GR-51: Marseille Coastal Path (5 days)

Coastal footpath Marseille stage 3 The highest cliffs in France offer a spectacular view

Narrow paths high above the cliffs, cliffs almost 400 meters high, views of fjords and the deep blue sea: when you look at the landscape you are almost willing to think of Norway - if it weren't for the many vineyards, the Mediterranean climate and everywhere the southern French way of life , How does that fit together?

The solution to the riddle: We are talking about the area around Marseille, in the south of which the Calanque massif extends. The spectacular, fjord-like bays and the rugged little islets are thanks to these small mountains.

In the middle of the "Parc National des Calanques"

Starting from Bandol, a small coastal town on the Côte d'Azur, the "Coastal Hiking Trail Marseille" designed by us leads (www.kuestenwanderweg-marseille.de) in five stages along the French Mediterranean coast towards Marseille. Most of the route runs along the GR 51 long-distance hiking trail. At two points, however, we switch to the yellow-marked coastal hiking trail "Sentier Littoral" and the "Sentier du Cap Canaille". This has the advantage, among other things, that we do not have to do without the impressive panoramic hike on Cap Canaille, which leads over the highest cliffs in France and which is unfortunately left out of the GR 51.

The ideal travel time for Marseille and the surrounding area is in spring between March and June and in autumn from mid-September until November. In midsummer, the Parc National des Calanques is often closed to hikers due to the risk of forest fires, so that the last two stages are not accessible.

The Calanque coast near Marseille with its fantastic hiking opportunities would probably have remained completely unknown to us if we had not been made aware of this region by an exciting thriller by Cay Rademacher. In the fourth volume of his Provence crime novels, Cay Rademacher has his Capitaine Roger Blanc investigated in the Calanques ...

Inspiring pictures, free route downloads and much more can be found on our separate info website: www.kuestenwanderweg-marseille.de.

Rating

Condition90%
Landscape100%
Culture & culinary100%
Selection of accommodations80%

Duration and route

0
Days
Duration
0
km
Route

altitude

0
km
Ascent
0
km
Descent

One of the stops on the hike: the port of La Ciotat

The bistro "Le Belge" in the Calanque de Marseilleveyre

  • Coastal footpath Marseille stage 1 between Saint Cyr sur Mer and La Cadière dAzur

41 Comments

  1. Milan
    9 January 2022

    is the GR51 part of the bigger GR5 or a separate one?

    Reply
    1. Frank
      9 January 2022

      Hello Milan,
      the GR5 and the GR51 cross near Nice, but are completely different routes.
      Regards
      Frank

      Reply
  2. Leonie
    July 15, 2022

    Hello Frank,
    I am traveling to Marseille with my boyfriend soon and we would love to walk your trail! It looks very nice.
    Do you happen to know if there is camping along the route? We would like to just travel with a tent and save on accommodation.
    Lovely wishes,
    Leonie

    Reply
    1. Frank
      July 21, 2022

      Hello, Leonie,

      Yes, there are official campsites in many places, just search on Google Maps or similar. I have read various statements about wild camping in France (forbidden? tolerated?). However, I generally advise against wild camping in very touristy regions – especially in southern France right on the coast.
      Regards
      Frank

      Reply
  3. Dimitri K.
    September 18, 2022

    Hello,

    Tout d'abord, un big merci pour ce partage! :)
    Conseillez vous également le chemin in the other sens ? Nous prévoyons de partir de Marseille et aimerions bien finish près de La Cadière d'Azur.

    Sincerely.

    Dimitri

    Reply
    1. Frank
      September 19, 2022

      Hello Dimitri,
      In principle, you can hike the trail in both directions, for technical reasons there is nothing wrong with your plan. I deliberately planned the hiking route as shown here. Why? Because the hiking route becomes more beautiful from day to day. In my opinion, stages 4 and 5 are the highlights of the hike, so I put them at the end for dramaturgical reasons :-)
      Regards
      Frank

      Reply
  4. Anna
    26. February 2023

    Hello Frank,
    Is the change done with the dog?

