Cassis: the most beautiful beaches to visit on a holiday

The magnificent beaches of the Côte d'Azur, a stone's throw from the fishing village

If you're travelling with children or just want to stay close to Cassis to enjoy its restaurants, shops and amenities, there are two beaches to choose from.

Bestouan beach: easy access for a day at the beach with the kids.

Plage du Bestouan is the second largest beach in Cassis, although it remains on a human scale. Made up of pebbles, this beach faces south. The view over the rocky Cap Canaille, where the famous Route des Crêtes is located, is breathtaking.

It's practical for families with children, with showers for rinsing off and a first-aid post. To get there, simply walk for a few minutes from the old port of Cassis along the sea to the west. The walk takes 8 minutes.

🚗 Where can I park at Bestouan beach?

If you're coming by car, the beach has an EFFIA "Cassis Bestouan" car park just a few metres from the water.

🍴 Where to eat? Bestouan beach is home to the Same Same Beach restaurant, where you can enjoy a morning coffee, lunch or an aperitif as you watch the night fall over Cap Canaille. From 10am to midnight on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and from 10am to 8pm on Sundays and Mondays.

Grande Mer Beach: the largest beach in Cassis

Opposite of Bestouan beach, on the other side of Cassis, Grande Mer beach is the town's largest beach.

Just a stone's throw from the historic centre, its fine sand plunges gently into the sea, making it a pleasant beach for all the family. The beach has public toilets, showers, several restaurants and nautical centres where you can hire kayaks, stand-up paddles, etc. The lifeguard station is active throughout the summer season.

This is one of the most beautiful places in Cassis to watch the sunset. To your left, the Château de Cassis towers over Cap Canaille.

🚗 Where can I park at the Grande Mer beach? The beach is just a few metres from Cassis harbour, you can see it from the tourist office. For cars, the nearest car park is the "parking Savon", under the square Gilbert Savon.

🍴 Where to eat? Le Grand Large is the restaurant along the beach. It serves Mediterranean dishes and cocktails, and part of the beach is reserved for deckchairs and parasols, available for hire by the day or half-day.

⏰ Opening times: lunchtime from 9 a.m. to 2.45 p.m., then from 7 p.m. to 9.45 p.m. Open every day except Wednesday.

Plage de l'Arène, away from the crowds If you want to get away from the crowds and buildings, Plage de l'Arène is a 10-minute drive away.

It's a pebble beach nestling at the foot of Cap Canaille. There are no showers or toilets, as this is not a public beach.

👉 How do I get to the Arène beach?

Walking from the centre of Cassis, it takes just 20 minutes to reach the beach.

By car, you can reach it in 9 minutes.

The nearest car park is the EFFIA "Cassis La Madie" car park, although you'll need to walk another 2 minutes to get to the beach.

Corton beach, the little cove (in French)

Just before the Plage de l'Arène, the little Corton cove is made of pebbles.

It has public toilets and a kayak hire centre, "Cap Kayak", which can be found on Facebook

🍴 Where to eat on Corton beach?

The sumptuous Michelin-starred restaurant La Villa Maddie is all about flavour and refinement.

⏰Hours: noon to 1.15pm and 7.30pm to 12.30am on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. From midday to 1.15pm on Mondays.

The blue beach, after a short walk

Continuing westwards past Plage du Bestouan, a 20-minute walk along the water's edge will take you to Plage Bleue. This beach is actually made up of huge rocks that plunge into the sea. Access is difficult and swimming is not easy; you need to know how to swim to get into the water and back up onto the rocks.

It's a magnificent spot and much less touristy. From here, you're just a stone's throw from the calanque of Port-Miou.

🚗 Where can I park at Plage Bleue?

If you're coming by car, you can park in the "Port Miou" car park.