The most beautiful beaches of Marseille

The oldest city in France was born from the sea, as it was founded by Greek sailors from the distant Phocaea in Asia Minor. The port has always been at the heart of Marseille’s prosperity and the city also has a sumptuous coastline that attracts many tourists every year. Discover the city’s best swimming spots, the most beautiful beaches in Marseille and the secret coves of the calanques.

15 beaches with supervised swimming

In the summer season, 15 areas are reserved for supervised swimming.

Several beaches to the north of Marseille, in the Estaque district.

Corbière Fortin
Corbière Batterie
Corbière La Lave
An island beach, on the Frioul Archipelago :
Frioul Saint Estève

Beaches near the city center, along the Corniche Kennedy :

Plage des Catalans : The nearest beach to Vallon des Auffes ;
Plage du Prophète

Beaches with a seaside resort atmosphere to the south of Marseille :

Prado Nord (Petit Roucas)
Prado Nord (Grand Roucas)
Prado Sud
Huveaune (David)
Borély
Bonneveine
Vieille Chapelle

Spots for swimming in the Calanques:

Pointe Rouge
Sormiou

These supervised beaches also have instructions and sanitary facilities, to provide comfort and safety for swimmers.

Are you looking for peace and tranquility and escape? You can also swim in the many wild creeks of the Calanques, accessible by boat or on foot.

The public beaches of Marseille are freely accessible. Some spots can be very crowded in summer, and parking difficulties may arise. Opt for sustainable modes of transportation or plan a beach outing early in the morning or in the evening!

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Beaches in the heart of the city

France’s second largest city, with 800,000 inhabitants, is permanently open to the Mediterranean Sea. The beaches invite themselves into the heart of Marseille and are easily accessible, for the most part, by public transport.

To the north, the Corbières beaches await bathers at the exit of the small fishing port of l’Estaque.

The Catalans beach, much appreciated by the people of Marseille, is less than a kilometer as the crow flies from the Old Port. On the Corniche, the Prophète beach, easily accessible, is also particularly popular in summer. After sunbathing or taking a dip in the Mediterranean, you can have lunch or dinner at a waterfront restaurant on the Corniche or at Vallon des Auffes.

To the south of the city, not far from the Borély Park, Marseille is a trendy seaside resort with the equipped and supervised Prado beaches: restaurants, stores, playgrounds, large lawns make the Prado and Escale Borély beaches very popular with Marseille residents and tourists, who come here as a couple, with friends or family. Several restaurants allow you to have lunch or dinner with your feet in the water at L’Escale Borely.

Further south, Pointe-Rouge offers a breathtaking view of the sea, the islands and the hills of Le Rove. Beyond, you leave the city to enter the heart of a wild, spectacular and luminous territory, protected by the Calanques National Park. Here as well, beach huts and waterfront restaurants welcome vacationers, locals, and swimmers.

The Frioul archipelago, accessible only by boat, is also a paradise for swimmers. A shuttle bus service provides easy access to the beaches of the Frioul archipelago in Marseille.

The Calanques of Marseille

Between Marseille and Cassis, a white limestone massif meets the Mediterranean Sea. Between the vertiginous white cliffs, creeks of various dimensions and features are hidden. Discover the famous calanques.

Sormiou is the only rocky inlet offering supervised swimming. It is accessible by car, with a paying parking lot, or on foot if access to the massifs is forbidden.

Morgiou also offers small beaches and swimming areas. It is accessible by car or only on foot, depending on the season.

Other rocky inlets, only accessible on foot or by boat, are very popular with vacationers, locals, swimmers and boaters. Accessible from Luminy, the Calanque deSugiton is reserved for the most motivated walkers. But your effort will be rewarded: you will find in the heart of wild landscapes several pebble beaches, including a naturist beach (unsupervised), and water of great purity. En-Vau, with its spectacular scenery, offers a foretaste of paradise.

Warning: Access to the rocky inlets is regulated and may be prohibited in summer in case of fire risk. Plan on bringing hiking shoes and an ample supply of water.

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Bathing water quality

In order to ensure that bathers enjoy quality water, the town carries out regular checks on more than twenty points. A beach weather forecast enables vacationers and locals to keep themselves constantly informed about the quality of the water on the various beaches of Marseille. The quality of bathing water is available in the summer on the Marseille City Hall website.

On the supervised beaches, restrooms and showers offer bathers all the comfort and hygiene they expect.

Tourism and Disability in the bay of Marseille

The beaches of Prado Sud and Prado Nord have been awarded the Tourism & Handicap label since 2005. They have been developed to meet the needs of people with disabilities: people with reduced mobility, visually impaired people, and people with mental or psychological disabilities.

Amphibious vehicles enable the most severely disabled people to get to the water and enjoy the joys of swimming in the best conditions of comfort and safety.