Cassis is a Mediterranean fishing port in southern France full of charm, pastel-colored buildings, sidewalk cafes, and restaurants. Located about 45 minutes east of Marseille lies this colourful harbor town known as the mini St. Tropez.

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Cassis was our 4th stop for the day. I still can’t believe how much we did and saw in one single morning, it was incredible.

After starting our day visiting Bandol and then a quick trip to the Calanques de Figuerolles, followed by the most breathtaking and scary drive along the Route des Cretes, we finally arrived in Cassis.

A lot right? I know!

If you’ve read some of my other travel posts, you’ll know that Yann and I travel fast. We only have a small amount of time together on our trips and so we try to pack a crap ton of stuff into one single trip as possible.

This one was no different.

The Colourful town of Cassis

We drove into Cassis past the Carolingian Chateau de Cassis, which was actually once a refuge for locals.

We didn’t spend a whole lot of time in this colourful and charming town but simply walked around and enjoyed taking in the sights around us.

Arriving a little later in the day, there were lots of people out and about enjoying the beautiful weather and lounging at the beach.

Yann and I walked along the sand and then along the boardwalk once again admiring the boats all docked at the port.

Cassis offers amazing views with the hub and heart of Cassis being the port that is lined with pretty pastel-coloured houses. They make for a lovely backdrop. From the port, you can see all the boats coming and going and the many tourist boats taking visitors out to see the Calanques and the surrounding areas.

This view is one I don’t think I could ever tire of. It’s just so charming!

We continued walking along the side of the water and yo girl obviously had to pose for some photos!

Cassis was actually so cute and I really wish we’d had more time to explore.

I pretty much say that about every place we visit though haha.

But for reals. I’m still waiting for that one trip where we can take our time in one single destination and really just enjoy the culture and really get a feel for the town. Until then, though, I’m glad I even get the chance to experience these gorgeous places, even if just for a short while.

We passed several restaurants that looked very inviting with their beautiful patio chairs out and we actually decided to stop at one and have a refreshing beverage and engage in some people watching.

What? Don’t judge me, you know you do the same thing!

So anyway, after our beverages, we walked around a little bit more taking some of the paths winding through the buildings and looking at the small but charming side streets. 

After we had our fill, we then set off back to the car.

Calanque de Cassis

A very quick drive brought us to the Calanques de Cassis. Two Calanques in one day?! Crazy, I know, I was in view Heaven.

I’d never heard of Calanques before this trip and here I was visiting two different ones back to back.

What is even life!!

Now I’ll admit, this one wasn’t as pretty as the Calanques de Figuerolles but it was still a beautiful place to explore.

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Just for a quick recap of what Calanques are, they are a unique type of rock formation found exclusively along the Mediterranean coastline. They’re formed when limestone is eroded away over hundreds of years to create small inlets along the cliff edges.

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I was definitely NOT wearing the proper attire to walk along the Calanque, but Yann and I were feeling like adventurous souls.

We trekked along the side of the Calanque, climbing up and down thin paths, at times on our hands and feet, and it was fun!

In hindsight, it was probably a little dangerous. If I’d taken one wrong step or lost my footing, a fall to my death could’ve been a very real thing.

I might be being a little dramatic there, haha, but ya get the gist.

So if you’re going to do some trekking along the sides of cliffs, it’s definitely better to wear running shoes and not a short dress haha!

We realized what time it was and that our little hike took a little longer than planned, so we started making our way back to the car to drive the rest of the way to our final destination and where we would be staying for the next 3 days.

While I didn’t get to spend a whole amount of time there, I’m definitely happy that I got to visit Cassis.

I’ve taken the liberty of doing a little research and giving you more suggestions of things to do in Cassis should you want to visit yourself….and obviously for my next visit as well. I do believe there will be a next time, where I get to stay a few days so that I can really soak in the town and experience more of its charm.

So what is there to do in Cassis and where should you stay?

Cassis is home to colourful and pretty port houses and tiny little lane streets and there is no shortage of lovely places to stay.

Soak up the charm of this Provençal port and stay a night or two directly in the town.

Stay at the Chateau de Cassis for a unique and luxurious time.

Spend the night at the Address Cassis

Check out the map below for more options or click here to view all the options listed out!