Calanques Boat Tour — Private Charter from Cassis, Swimming, Cap Canaille & Lunch
Calanques Boat Tour — Private Charter from Cassis, Swimming, Cap Canaille & Lunch
FULL DAY
MARSEILLE / AIX
PRIVATE — UP TO 12 GUESTS
Among the most breathtaking coastlines in all of Europe, the Calanques are a world apart — dramatic white limestone cliffs plunging into water of impossible blue-green clarity. This private calanques boat tour, reserved exclusively for your party of up to twelve, glides through five of these extraordinary natural inlets over two immersive hours, with the rare privilege of anchoring to swim in their sheltered, crystal waters. The afternoon reveals the same landscape from the opposite extreme — from the summit of Cap Canaille, the highest maritime cliff in France at 400 metres.
Whether you are planning a day trip to cassis from marseille, travelling from Aix-en-Provence, or joining as part of a cruise port excursion — your private vehicle collects you directly from your hotel or port for this calanques cruise unlike anything available on a shared group boat.
THE OUI LOVE DIFFERENCE
A fully private calanques boat tour — no shared decks, no strangers. Your boat is reserved exclusively for your party. The captain pauses at the most magnificent inlets — En-Vau, Port-Pin, Port-Miou, Sugiton, and Morgiou — so your group may slip into the crystalline water. An experience simply unavailable on any shared group boat.
The full day — from the water and from above. Most calanques private boat tour experiences end at the port. Ours adds Cap Canaille — the highest maritime cliff in France — where the same coastline you swam through that morning stretches out 400 metres below. Two perspectives, one extraordinary day.
Lunch reserved in advance at the port of Cassis. Your table is pre-reserved at a carefully chosen port-side address — the catch of the day fresh from the local fishing boats, a glass of Cassis rosé from the surrounding vineyards, appetite earned and salt still in the air.
Tour Overview: Calanques Boat Tour
The Calanques National Park
Created in 2012, the Calanques National Park protects one of the most extraordinary coastal landscapes in Europe — 20 kilometres of white limestone cliffs plunging into turquoise water along the coast between Marseille and Cassis. Your private boat visits five of the most spectacular inlets: En-Vau, Port-Pin, Port-Miou, Sugiton, and Morgiou — pausing at the most sheltered spots for swimming in water so clear you can see the seabed ten metres below. The finest calanques de cassis boat tours experience available on a private basis — and the only calanques private boat tour that includes all five inlets, swimming stops, and a reserved lunch at the port.
Cassis — The Village & the Port
The most perfectly preserved fishing village on the French Mediterranean — pastel-coloured waterfront, morning market, and the vineyards that produce Cassis AOC rosé rising directly behind the port. The perfect cassis day trip from Marseille or Aix-en-Provence begins here: this day trip to cassis from marseille that goes well beyond the village itself — into the water, up to the summit, and back to the port for lunch. The morning in Cassis village before embarkation and the port-side lunch after the cassis boat trip to calanques are as much a part of this experience as the boat itself.
Cap Canaille — Highest Maritime Cliff in France
At 400 metres above the sea, Cap Canaille is the highest maritime cliff in France and one of the most dramatic viewpoints in the entire Mediterranean. From the summit, the entire coastline unfolds: the calanques you navigated by boat that morning, the village of Cassis far below, and the open Mediterranean stretching to the horizon. The same landscape, seen from its most extraordinary vantage point.
What's Included in the Tour?
- Private chartered boat
- 2-hour Calanques cruise
- Swimming stops in the calanques
- Cap Canaille summit — panoramic stop
- Expert local guide throughout
- Savonnerie de la Licorne factory visit and personalised soap workshop
- All transfers and parking
- Private round-trip vehicle transfer — Marseille or Aix-en-Provence
- Gratuities (optional but appreciated)
- Snorkelling equipment
- Meals and drinks
Itinerary - Morning & Afternoon Departures
08h30 — Pickup · Marseille or Aix-en-Provence
Your private vehicle departs from your hotel in Marseille or Aix-en-Provence, taking the spectacular Route des Crêtes where possible — a ridge road offering sweeping panoramas over the Mediterranean before the descent into Cassis. No shared coaches, no meeting points. The calanques day trip from marseille that begins the moment you step outside your hotel. ~35 min.
09h05 — Cassis Village · Morning at the Port
Stroll the pastel-coloured waterfront of one of the most perfectly preserved fishing villages on the French Mediterranean. Browse the morning market, savour a café at the port, and take in the extraordinary setting — the limestone cliffs of the Calanques rising directly behind the village, the vineyards of Cassis AOC above the port, the fishing boats already back from their morning catch. ~55 min.
10h00 — Embarkation · Port of Cassis
Board your exclusively reserved vessel at the port of Cassis — your private charter, your group alone, ready to depart into the Calanques National Park. ~10 min.
10h10 — Private Calanques Boat Tour · 2 Hours
Set sail into the Calanques National Park for the finest cassis boat trip to calanques available on a fully private basis. Over two hours, your captain navigates through five iconic inlets — En-Vau, Port-Pin, Port-Miou, Sugiton, and Morgiou — pausing at the most sheltered spots to allow guests to swim in the translucent waters below the white limestone cliffs. Water of impossible clarity, silence broken only by the sea. ~2 hours.
12h10 — Lunch · Port of Cassis
Back at the port — appetite earned and salt still in the air. Your table is reserved in advance at a carefully chosen port-side address where the catch of the day arrives fresh from the local fishing boats. A glass of Cassis AOC rosé, produced in the vineyards visible from your seat, is the only fitting accompaniment. Suggested and reserved to your preference at time of booking. ~1h15.
13h25 — Cap Canaille · Summit Panorama
The highest maritime cliff in France — 400 metres of sheer limestone above the Mediterranean. From the summit, the entire coastline unfolds: the calanques you navigated by boat that morning, the village of Cassis far below, and the open sea stretching to the horizon. The same landscape seen from its most dramatic vantage point — and the perfect final chapter to this extraordinary day. ~45 min.
14h10 — Return Transfer · Marseille or Aix-en-Provence
Your private vehicle returns you to your hotel in Marseille or Aix-en-Provence. Arrival approximately 14h45. ~35 min.
Add a licensed, officially accredited guide for expert commentary on the geology and ecology of the Calanques National Park — one of France's most extraordinary protected landscapes. Your guide explains how these ancient limestone formations were carved over millennia and identifies the rare flora and fauna of the cliffs as your boat glides past. Available on request at time of booking.
Cancellation Policy
For groups of 1-6 people:
- Free cancellation up to 48 hours in advance
- No refund for cancellations less than 48 hours ahead or no-shows.
For groups of 7+ people:
- Free cancellation up to 7 days in advance
- 50% refund between 7 days and 48 hours in advance
- No refund for cancellations less than 48 hours ahead or no-shows.
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
Guests consistently rate this calanques boat tour as the finest day on the French Riviera — for the silence and privacy of the exclusive charter, the extraordinary clarity of the water at En-Vau and Port-Pin, and the perspective shift of Cap Canaille — a calanques cruise and a summit panorama in the same extraordinary day.
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