Calanques - The Arbutus Walk (Arbutus unedo)

de fr

This easy walk allows you to admire the arbutus trees, especially during the last two months of the year. At this time of year, these trees are still in bloom and their red and orange fruits light up the landscape. This walk also offers beautiful views of the Bay of Marseille (Frioul Islands, Col de Sugiton, Île Riou) and Mont Puget.

You are in the Calanques National Park, which is subject to specific regulations. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in a fine of up to €1,500.

Details

n°408340
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.81 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 134 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 132 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 277 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 145 m
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

The arbutus trees
Fruit - Arbutus trees
Arbutus flowers
Arbousier

Description of the walk

(S/E) The walk starts from the Luminy car park, where you take the path that goes through a barrier and is signposted towards Sugiton.

(1) Turn left (blue sign) just before the bench. The path climbs a little at the beginning and then runs alongside the fence of the Luminy Campus (on the left). Stay on the blue trail, continuing straight ahead.

(2) Turn left, staying on the blue markings.

(3) When you reach the fork, continue to the right, turning sharply, and continue to cistern no. 68

(4) Continue straight ahead. Leave a track on your left and continue to the Col de Sugiton (cistern no. 65).

(5) Take the path on the right that leads back to Luminy. Red/white, blue/yellow and green markings. Continue to follow the blue route. At the first fork, take the left and then keep right at the next fork.

(6) At the crossroads, turn right.

(1) Continue straight ahead to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 145 m - Luminy car park
  2. 1 : km 0.63 - alt. 163 m - At the crossroads, turn left
  3. 2 : km 1.7 - alt. 191 m - At the crossroads, turn left
  4. 3 : km 2.85 - alt. 224 m - At the fork, take the hairpin bend to the right
  5. 4 : km 4.09 - alt. 274 m - Citerne 68, straight ahead
  6. 5 : km 5.15 - alt. 216 m - Turn right - Col de Sugiton (215m)
  7. 6 : km 6.08 - alt. 166 m - At the crossroads, keep right
  8. S/E : km 6.81 - alt. 145 m - Luminy car park

Notes

There is a water fountain not far from the Luminy car park barrier on the left-hand pavement.

(5) We recommend taking a detour to the Sugiton Belvedere, which offers exceptional views (but is often a little too crowded). To do this, do not turn right towards Luminy but continue straight ahead until you reach the orientation table.

Worth a visit

The arbutus trees

Sugiton viewpoint for those who want to enjoy a rather extraordinary panorama of the Bay of Marseille. The place is often windy and crowded.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 32 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
User 26476184

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 02, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An easy walk along a path at least 2 to 3 metres wide, set in wooded countryside. We were with an 8-year-old who found it easy. For a Saturday during a three-day weekend, we came across very few people. On this circular route, there are people on the main path at the start for about 10 minutes, then on the same main path on the way back (20 minutes), which we rejoin further up. We went to the Sugiton viewpoint (10 minutes to get there and the same to return via the circular route). The view is sensational.
Please note: to turn left at the start of the walk, it’s not a bench. There’s a large rock. It was the route markers on the app that helped me make sure I was going the right way.

Machine-translated

User 28190901

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 30, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

An easily accessible, well-signposted route.
Beautiful views of the coastal cliffs, the islands, Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde...

Machine-translated

MALTERRE Thierry
MALTERRE Thierry
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 21, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk with no difficulties; be careful at point 1 when turning left, don't look for a wooden or iron bench, it's a large flat rock that serves as a bench!
Don't miss the detour to the viewpoint.

Machine-translated

Robert0252
Robert0252

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy and pleasant walk

Machine-translated

julientestiboule
julientestiboule

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Well marked from start to finish: blue signposts.
A detour to the viewpoint is a must given the panoramic views on offer 👌.

Machine-translated

sormiou
sormiou

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Be careful at the start... we were in a group and missed the left turn... even though it's clearly marked in blue! Best to visit when the arbutus trees are in bloom and bearing fruit

Machine-translated

juliemolto
juliemolto

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Enjoy your Christmas walk with my mother-in-law and my dog! No difficulties! It's always very busy at the start, but hikers go in different directions, which keeps the traffic flowing and makes it very pleasant!

Machine-translated

Ay44
Ay44

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The start and end of the hike are at the Luminy car park, which is very (too) busy, but very quickly there are very few hikers and a few mountain bikers. Thank you for this lovely walk through the strawberry trees with their ripe fruit.

Machine-translated

SAUBESTY
SAUBESTY

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Difficult parking. It is better to park in the large car park behind Kedge and walk a little further.

Machine-translated

Claudett&Georges
Claudett&Georges

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant forest path, no difficulties.

Machine-translated

Myriam1366
Myriam1366

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An easy, well-marked route. Lovely views of Marseille and a beautiful walk in Luminy, far from the crowds that frequent the trails in December.