    Reply
    1. Frank
      26. February 2023

      Hi Anna,
      yes, I think that's no problem. The choice of accommodation is probably a bit more limited, but in principle the tour should also be doable with a dog.
      Regards
      Frank

      Reply
  5. Amro Haj Yehia
    March 6, 2023

    Hello Frank,
    is this hike also suitable for older people? I plan to hike in this area with my mom (66). She is already fit, but we would like to have your opinion on this before we plan the trip..
    Do you have any other recommendations for routes around Marseille that are more suitable for seniors?
    Thank you,
    Amro

    Reply
    1. Frank
      March 12, 2023

      Hello Amro,
      are you planning the hike as a long-distance hike (with your own luggage on your back)? Does your mom have experience with this kind of long-distance hike, eg from the Alps? If not, then I would advise against it... However, you can also do large parts of the long-distance hike as individual day hikes, so you have much less luggage to carry and still have great hiking days. The following link for this: https://www.kuestenwanderweg-marseille.de/variante-wanderurlaub-mit-fester-unterkunft-in-marseille/.
      I hope this helps you!
      Regards
      Frank

      Reply
  6. Jana
    March 29, 2023

    Hello Frank,
    If I buy your GPS and map material, is there also the function to be navigated automatically (e.g. via google and then with voice announcement) or do I always have to look at my cell phone?
    Your hikes all look really exciting, but I don't quite trust myself with the map alone.

    Best wishes Jana

    Reply
    1. Frank
      2 April 2023

      Hi Jana,
      Yes, some GPS outdoor apps offer such a navigation function. However, I've never tried that. A description of how this should work can be found under the following link:
      https://www.outdooractive.com/de/knowledgepage/alle-touren-navigieren-und-entspannt-ans-ziel-kommen-/44983809/
      Maybe you can test it with a tour in your area.

      Regards
      Frank

      Reply
  7. Sarah
    June 14, 2023

    Dear Frank, a little late, but an even bigger THANK YOU for the detailed description of the hiking tour. We hiked this and it was a really great holiday! Without your website we would never have come up with it. We hike a lot, also multi-day tours, but I'm not super sporty - I found the tour quite demanding (especially the last two days). I didn't expect it to be so much up and down (I should have read the description more carefully :D). But the effort is more than made up for by the beautiful scenery.
    Kind regards, Sarah

    Reply
    1. Frank
      June 15, 2023

      Hello Sarah!
      That makes me very happy! It's quite a walk up and down, but the view is the most spectacular from the top :-)
      Best regards,
      Frank

      Reply
  8. Ann Acar
    June 15, 2023

    Dear Frank,
    It is indeed a very beautiful walk. The scenery is magnificent. However, I would like to add that the walk for dogs is quite hard. The underground is rocky for the paws (dog shoes!) and there are many high steps to take, which exhauts them extremely. My dog ​​is very sportive and she did it, but she clearly suffered joint pain the last couple of days.

    Reply
    1. Frank
      June 16, 2023

      Hello Ann!
      That's right, the hike is certainly very strenuous for dogs. It's great that you made it anyway!
      Regards
      Frank

      Reply
  9. Daniela
    July 28, 2023

    Dear Frank, I bought the Gr 51 tickets yesterday and to be honest I'm disappointed. They don't do me any good...
    Will plan it based on the stages on Komoot. Best regards, Daniela

    Reply
    1. Frank
      July 28, 2023

      Hello Daniela,
      can you be a bit more specific as to why you are disappointed? Is something missing from the product description for the PDF cards?
      The idea behind the PDF maps is actually two things:

      • Paper backup (paper does not require a battery)
      • Some people prefer to hike analogue than constantly with their smartphone in hand

      Regards
      Frank

      Reply
  10. Ralitsa Donkova
    August 11, 2023

    Dear Frank, my brother and I walked through the Calanques a few months ago. We followed your guide to the letter, including the lodging suggestions, and we had a great time. It's a fantastic area with beautiful scenery and we couldn't have managed this hike without your guide! The GPX files were super easy to use in Komoot, and the descriptions of each stage prepared us for each day ahead. Thank you for providing such exhaustive and detailed instructions!

    Reply
    1. Frank
      August 12, 2023

      Hello Ralitsa,
      Thank you for your lovely feedback, I appreciate that!
      Regards
      Frank

      Reply
  11. Leona
    9 October 2023

    Hello Frank,
    Thank you for the information about this tour! Unfortunately I only have 4 days to hike. The start of stage 2 is difficult to reach by public transport. Do you have any idea? Maybe an alternative route?

