Sormiou and its surroundings
Framed by the two peninsulas of the Sormiou ridge in the southwest, and by the Morgiou ridge in the northeast, the Calanque de Sormiou is the one of the most famous and most visited of the Marseille calanques. It is located in the 9th arrondissement of the Phocaean city. At the bottom of the cove there is a large paid parking lot, only available when it is not summertime and for restaurant customers who have booked. It is the largest of the creeks in the Calanques National Park with its 61 meters long. It is bordered by a hundred picturesque little sheds and a port sheltered by a seawall with a launch accessible to residents. A few miles from Marseille, you will discover while hiking, a timeless landscape far from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Sormiou is a popular destination for fishing, hiking and climbing lovers. It is indeed the place where scuba diving takes place, with its many nearby caves and magnificent seabed. The high cliffs surrounding it provide many rock faces that will charm climbing fans. Its sandy beach is located on the right side of Sormiou. Its turquoise water is dotted with darker areas due to posidonia, an aquatic plant. It is the only calanque with a swimming area and which is supervised during the summer period. For your meals, you will find a few restaurants right next to the water. If the Calanque de Sormiou alone is worth a visit, take the time to discover its surroundings.
On the right, you will find a path that leads to Cap Sormiou and goes over 2 small creeks, until Cap Redon. A little further away, you can see the Capelin cave, a semi-submerged cave with 3 entrances that will delight both climbing lovers and divers, as well as simple swimmers who can easily access it by sea in a few fathoms. On the left, the path leads to the Crête de Morgiou via Sormiou port and 2 pretty small pebble beaches. At the far left, you will find the prehistoric Cosquer cave, whose entrance has been sealed for security reasons and to preserve the cave paintings.
To get to Sormiou, there are 2 different ways: from the Baumettes car park or from the Cayolle car park and you will need about an hour's walk from these two car parks. The Chemin de la Cayolle is not sheltered from the sun so remember to bring a hat or cap and sunscreen. The path is easy but you should still take good shoes and a bottle of water. A drinking water fountain is available in the car park if you want to fill your bottles. Parking is charged at about 4-5€ for a day. Also remember to keep nothing in your car as thefts are quite frequent in this car park. Visiting the Calanque de Sormiou will bring you a scent of paradise and this, just a stone's throw from Marseille.
