The three Calanques

This is a very pleasant hike to do in spring to enjoy the scents, light, swimming and views that nature has to offer.

Details

432580
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 15.59 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 438 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 429 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 245 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from the free car park at the schools.

(S/E) Cross the main road, walk about 100 metres and then go through the gate on your right to access the hiking trail. Take the Chemin des Esclades to reach the plateau.

(1) Head towards the Puits de l'Œuvre, ignore the first path on the right and take the second path on the right, which is well cleared of trees. A few hundred metres further on, at the three-way junction, turn left. At the next intersection, turn left again. Continue, go around the well via the path on the right and tackle a short steep climb to reach Basses de l'Œuvre (a rock resembling a boat).

(2) Descend to the right at an acute angle to reach the esplanade. At the intersection, ignore the path in front of you and the one on the left that goes uphill, cross the esplanade to reach the paved road. Follow the road to the right, then take the descent to the left, the path surrounded by pine trees that descends the Vallon des Fontêtes. Pass the game reserve on your left and take the left path at the three-way junction to reach an olive grove. Cross it and continue on the main path to reach a steep descent before reaching a three-way junction.

(3) Follow the steep path ahead, which looks like a river bed. A little further on, ignore the turnoffs to the right and left to reach the viaduct and Figuerolles beach, which is accessible via the scree.

(4) Cross the beach and climb up the steep, grassy cliff. Turn left to join the customs officers' path that leads to the Calanque de la Vesse. Along the way, note the remains of the last war and a large rock on the path (be careful, this is a difficult and slippery passage). When you reach La Vesse, head towards the sea, cross the port and the car park, keeping the abandoned houses on your right, until you reach the steps.

(5) Be prepared for a steep climb. At the start of the descent, do not take the path on the right, but continue straight ahead to reach the road in front of the restaurant. Cross the Calanque de Niolon, go through the railway tunnel and turn left towards Le Poseur. Follow the railway line along the stony path, but do not go down to the beach. Take the second path on the right to climb up to Fort de Niolon Haut.

(6) After the small stone bridge, the road climbs steeply. Halfway along the road, ignore the fork on the right and continue climbing. On the plateau, turn left to join the DFCI road and then right again.

(7) At the Fort de Niolon, take a sharp left turn and climb up to the small annex battery (beautiful view, ideal place for a break).

(8) Descend by the same route.

(7) Continue west on the path (do not take the track parallel to the left, stick to the path) and pass the ruins. Follow the path, ignoring the paths branching off to the left and right. Further up, at the intersection with the main road, turn left onto Chemin du Médecin au Jonquier.

(9) At the T-junction, follow the path on the right that leads to the Plaine du Sui. Stay on the path marked "PR®" on the map but not signposted, ignoring the paths on the right. At elevation 228, ignore the path coming from the left and continue north-west. Ignore the first path on the left and continue to a crossroads.

(10) Continue north-west. Leave the two paths on your left and join the paved road to Niolon (barrier). Cross the road and follow it to the left (elevation 213) to reach a barrier.

(11) Go through the barrier, ignore the paths on the left and right, cross the Médecin plateau, above the houses, and descend the steep path to reach the paved road. Go through the barrier and continue east on the paved road to reach a crossroads (elevation 228).

(12) Turn left and then immediately right to take a path that follows the direction of the road. Stay on the ridge and, after a slippery descent, leave the paths on the right and left.

(13) Climb up in front of you and return to the ridge to reach the Peace and Love cross.

(14) Continue west and begin the rocky descent. Follow the rocky ridge on your left to reach a crossroads that you took on the way up.

(2) Follow the same route as on the way up, passing by the Puits de l'Œuvre, to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 133 m - Free parking at the schools
  2. 1 : km 0.71 - alt. 178 m - Crossroads
  3. 2 : km 2.09 - alt. 195 m - Descend towards the plateau
  4. 3 : km 3.72 - alt. 74 m - Intersection of three paths
  5. 4 : km 4.46 - alt. 1 m - Climb back up along the cliff
  6. 5 : km 5.29 - alt. 4 m - Stairs
  7. 6 : km 6.1 - alt. 34 m - There is a steep climb after the bridge
  8. 7 : km 6.86 - alt. 160 m - Crossroads
  9. 8 : km 7.16 - alt. 179 m - Small spare battery
  10. 9 : km 8.33 - alt. 198 m - T-junction
  11. 10 : km 9.97 - alt. 228 m - Sui Plain
  12. 11 : km 10.87 - alt. 215 m - Go through the barrier and head straight ahead
  13. 12 : km 12.2 - alt. 229 m - Crossroads - Cote 228
  14. 13 : km 12.92 - alt. 243 m - Low point between the two ridges
  15. 14 : km 13.15 - alt. 245 m - "Peace and Love" cross
  16. S/E : km 15.59 - alt. 133 m - School car park

Notes

Caution! Between (4) and (5), several hikers have reported a tricky section.