    Reply
    1. Frank
      9 October 2023

      Hello Leona,

      In that case I would skip stage 2 completely (it is the least spectacular in terms of landscape) and shorten stage 1 slightly. In other words: At km 12,5 of stage 1, take a longer break on the beach in Saint-Cyr sur-Mer and from there continue to the accommodation in La Ciotat (either by bus or by train). See also Barbara’s report: https://www.kuestenwanderweg-marseille.de/fragen-erfahrungsberichte-und-tipps-zum-kuestenwanderweg-marseille/#comment-882
      Regards
      Frank

      Reply
  12. Marco Lorenz
    18 October 2023

    Hello Frank,

    In 2020 we followed your recommendation and hiked in the Algarve. Now we would like to hike in Marseille. Unfortunately, I'm not really free from giddiness. Is the hike still doable?

    Regards

    Marko

    Reply
    1. Frank
      18 October 2023

      Hi Marko,

      That's a good question - and unfortunately I find it difficult to answer if you're not affected yourself. For some, even short spots close to the edge are scary, while others don't even notice them as critical along the way.
      The special feature of the hike on the coast near Marseille is definitely the cliff landscape - you can find some pretty spectacular photos on the website. Stage 3 is definitely such a “highlight” (deliberately in quotation marks). However, you don't necessarily have to walk as close to the edge as I do from time to time for photos, and there is also the coastal road parallel to the hiking trail just a few meters away, which you could switch to if necessary. So even if you're afraid of heights, you'll definitely reach your destination.
      Stage 4: Here you would have to use the following picture to judge whether this makes you dizzy: https://www.kuestenwanderweg-marseille.de/wp-content/uploads/K%C3%BCstenwanderweg-Marseille-Etappe-4-Aussichtsreiches-Wandern-auf-dem-GR51.jpg. This is one of those places where I'm not sure whether it's unproblematic or not.
      Stage 5: The only thing that comes to mind spontaneously is the small climbing section towards the end, but there is a workaround for it.
      I hope this assessment helps you a little!
      Regards
      Frank

      Reply
  13. Stephane AMIOT
    7 November 2023

    Hello,
    Merci pour cet itinéraire, pensez vous que cela soit faisable fin fevrier ?
    Sincerely

    Stéphane

    Reply
    1. Frank
      7 November 2023

      Hello Stephane!

      I think the hike can in principle be done at the end of February - provided you have good footwear in case it is wet and slippery.

      Regards
      Frank

      Reply
  14. Rianne
    6 January 2024

    Hello Frank,

    We want a part of this route open with only children. Wet ever have an overnight stay in Cassis and Les Gaudes? The stage is 20 km long, we can now never go well in the shadow of the good thing that was done, of which it is very hoogteverschillen. Can you help the army?
    The 20 km can be climbed, and children can also climb. We're happy!

    Yours faithfully,
    Rianne

    Reply
    1. Frank
      9 January 2024

      Hello Ryan,

      If I understand you correctly, would you like to hike stage 4 and stage 5 in one day? I would actually advise against this. That would be over 1.200 meters of ascent and descent in one day. This is quite demanding as an adult with overnight luggage and, in my opinion, far too much with children (depending on their age). On our tour we stayed overnight with William, who runs a very friendly and individual B&B on the edge of the Calanque National Park (see https://www.kuestenwanderweg-marseille.de/etappe-4-unterkunft/). Even with this overnight stop, the route from Cassis to William is quite strenuous, taking around 6:30 hours. For comparison: it takes about 20:5 hours to cover 00 km on the flat (see https://www.wanderndeluxe.de/wanderzeit-berechnen-strecke-hoehenmeter/.

      I hope this helps you with your planning!
      Regards
      Frank

      Reply
  15. Iris
    March 9, 2024

    First of all, thank you for the great, detailed and informative tour description!
    We want to hike it in two weeks. Since I definitely don't want to climb, can you specify where the one climbing spot on stage 5 you're talking about is and how to get around it?
    Thank you in advance!
    Kind regards, Iris

    Reply
    1. Frank
      March 9, 2024

      Hello Iris,
      I have now marked the spot as a waypoint on the map for stage 5 between kilometers 10 and 11. The workaround is simple: Instead of taking the via ferrata, just continue straight ahead and then loop back along the dashed path marked on the map: https://www.kuestenwanderweg-marseille.de/etappe-5-karte/.
      Have fun hiking!
      Frank

      Reply
      1. Iris
        March 16, 2024

        Thank you very much, dear Frank!!!

