Full-day eco-friendly boat tour of the Calanques National Park

Marseille’s Calanques cover a 20-kilometer (12 mile) stretch of coastline between the village of Les Goudes (a community in the southwestern corner of Marseille) and the town of Cassis. Enjoy an environment-friendly boat ride on an hybrid electric boat. From the Vieux-Port, sail South across the beautiful Bay of Marseille, and learn about the oldest French city's rich history as you watch its monuments from ashore. Reach the gates of the National Park of the Calanques, the “Baie des Singes” (Bay of the monkeys) between the Maïre Island and the Croisette Cap.The setting is majestic, from the limestone cliffs overlooking untouched in lets, to the tiny fishing ports dotted with tiny “cabanons” (typical provençal cabins). Beyond the famous Grotte Cosquer (Cosquer paleolithic cave), you'll also pass by other marine caves, such as the Grotte Bleue and the Grotte du Capelan.The numerous fossils encrusted in the limestone are evidence of a story that began more than one hundred million years ago with the accumulation of sediment in the seabed, followed by an uplifting during the Tertiary Period (when the Alps took shape). Erosion has accentuated the rifts and given birth to the rugged landscape we see today. This boat ride will allow you to enjoy a quiet ride through this untouched scenery and to admire the local well preserved marine floral and fauna. You'll have time to swim, to explore the underwater world and to have a pleasant lunch on board on a halt between Marseille and Cassis. Carpe Diem!