My partner and I had a fantastic tour of the Calanques on the Grenadine catamaran. The cliffs are…read moreso beautiful when seen from the sea, and I appreciated that the captain gave us several opportunities to swim (even if the water was cold), including a visit to the Blue Cave. We got great weather and mostly calm seas. I would definitely recommend this excursion.

Our trip to the Calanques with Bleu Evasion was the highlight of our stay in Marseille! We did a 3…read morehour tour (9:30am-12:30pm) but I'd recommend the full day because the 3 hours just flew by! Our trip did not leave from the old Port but from Port Rouge, which took 2 buses for us to get to. Also, just be advised if you do not speak French, you may have trouble finding someone who can help you find the Bleu Evasion signs. We asked several people before we finally (luckily) found someone who was also looking for Bleu Evasion (and happened to be from Bordeaux) who helped us locate the launch point. They definitely need better signs and maps after purchasing tickets so you know where you are going. There were 10 people on our boat-5 of us were from the states and the other 5 were from other parts of France which made for a fun trip. Our guide was great at telling us the history (in both French and English) of different areas we were passing and different sites of importance. The boat took us to the Calanques and made 3 different stops to swim. There was snorkeling equipment on the boat too. The first stop was great snorkeling-lots of fish. The second stop was really cool because it was a cave that, at low tide, we could sit on the rocks inside. The third stop was near a beach. The guide had wine and crisps for us as well to enjoy. The waters of the Med are the most beautiful, bluest waters I have ever seen! The boat ride was fun too-very fast! Just be forewarned that the water was 68 degrees Fahrenheit so it is pretty cold getting in but once you do it gets much better! Bring towels and cameras! I hope I have a chance to return to Marseille so I can do the full day cruise!

From the owner: Location de bateau et navigation pour des groupes jusqu' a 27 passagers dans le parc national des…read moreCalanques à bord de la Magnifique Goélette ALLIANCE

From the owner: Archipel accessible en navette Les îles du Frioul et le chateau d'If sont situés à 5 km au large de…read moreMarseille. Comptez 20 à 25 minutes pour vous y rendre grâce à des navettes régulières au départ du quai de la Fraternité. Si vous prévoyez d''y crapahuter une journée, n'oubliez ni crème solaire, couvre-chef et eau en quantité suffisante. Renseignements au 04 91 46 54 65.

When you find yourself in Marsaille and feel the urge to visit nearby island, the Frioul If Express…read moreyour best bet in any weather. -Château d'If -Îles du Frioul (archipelago) -€10 return, 20 minutes -Wave cutting boats I had the pleasure of riding the Edmond Dantes through rough seas to visit Îles du Frioul. The boats cut right through the waves, but watch out for the resulting splash if you sit outside on the second level. I was a victim of the "soak zone" while trying to snag a photo of the Château d'If as we cruised by. Frioul If Express boats leave for Château d'If from the Vieux Port at the corner of quai de la Fraternité and quai de Rive Neuve by the ferris wheel. There are over 15 daily departures in summer, fewer in winter. Be warned! Monday there are no trips to the Château d'If so if your schedule is limited, skip this day for your trip.

Left of the island for 2 hour after the returning boat told us we couldn't get on. We were the…read morefirst in line. We then were told we had to get off the boat that eventually came and left us in les îles. So we waited some more and finally got back to the mainland.