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Plage du Prophète, Marseille. olrat/Shutterstock
Marseille, one of Europe's sunniest cities, increasingly draws young crowds that lazily soak up the sun during the spring and summer months. The surging popularity of the city's stretch of coastline has prompted local government to make green pledges to protect its biodiversity. Try to make as little personal imprint on the environment as possible by using public transportation, bicycles, or e-scooters instead of renting a car, and staying in eco-certified accommodations.
From sandy city beaches popular with families to secluded calanques (inlets) where you might find yourself all alone, here are the best beaches in and around Marseille.
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1. Plage des Catalans
Known locally as Les Catalans, this sandy popular beach favored by families, is the first as you walk out from the port. As friendly as it is noisy, it is a heaving and convulsing feast on the senses in summer. Here you can sink into the sand with easy access to the sea, something not to be taken for granted in Marseille.
At the top of the steps, there are a host of bars and restaurants to sit and sip your drinks as the sun goes down. Naples-inspired Tripletta is a local favorite.
Location: Rue des Catalans, 13007
Parking: No official parking
Amenities: Lifeguard-monitored from 9:30am–7pm in summer months, volleyball court, restrooms, public check room
Hours: Open 7am–11pm
Dog-friendly: Dogs not allowed
2. L’anse de Malmousque
With a tranquil port of tiny boats surrounded by houses you would expect to see in a Provençal village, Malmousque offers another world from the chaos of Marseille. Particularly favored by younger generations – either city residents or visitors on vacation – this array of uncomfortable rocks for beautiful bodies is a vibe, whether you turn up early or for sundown. Access it off the rue Boudouresque, from the Corniche Kennedy, where the local institution L'eau à la Bouche serves crispy yet gloopy pizza to enjoy on the rocks. Head to Pigment for late afternoon or post-sun drinks on the terrace.
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Location: Anse de Marseille, 13007
Parking: No official parking
Amenities: None
Hours: Open 24 hours
Dog-friendly: Dogs allowed on a leash
3. Calanque de l'Everine
In your search for unique creeks in this sacred part of the Mediterranean, the Calanque de l’Éverine rewards the sweat and effort required to reach it. Take the train from Gare Saint Charles a few stops to Niolon, which has its own rocks to drift off from, and hike the Chemin des Douaniers route under a natural canopy of trees to an idyllic pebble-strewn inlet from where you can gaze across to the city you just left behind. On a good day, it will be just you and glorious nature.
Location: 13820 Ensuès-la-Redonne
Parking: None
Amenities: None
Hours: 24 hours
Dog-friendly: Dogs only on a leash, must be kept from protected flora and fauna
4. Plage du Prophète
The beach that never quits. Further along the Corniche Kennedy from Malmousque, and on the cycle and moped path that stretches for many miles along the coast, Prophète is a classic spot that will have you lounging with people who have been tanning at Olympic levels for generations. The crowd never seems to abate, even late into the night. Friendly restaurant Chez Marco offers views across the beach and serves simple, standard regional fare.
Location: Corniche Kennedy, 13007 Marseille
Parking: Parking Palm Beach (P1) is close by and has 162 places – but you will be lucky to find a spot.
Amenities: First aid and lifeguard-monitored in summer months, volleyball court, restrooms, and showers.
Hours: 24 hours
Dog-friendly: No dogs allowed
5. Le Cap Croisette
Out at the very edges of Marseille, Les Goudes is a fishing village in transition. With Tuba Club, the most elite of boutique hotels, offering a Marseille-meets-LA experience, it may still be sleepy in these parts, but the neighborhood is being rudely nudged awake.
Le Cap Croisette is perfect for lounging in a gloriously colored deckchair for rent from the bayside restaurant La Bais des Singes in the summer months. However, at any other time, this trek to the edge of the world is still invigorating.
Head back to the village, where there are a host of bars and restaurants, with Chez Paul the best of them all. Stop by Cécila's, a local who opens her home from Thursday to Monday, for an authentic village experience. Her regional sandwiches and welcoming energy are a must-do experience before, or after, disappearing into the crystal turquoise waters, as you should.
Location: Cap Croisette, 13008
Parking: Do not try – you will likely get towed
Amenities: Shops, bars, restaurants
Hours: 24 hours
Dog-friendly: On a leash only
6. Plage de la Bonne Brise
Otherwise known as Plage de la Verrerie, this beach is a personal favorite, despite its distance from town. It has no scar-inducing rocks to perch uncomfortably upon, just a small yet vibrant horseshoe-shaped sandy beach accessed through a narrow alley from the street. It's not one for the height of summer, but perfect when visiting in spring. Nearby, the Cabanon de Paulette is busy on the weekends, where bronzed, hot, sun-worshippers get drunk together in a fog of lust and coconut-scented tanning oil.
Location: Bd Bonne Brise, 13008
Parking: Small parking lot, some paid parking spots Monday to Saturday, from 9am to 6pm. Do not depend upon them
Amenities: Snack shop, rest room and showers
Hours: 24 hours
Dog-friendly: No dogs allowed
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