Marseille Calanques Passion · Port-Miou, Cassis
A certified instructor leads a small group by paddleboard from Port-Miou in Cassis along the cliffs to En-Vau, where you spend an hour on the beach. It is the one trip on this site that puts you on En-Vau's sand, because boats can't land there and you arrive under your own power.
Marseille Calanques Passion is a small outfit, and the guide guests keep naming is Vanina, a certified paddleboard instructor who grew up near these cliffs. You meet by the Tennis Club Presqu'île at Port-Miou, the long inlet on the western edge of Cassis, collect a pre-inflated board, a paddle, a life jacket and a waterproof bag, and start with half an hour in the calm water of the inlet.
Then you paddle out along the park coast for about an hour, past Port-Pin, to En-Vau. Boats haven't been allowed to land there since the 2000s, and since 2021 they can't even anchor. You pull your board up on the pebbles, swim and eat for about an hour, then paddle back. The park page on En-Vau notes the cove has no bins and falls into shade in the afternoon, so bring everything back out with you.
Beginners are welcome, but this is three hours of paddling on open sea with boat wakes. The listing rules out non-swimmers, guests over 100 kg and anyone with low fitness, and the wind decides how hard it is. If the forecast is bad, the trip can be moved or cancelled. The reviews are few next to the boat trips, but almost all of them are glowing.
Next to the Tennis Club Presqu'île, on the other side of the car park. Look for the grey Marseille Calanques Passion van.
Board, paddle and safety basics in the sheltered inlet.
Along the cliffs of the national park, past Port-Pin.
Land on the beach, swim, eat and look up at the walls.
The same way back to Port-Miou, wind permitting.
★★★★★Highlight of our trip!! Vanny our tour guide was so lovely and helpful- would definitely recommend
★★★★★100% recommended. It's really worth it. Vanina is the best.
★★★★★Incredible trip. As a novice it brought us so much confidence on the open sea with busy boats around.
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Yes. The landing ban applies to boats, and anchoring is banned for boats in En-Vau and Port-Pin. On this tour you paddle in and spend about an hour on the beach.
No, beginners are welcome and the first 30 minutes are practice in Port-Miou. You do need good fitness and must be able to swim; the wind decides how hard it is.
Next to the Tennis Club Presqu'île in Port-Miou, Cassis, on the far side of the car park. Look for the grey Marseille Calanques Passion van.
The hike from Port-Miou is about an hour each way with a steep final descent. Paddling is about an hour each way too, with a guide and food. Our hike or boat guide compares them.
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Paddle from Port-Miou into En-Vau with a local guide and swim from the beach no boat may land on.
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