Machine-translated

Neoveron
Neoveron

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Pleasant hike, although I found the app a little complicated to use (I'm a novice)

Machine-translated

britelebois@yahoo
britelebois@yahoo

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice hike, however, in my opinion, the signposting is insufficient.

Machine-translated

chrisbleue84
chrisbleue84

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very quick walk with no difficulty at all, so we first pushed on to the viewpoint, then descended to the Sugiton cove, returning in 3 hours.

Machine-translated

marcavejan
marcavejan

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk with beautiful views of Marseille harbour and the Frioul Islands. Perfect for families with children. The duration of the walk is as described and there are no difficult slopes.
Nice.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking Aiguille Guillemin and Grande Candelle from Luminy

Visorando Member
L'Aiguille Guillemin et la Grande Candelle au départ de Luminy
↔10.91 km ↗+446 m ↘-446 m ◔4h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône)
From the Luminy estate, take a tour of Mont Puget, where you will discover the pleasant climb of Aiguille Guillemin and beautiful views from Mont Puget and Grande Candelle. You are in the Calanques National Park, which is subject to specific regulations. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in a fine of up to €1,500.

Walking Calanques from Marseille to Cassis - Stage 2

Visorando Member
Calanques de Marseille à Cassis - Etape 2
↔20.68 km ↗+957 m ↘-1,071 m ◔8h 40 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône)
From Luminy to Cassis via the Devenson Cliffs. Panoramic hike passing through the most beautiful eastern calanques of Marseille: Sugiton, En-Vau and Port-Pin. You are in the Calanques National Park, which is subject to specific regulations. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in a fine of up to €1,500.

Walking Above Sugiton

Visorando Member
Au-dessus de Sugiton
↔10.52 km ↗+248 m ↘-247 m ◔3h 45 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône)
A fairly easy walk in the Calanques National Park, offering beautiful views of the area.

Walking Cap Gros, Mont Puget and Aiguille Guillemin

Visorando Member
Le Cap Gros, le Mont Puget et l'Aiguille Guillemin
↔12.19 km ↗+496 m ↘-496 m ◔4h 55 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône)
A superb hike, with extraordinary views of the calanques, especially in good weather. It is classified as difficult because it includes two fairly arduous climbs and a tricky descent, but it can be done by any average hiker in good shape. You are in the Calanques National Park, which is subject to specific regulations. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in a fine of up to €1,500.

Walking The Corniches Paretti, the Calanque du Devenson, the Couloir des Huluberlus

Association / Club / Walk leader
Les Corniches Paretti, la Calanque du Devenson, le Couloir des Huluberlus
↔12.53 km ↗+863 m ↘-863 m ◔7 hrs ▲Extremely difficult
⚑Departure from Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône)
This route, combining hiking and climbing, will take you from Luminy to the Calanque du Devenson, reputed to be the most difficult of the Calanques to access, via the Balcon du Socle de La Candelle, the Pas de l'Oeil de Verre and the Corniches Paretti. The ascent will be via the Corniche Aérienne and the Couloir des Huluberlus. The more traditional return route will take you along the Crête du Devenson, the Vallon de La Candelle and the Sentier des Treize Contours before returning to Luminy. You are in the Calanques National Park, which is subject to specific regulations. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in a fine of up to €1,500.

Walking The Sugiton, Morgiou, Triperie, and Sormiou coves

Visorando Member
Calanques, Sugiton, Morgiou, de la Triperie et Sormiou
↔13.47 km ↗+671 m ↘-671 m ◔5h 45 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône)
A walk with breathtaking views of four coves (calanques)

Walking Sugiton and Morgiou Calanques

Visorando Member
Calanques de Sugiton et de Morgiou
↔7.51 km ↗+338 m ↘-337 m ◔3h 05 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône)
Visit the calanques of the Luminy estate in Marseille with exceptional panoramic views You are in the Calanques National Park, which is subject to specific regulations. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in a fine of up to €1,500. (!) Moderator's note following a comment on 13 February 2026. See Practical Information.>Please be aware that this hike takes you along the "Sugiton chimney", a passage that is not particularly technical but is exposed and climbs (or descends, depending on the author's perspective) about ten metres, without ropes or chains, over polished rocks.

Walking Cap Morgiou with return via the ridges and the Col de Morgiou

Visorando Member
Cap Morgiou avec retour par les crêtes et le Col de Morgiou
↔11.45 km ↗+468 m ↘-464 m ◔4h 35 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône)
A beautiful, challenging loop with some tricky climbs and stunning views. Cap Morgiou is an archaeological site. Everything seems to date from 1811 to 1813, but there is no evidence to suggest that it was fortified in 1614. You are in the Calanques National Park, which is subject to specific regulations. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in a fine of up to €1,500.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.