        Reply
  16. Mieke
    August 26, 2024

    hello frank, is it doable to do this hike mid November or do you think that's too late? thanks for your advice, mieke

    Reply
    1. Frank
      August 27, 2024

      Hello Mike,
      The weather in November is certainly not ideal and not reliably dry, but in my opinion there is nothing fundamentally wrong with a hike in mid-November.
      There are some reports on the website from the end of October / beginning of November (see: https://www.kuestenwanderweg-marseille.de/fragen-erfahrungsberichte-und-tipps-zum-kuestenwanderweg-marseille/#comment-194 and the comments afterwards.
      I hope this helps you further!
      Regards
      Frank

      Reply
  17. Kelly
    August 27, 2024

    Hi,
    I think I'll walk over the route. I'm here from Marseille, which is the best in the city and is here too?
    Is it possible for me to be seen in such a way that I can see it as a woman? How can I stay overnight? I want to have a better budget if I want to think about it overnight?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Frank
      September 2, 2024

      Hello Kelly,
      You can find tips on how to get from Marseille to Bandol here: https://www.kuestenwanderweg-marseille.de/Kategorie/anreise-abreise/ On this separate website for the coastal hike you will also find all further information about the hike, tips for accommodation and much more. The prices for overnight stays depend very much on the season. However, the South of France is never really cheap.
      As a woman, travelling alone on the hiking route is certainly less dangerous than staying directly in Marseille, which still enjoys a certain reputation as a port city (even if the city has done a lot in recent years).
      I hope this helps you further!
      Regards
      Frank

      Reply
  18. Katharina Eckstein
    September 1, 2024

    Hello Frank,
    We want to hike the GR 51 next spring, at the end of May. When we were researching today, none of the accommodations on your website were available for booking. Do you know how far in advance you should book them?
    Do you have any experience with campsites along the route?
    We would like to set off from Cologne or Freiburg.
    Your website is great☺️
    Kind regards
    Catherine

    Reply
    1. Frank
      September 2, 2024

      Hello Katharina,
      I'm glad that the route has got you hooked :-) I've just checked a few accommodations myself - I think you're still too early. Some of them are currently only available for booking until the end of this year or until March next year.
      Unfortunately, I can't say anything about campsites along the route. We are - at least when it comes to long-distance hiking - self-confessed non-campers (hence the "Deluxe" in the name) and always enjoy having a real bed and our own bathroom. Wild camping is definitely prohibited in the Calanques, that's for sure.
      Have fun planning and then hiking!
      Frank

      Reply
  19. LOIC BOUCHET
    15 October 2024

    Bonsoir Franck, emballé par votre proposition de randonnée, allons la faire sur 5 jours du lundi 28 October au samedi 2 November de Bandol à Marseille avec ma femme et mon fils de 14 ans, cela va être super je pense :-) Par contre J'essaie de “reserver” les 5 étapes mais quand je visualise mon panier il n'y a que 3 étapes, comment faire pour se procurer toute votre documentation svp? and in the payant bien entendu si c'est demandé comme indiqué sur vos pages? Thank you for your prompt response, your part will be in the 1st semester and half, you will prepare the rando :-) Loïc

    Reply
    1. Frank
      15 October 2024

      Hello Loïc,
      yes, it will definitely be great :-) You should have just received all five stages by email. It may be that the shopping cart does not always work correctly in the translated version - the website is automatically translated into several languages, and there are sometimes problems with the downloads...
      If you need further help, please feel free to contact us!
      Regards
      Frank

      Reply
  20. Job Van der Werf
    18 October 2024

    hello,
    We opened the route this week. de gedownloade stages in gpx format works perfect in mapy.cz of topo gps.
    Route 1 has a place over prive because of everything we're going to get away. There's a small road noodzakelijk.
    op stage 2 kwamen jagers tegen. The route was taken from the herd to the big dogs and the wolves. He is now a yacht owner and we don't have the right to own goods for our colleagues of the daadwerkelijk for the dogs. We want to take the right route and take an alternative route (absolutely good) to the city.
    The last 3 stages were really great. Maar vertrek op tijd mornings zeker with bagage op je rug. best pittig maar zeker de moeite waard.

    Reply
    1. Frank
      20 October 2024

      Hello Job,
      Thank you very much for your report! Several people have already reported about the barrier and the shepherd and his dogs on stage 2. It really does seem to be the case.
      Regards
      Frank

      Reply

Leave a Comment

Your e-mail address will not be published. Required fields are marked with * marked

Scroll to top