Spend a day between Aix-en-Provence’s elegant old town and the raw limestone fjords of Calanques National Park. This private tour pairs a guided walking tour with a boat trip through Cassis’s dramatic calanques.
More ways to explore the area's outdoor wonders
The day begins on a wide avenue of plane trees and café terraces: Cours Mirabeau wakes slowly, pastry steam curling from boulangeries as your guide steers you through Aix-en-Provence’s seventeenth-century palaces and the narrow lanes where Paul Cézanne first sketched light. You move at a walker’s rhythm — pausing beneath carved stone balconies, stepping into Saint-Sauveur Cathedral where centuries of repairs have left a layered face of Romanesque and Gothic stones. The guide’s voice maps social history onto façades: merchants’ plaques, the marble of Hôtel de Ville, the slow commerce of an old provincial capital.
Difficulty
moderate
Duration
7–8 hours
Fitness Level
Suitable for travelers in average shape who can handle 2 hours of walking on cobbles and brief uneven shore approaches.
Wildlife
History
Aix grew from a Roman spa (Aquae Sextiae) into a wealthy provincial capital in the 17th century; Cassis’s maritime trade and viniculture shaped its compact harbor and village economy.
Conservation
Calanques National Park is protected — stick to marked areas, avoid anchoring on posidonia meadows and follow local rules to reduce impact on fragile coastal habitats.
Reserve your spot on the Aix en Provence & Cassis Private Tour with Official Tour Guide ! today and enjoy a trusted, highly rated experience designed to help you make the most of your adventure.
Start early for calmer seas
Book a morning departure to avoid afternoon winds and enjoy smoother, clearer boat views inside the calanques.
Bring layered sun protection
A wide-brim hat, high SPF sunscreen and UV sunglasses are essential — the limestone reflects sunlight intensely on the water.
Wear sturdy shoes
Cobblestones in Aix and pebbly or uneven paths along viewpoints in Cassis require supportive footwear with good grip.
Pack swimwear and a quick-dry towel
If conditions allow, there’s time to swim at a sheltered cove — bring a swimsuit and something light to dry off.
Comfortable walking shoes
Supports cobblestones in Aix and uneven viewpoints near the calanques.
Sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen)
Protects you from intense reflected sunlight on the water and exposed viewpoints.
summer
Swimwear and quick-dry towel
Useful if you plan to swim from a sheltered cove during the boat stop.
summer
Light waterproof jacket or windbreaker
Keeps you warm on open-deck boat rides and in breezy conditions.
spring