of small beaches: L’Abri Côtier (also known as the Phocéens beach), La Madrague, Le Bain des Dames, Les Goudes… We’d recommend you explore them all, they’re magnificent!
- On the other side of Marseille
There’s just one beach on the northern side of Marseille: the Corbière beach. You can take the 35 bus to get there, and get off at the stop ‘Corbière base nautique’.
A bit further along, you’ll find the calanques (rocky inlets) of the ‘Blue Coast’, starting at Niolon.
- The Frioul islands
For an 11€ round-trip from the Old Port, you can visit the Frioul islands and explore their many beaches and inlets. Take care during the seagulls’ nesting period as they are protective of their nests and their young. Make sure to stay on the paths!
- Calanques National Park
Finally, Marseille is also famous for its calanques. The Calanques National Park is situated to the south of the city. With many hiking trails, this park is the best option for a real escape into nature, within easy reach of Marseille by public transport. The most well-known calanques are Sugiton, Morgiou, Sormiou and En Vau. Access to the park in the summer is restricted due to fire and overcrowding risks. If you want to visit, you’ll need to book in advance on the Park’s website: https://calanques-parcnational.fr/en
Header photo : Stéphane Pachot
