Facing the Calanques
Off Sormiou, Morgiou or Sugiton, with the white cliff as a backdrop. A place chosen by many Marseille families, in line with the rules of the National Park.
Ceremony at sea · Marseille · Cassis · Calanques
Scattering ashes at sea in Marseille
A last voyage facing the Calanques. Together with you, we organise a simple and dignified ceremony, on board a sailboat or catamaran sailed by a professional skipper, in line with the regulations.
- All year round
- Up to 12 people
- Certificate of scattering
- Port Corbières or Cassis
A place of remembrance
Why choose the sea
Choosing to scatter ashes at sea often means honouring the wish of a loved one who loved the sea: a fisherman, a sailor, a swimmer, a Marseille local attached to the bay and the Calanques. For many families, it is also the promise of an open place of remembrance, one they can return to on every boat trip or simply by looking at the horizon from the shore.
The sea off Marseille lends itself particularly well to this last voyage: within a few minutes, you leave the port for an open horizon, between the islands and the limestone cliffs. The calm of a winter morning or the light at the end of a summer day gives the ceremony a serenity that many families talk about long afterwards. For loved ones who have come from afar, it is also a chance to discover the places the deceased loved.
Unlike a grave, the sea requires neither a plot nor upkeep. It offers a simple farewell, with no imposed ceremony, where everyone finds their place. Some loved ones return every year, on the anniversary, to lay a few petals in the same spot: the GPS coordinates on the certificate make it possible to find the exact place.
Step by step
How a scattering of ashes at sea takes place
Scattering ashes at sea in Marseille is simple to arrange, with someone who knows the sea and takes the time to listen to you.
- 1
A first conversation
By phone, at your own pace: the date, the number of loved ones, the place that meant something to the deceased, the readings or the music. We explain the formalities and the documents you will need.
- 2
Boarding
At Port Corbières, with its private car park, or in Cassis. The skipper welcomes you, settles everyone in a sheltered spot and explains how things will go, simply.
- 3
The crossing
A calm crossing, under engine or under sail, to the chosen place offshore: facing the Calanques, off Riou or the Frioul, or off Cassis depending on the weather.
- 4
Remembrance
The boat stops. A moment of silence, the words or music you have chosen, then the scattering of the ashes or the immersion of the biodegradable urn, and petals if you wish.
- 5
The return
The skipper records the exact position and makes a slow circle around the spot before heading back. On shore, he gives you the certificate of scattering with the date, the time and the GPS coordinates.
The moment of scattering
There is no right way to say goodbye. Some families want a completely silent moment, others read a text, a poem or a letter, play the music the deceased loved, or each share a memory in turn. We prepare the ceremony with you, without imposing anything, and the skipper knows how to remain discreet.
At the moment of scattering, the boat is stopped, with the engine off if the sea allows. The ashes are scattered on the surface, on the leeward side so that they drift gently away, or the biodegradable urn is entrusted to the sea. Loved ones can lay petals or a natural wreath. In keeping with sailors’ tradition, the boat then makes a slow circle around the spot, and the skipper may sound the foghorn as a tribute.
If the deceased was a sailor, a yachtsman or a fisherman, we can give the ceremony a maritime character: sailing to the chosen place, the flag at half-mast, a reading of a text about the sea, or passing the port or anchorage they used to visit. Tell us what was like them: we build the ceremony around it.
Children have their full place in this moment, if they wish: life jackets in their size are on board, and the skipper looks after their safety. For elderly people or those with reduced mobility, the catamaran, all on one level and very stable, makes boarding easier and keeps everyone comfortable during the crossing.
The places
Where to scatter ashes off Marseille
The Riou archipelago
Off the islands of Riou, Jarre and Maïre, at the southern exit of the bay: an open horizon, often bathed in light in the late afternoon.
The Frioul and the Château d’If
For those who loved Marseille and its bay: off the Frioul islands, with the city and Notre-Dame de la Garde in the distance.
Off Cassis
Off Cap Canaille and the bay of Cassis, departing from the port of Cassis, for a closer ceremony if your family comes from the east.
A place that meant something
An anchorage where the deceased loved to swim, a stretch of coast where they fished, the entrance to a port they knew: tell us, and we will look into the place with you.
The Côte Bleue
Off Méjean or Niolon, west of Marseille, for a sheltered ceremony when the wind blows from the east.
Regulations
Scattering ashes at sea: what the law says
In France, the law allows the ashes of a deceased person to be scattered in nature, including at sea, except on public roads. Scattering is a final choice: it must respect the wishes of the deceased where they are known, and be decided by the person entitled to arrange the funeral, usually a relative.
