Calanques National Park road trip with Marseille car rental

Experience the splendor of France’s Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region at Parc national des Calanques with your Marseille car rental. Established in 2012, this conservation area is the youngest of France’s 11 national parks and the first one created since 1979. Approximately 2 million annual visitors come to this 8,500-acre outdoor playground full of flora and fauna spanning the municipalities of Marseille, Cassis, as well as La Ciotat. Travelers stoked to experience this popular Mediterranean tourist destination can always count on the cheapest French car rentals from the Kemwel booking engine! Thanks to our partnerships with local suppliers in Marseille, we ensure a variety of Marseille car rental spots at the Provence Airport, the Marseille Train Station, plus many downtown locations!

First, let’s define “calanque.” Reminiscent of something from Homer’s Odyssey, these steep-walled inlets are essentially miniature fjords scattered along the radiant Mediterranean coast. These formations are also made of limestone or dolomite and mostly accessible by foot, although there are some calanques with car access to certain beaches. Within this fabled landscape are astounding cliffs, hidden beaches, not to mention immense biodiversity. On land, visitors will be surrounded by 140 protected animals and plants as they hike along the coastline. Ocean coverage also includes 43,500 acres with over 60 marine species. This national park is also the only one in Europe to include land, sea, as well as peri-urban areas.

One of the most famous calanques is Sugiton within the city limits of Marseille. After trekking down to the bottom, you’ll be able to see Le Torpilleur island, meaning the “torpedo boat” in French. Other well-known Calanques are Samena, Callelongue, Sormiou, plus Morgiou. Don't forget to bring a pair of sturdy hiking boots and plenty of sunscreen!

Drive to Calanques from Marseille and other nearby cities

Driving Route	Distance (mi)	Distance (km)	Avg. Trip Time
Marseille to Calanques	10 mi	15.6 km	30 mins
Avignon to Calanques	71 mi	115 km	1h 30 mins
Nice to Calanques	132 mi	212 km	2h 35 mins
Montpellier to Calanques	110 mi	180 km	2h 25 mins
Paris to Calanques	505 mi	812 km	8h

What is there to do at the Calanques National Park?

For many, the Calanques National Park is an outdoor paradise waiting to be traversed from start to finish. More often than not, renting a car from Marseille is a guaranteed way to travel comfortably, especially for pleasant day trips or weekend excursions in Southern France. Due to the park's prime location, sporting activities such as hiking, climbing, scuba diving, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding are all very common. Found along the jagged Mediterranean coastline, visitors often navigate down the cliffs to enjoy secluded beaches and warm azure waters. Other attractions include an underwater canyon and numerous small islands to explore by boat.

Best time to visit the Calanques

Parts of the Calanques National Park are actually shut down during the height of summer due to high risks of forest fires. Therefore, cars are banned from June 1 to September 30, meaning the most common way to maneuver around here is by walking, although some beaches are accessible by car. Luckily there are plenty of parking spaces available outside of the premises! May to June are some of the popular times to visit when the weather isn’t too hot or cold. Keep in mind that there aren’t any fresh water sources throughout the park, so it’d be best to bring an abundance of water for your excursion! Proper hiking shoes plus attire, plenty of sunscreen and a bathing suite won’t be bad ideas either.

Book your cheap Marseille car rental with Kemwell

Use the Kemwel search engine located at the top of the page to reserve your low-cost rental car in France in Marseille today! Depending on your plans, we provide short-term and long-term leases in France, in addition to strategic one-way car rentals from Paris to Marseille or other major French cities. In other words, you can easily pick-up your Charles de Gaulle Airport car rental and leave it at Provence Airport in the most efficient of manners. Newcomers arriving on land transport also have bargain car rentals at Gare de Marseille for fast and easy dispatch. Call us today at +1-877-820-0668 to reserve your France car rental or modify your reservation!