Calanques & Route des Crêtes
Jun 10th, 2015, 02:40 PM
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Calanques & Route des Crêtes
We are driving from Nice to La Ciotat/Cassis mid September. Via Michelin gives 2h21 as the driving time to La Ciotat, and we will leave first thing in the morning. The original plan was to drive the Route des Crêtes en route to Cassis with a piquenique along the way. (Stu says to allow 1/2 day for the RdesC.) The more I read about the Calanques, I'd really like to take the boat out to see at least 3 of them.
My question is this: Should we drive straight in to Cassis to see the Calanques first? (Wondering about afternoon boat availability.) It seems the Route des Crêtes would also be fabulous late afternoon/sunset. Then we would see it going both east AND back west!
Please advise. We are only staying in Cassis one night, & would like to depart fairly early the next day to spend time in Aix. (41 min drive)
It will be great either way, but I would love to hear from those of you who have done this.
Thank you!
My question is this: Should we drive straight in to Cassis to see the Calanques first? (Wondering about afternoon boat availability.) It seems the Route des Crêtes would also be fabulous late afternoon/sunset. Then we would see it going both east AND back west!
Please advise. We are only staying in Cassis one night, & would like to depart fairly early the next day to spend time in Aix. (41 min drive)
It will be great either way, but I would love to hear from those of you who have done this.
Thank you!
Jun 10th, 2015, 03:23 PM
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I think my itinerary said (at least I intended it to say) that a round trip excursion from Aix to the Massif de la Ste Baume plus the Route des Cretes would take a half-day. If you drive from Nice to la Ciotat and do the Route des Cretes from la Ciotat, the RdC might take 1 1/2 hrs max with stops for better views. Also, because Cassis is west of the RdC - the sun will be in your face in the afternoon looking out over Cassis.
From my itinerary:
Cassis and the Massif de la Ste Baume and the Corniche des Cretes allow ½ day w/o a stop in Cassis. Add 1 night to this itinerary if you want to visit Cassis & some of the surrounding areas.
This can be done as an excursion from Aix-en-Provence, unless you want to spend a night in Cassis. You’ll drive along some mountain ridges with unusual rock formations & outcroppings, and then along beautiful cliffs above the coast with some impressive views. Do this on a clear day and early in the morning to get the best views of Cassis & the coastline.
Leave Aix east on the A8 and then take the A52 south to Aubagne. At Aubagne, look east to see the Massif you will be driving through later. Past Aubagne, take the A50 to la Ciotat. Get off the A50 at exit #9. Navigating through la Ciotat to get to the eastern start of the Corniche des Cretes is a little tricky & impossible to describe here. The Michelin Red guide has a useable map for finding the start (it’s not in the green guide). Look for the signs for the D141 to Cap Canaille or Cassis.
This will get you to the Corniche des Cretes** & Cap Canaille***. Follow this route west, making sure that you take the small side road to Semaphore du Bec de l’Aigle where you will get a good view of la Ciotat and also west along the coast. Stop at Cap Canaille. Along this route you will see a parking area along the road & probably some people walking up a hill to a higher view point. Walk up this bluff - the view is even better. Continue on the D141 until you hit the D559.
Go northeast on the D559 & get on the A50 back to Aubagne. Near Aubagne, try to take a route to Gemenous (sorry – don’t know the interchanges necessary to do this – I actually did this itinerary in the opposite sequence, starting at the Massif de la Ste Baume and then the corniche). Take the D2 west to drive along the Massif de la Ste Baume**. If it’s a Saturday or Sunday, you will likely encounter a lot of bicyclists along this route. Continue on the D2 until it hits the D80 & take the D80 east to Nans-les-Pins. Continue till the D80 ends at the N560 and take the N560 west toward Aubagne & through Auriol to the N96 intersection, where you will take the N96 north to get on the A52 and back to Aix.
Stu Dudley
From my itinerary:
Cassis and the Massif de la Ste Baume and the Corniche des Cretes allow ½ day w/o a stop in Cassis. Add 1 night to this itinerary if you want to visit Cassis & some of the surrounding areas.
This can be done as an excursion from Aix-en-Provence, unless you want to spend a night in Cassis. You’ll drive along some mountain ridges with unusual rock formations & outcroppings, and then along beautiful cliffs above the coast with some impressive views. Do this on a clear day and early in the morning to get the best views of Cassis & the coastline.
Leave Aix east on the A8 and then take the A52 south to Aubagne. At Aubagne, look east to see the Massif you will be driving through later. Past Aubagne, take the A50 to la Ciotat. Get off the A50 at exit #9. Navigating through la Ciotat to get to the eastern start of the Corniche des Cretes is a little tricky & impossible to describe here. The Michelin Red guide has a useable map for finding the start (it’s not in the green guide). Look for the signs for the D141 to Cap Canaille or Cassis.
This will get you to the Corniche des Cretes** & Cap Canaille***. Follow this route west, making sure that you take the small side road to Semaphore du Bec de l’Aigle where you will get a good view of la Ciotat and also west along the coast. Stop at Cap Canaille. Along this route you will see a parking area along the road & probably some people walking up a hill to a higher view point. Walk up this bluff - the view is even better. Continue on the D141 until you hit the D559.
Go northeast on the D559 & get on the A50 back to Aubagne. Near Aubagne, try to take a route to Gemenous (sorry – don’t know the interchanges necessary to do this – I actually did this itinerary in the opposite sequence, starting at the Massif de la Ste Baume and then the corniche). Take the D2 west to drive along the Massif de la Ste Baume**. If it’s a Saturday or Sunday, you will likely encounter a lot of bicyclists along this route. Continue on the D2 until it hits the D80 & take the D80 east to Nans-les-Pins. Continue till the D80 ends at the N560 and take the N560 west toward Aubagne & through Auriol to the N96 intersection, where you will take the N96 north to get on the A52 and back to Aix.
Stu Dudley
Jun 10th, 2015, 04:19 PM
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There are afternoon boats for the Calanques. We were there at the end of August and I am quite sure we did an afternoon trip. The route e creates is easy to get to from Cassis. It is a beautiful drive with places to stop and stare. You will have a fabulous time.
Jun 11th, 2015, 01:41 PM
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Thanks so much, yipper & Stu! We are so looking forward to exploring this area along the coast. We'll stick to the original plan then, and hope to manage the calanques that afternoon. We can always do an early boat the next morning as plan B.
Jun 11th, 2015, 02:55 PM
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For a preview of what you'll be seeing, there are photos of both the Route des Cretes and the boat trip to the Calanques in my Provence phototravelogue at https://goo.gl/photos/MFMqTG5KsFpWED388. Be sure to click on the i in the white circle to read the captions.
Jun 11th, 2015, 06:54 PM
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WOW!!! Your pictures are really wonderful, Semimike! I just scrolled through each one, wishing you were here to share a glass of red and give me a running commentary. It will be fun to visit again after our trip, just to see how many more places we can recognize!
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