Bring water, sunglasses, good walking shoes, swimsuits and towels.
Don't be afraid of heights and have a good sense of balance.
Of course, respect nature and take your rubbish with you.

Worth a visit

Along this route, you will enjoy the Puits de l'Œuvre, the Figuerolles calanques, La Vesse and Niolon.
The views of Marseille and the islands, a visit to the Fort de Niolon Haut and the natural surroundings.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 30 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.1 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Fontenotte
Fontenotte

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We have just completed this hike, at least in part.
We decided to change the end of the route because the plateau du médecin isn't interesting, so we went straight from point 9 to the well via a pretty path through the heath.
Above all, shortly after point 4, the trail is closed due to rock falls, and the detour took us to the top of the hamlet of La Vesse.
It's a shame that the route wasn't changed accordingly

Machine-translated

Entrechaux
Entrechaux

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful route, best enjoyed in spring or autumn, as it can get quite crowded otherwise

Machine-translated

Alb11
Alb11

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice hike to Niolon. Tedious return trip on the plateau.

Machine-translated

Claude 13720
Claude 13720

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did this beautiful hike in the opposite direction to make the most of it before lunch by the sea. The route is varied in difficulty. Please note that there are no conventional markings on most of the route. A GPS device is recommended. A beautiful hike, definitely worth doing again!

Machine-translated

manoumady
manoumady

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

beautiful hike with sea and hill views

Machine-translated

francois stéphane
francois stéphane

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a very beautiful route with a few tricky sections on slopes and a rock passage requiring a rope for the thrill seekers. After the Niolon fort and the beautiful tree-lined descent, it's easy to get a little lost from the car park and the abandoned road, which isn't particularly interesting. The finish is nice.

Machine-translated

rando_gs
rando_gs

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk, allowing you to reach the seaside with its characteristic rocky inlets.
The views are superb, the only downside being that the return trip to the plateau du médecin is tedious and flat, making it seem long.
Best done in winter to avoid the crowds!

Machine-translated

francois stéphane
francois stéphane

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The first part is superb with a few tricky sections (a short descent with a rope and a narrow path with a vertiginous drop to the sea, but no risk if you stay focused for 20 metres).
the end is fairly dull with an 800-metre stretch of old road before descending to the finish. In the end, it's 15/16 km with a few minor errors but fabulous panoramic views of Marseille from the sea side

Machine-translated

nanou13430
nanou13430
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful landscapes and a breathtaking view of the Good Mother. I recommend it, but be careful with children. Indeed, some passages are a bit dangerous

Machine-translated

Bouillet François
Bouillet François

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

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

We encountered difficulties because the signage for access to the calanques is very inconsistent
A bit challenging in places with chains. Very beautiful calanque

Machine-translated

ratonas
ratonas

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 22, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great hike on 22/12/20 with my dog Oslo. Beautiful weather on the seafront and thick fog inland. That didn't stop me from having a great day. The hike is a bit challenging. You need to be in good shape.
If you use the description, it's average. So I used the Visorando app.
There's a slightly difficult section on the customs officers' path, especially with a large dog like mine, who isn't very agile.
The views are just wow! A must-do.
I'll definitely be back in the spring.

PS: A quick comment on the new version of Visorando => A disaster...
On my Garmin GPS, I got 17 km in 5 hours and 25 minutes, while the app said 14 km in 4 hours and 30 minutes

Machine-translated

alaindefos
alaindefos

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike, especially along the coast. I can confirm that certain sections between points 4 and 5 are difficult, especially for children. Please note that there is currently a major issue, unrelated to Visiorando, which is that the path is blocked due to work on the sea wall at the port of La Vesse, preventing anyone from passing. If you still want to do it, it is possible by going back up the access road that leads to Le Rove for about 700 m and, after a bend, taking a small path that climbs up to the left and joins the road that connects Le Rove to Niolon. Then, go down the paved road to point 6 and continue the hike. It is true that between points 6 and 8, after a small bridge, there is a fairly steep climb. A word of advice: this hike is likely to be difficult in summer as there is very little shade, so it is best to do it in spring.
Please note that there are no signposts, which is a shame.

Machine-translated

daodejin
daodejin

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 05, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike, both in the Fontête valley and along the coastline with the ports of La Vesse and Niollon.
A little gem: Figuerolles beach with its splendid view of Marseille

Machine-translated

PL21
PL21

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely walk. You can take a dip at Figuerolle beach, which is almost deserted.
When the (rare) trains pass over the viaducts, it looks like a miniature railway!

Machine-translated

Nature et passion
Nature et passion

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 03, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant walk with magnificent landscapes overlooking the sea and stunning coves. Highly recommended. There were a few moments of uncertainty along the way, but overall the route was very well signposted.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

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.