Since the law of 19 December 2008, the ashes of a deceased person must be treated with respect, dignity and decency: they cannot be divided or kept at home. Scattering at sea is one of the destinations provided for by law, in the same way as burying the urn or scattering in a garden of remembrance.
No prior authorisation is required. After the ceremony, the person who arranged the funeral declares the scattering to the town hall of the deceased’s place of birth, stating their identity and the date and place of scattering. The certificate we give you, with the GPS position, is used to complete this declaration.
In practice, ashes are scattered at sea offshore, never from a beach, a breakwater or a port: a distance of more than 300 metres from the shore is generally observed. An urn is immersed using a biodegradable urn, further offshore, often beyond 3 nautical miles. Flowers and objects laid on the sea must also be biodegradable: no plastic, no ribbon, no wrapping film.
Before each ceremony, we check the rules that apply to the chosen place, in particular within the boundaries of the Calanques National Park, and we tell you which documents to bring, such as the cremation certificate. This information is general: your funeral director and your town hall remain your points of contact for the official formalities.
The formalities, before and after
The documents to bring. On the day of the ceremony, bring the cremation certificate issued by the crematorium and an identity document for the person entitled to arrange the funeral. If the urn is handed to you by the funeral director, they will also give you the urn release documents. We send you the precise list when we confirm.
With your funeral director. Many families arrange the scattering of ashes at sea a few weeks after the cremation, to give time to gather loved ones. The urn can stay at the crematorium or with the funeral director until the chosen date; we coordinate the day and time of handover with them. They can also supply the biodegradable urn if you choose immersion.
On the day of the ceremony. Bring warm clothes even in summer, as it is often cooler offshore, flat shoes with soft soles and, if needed, something for seasickness. The skipper welcomes you a quarter of an hour before departure to settle everyone in and stow belongings.
After the ceremony. With the certificate we give you, the declaration to the town hall of the deceased’s place of birth is made by post or in person, depending on the town. Keep a copy of the certificate: it records the exact place where the ashes were scattered at sea.
Our boats for this moment
The sailboat
A 14-metre Oceanis for an intimate family ceremony, under sail and in silence. Large cockpit, sheltered saloon, up to 12 people.
The catamaran
Stable, spacious and all on one level, with an enclosed saloon: the most comfortable choice for elderly people, children and winter ceremonies.
The classic yacht
For a tribute to a sailor or a lover of traditional boats, on board one of our classic wooden sailboats, on request.
Full transparency
What is included in the ceremony
What is included
- Private boat for your family and loved ones
- Professional skipper, fuel and port taxes
- Choice of the scattering place with you, depending on the weather
- Moment of remembrance, readings and music of your choice
- GPS position and certificate of scattering given on board
- Postponement at no cost if the sea does not allow a peaceful moment
On request
- Natural flower petals
- Biodegradable wreath or bouquet
- Departure from Cassis or La Ciotat
- Second boat for a large group
- Coordination with your funeral director
- Light refreshments or drinks on return
A clear quote with no commitment after a first conversation, boat, skipper and certificate included.
Good to know
Scattering ashes at sea: your questions
Is authorisation needed to scatter ashes at sea?
No, no prior authorisation is required. The scattering must, however, be declared to the town hall of the deceased’s place of birth by the person who arranged the funeral. We give you a certificate with the date, the time and the GPS position to complete this declaration.
Where does the scattering of ashes at sea take place, departing from Marseille or Cassis?
Offshore, in a place chosen with you: facing the Calanques, off the Riou archipelago or the Frioul, on the Côte Bleue or off Cassis, depending on your wishes, the day’s weather and the rules applicable to the area.
Can the urn be immersed rather than the ashes scattered?
Yes, with a biodegradable urn, designed to dissolve in water, and further offshore than for a scattering. Your funeral director can supply it; we can also tell you where to obtain one.
How many people can come on board?
Up to 12 people depending on the boat. For a larger family, we arrange a second boat that sails alongside the first, so that everyone shares the ceremony together.
How long does the ceremony last?
Allow about two hours between boarding and returning to port, including half an hour to three quarters of an hour sailing out, depending on the chosen place. We never rush the moment of remembrance.
What happens if the weather is bad?
We do not go out if the sea does not allow a peaceful and safe moment. The ceremony is then postponed at no cost to the date of your choice; we let you know the day before, after checking the marine weather forecast.
Do you work with funeral directors?
Yes. We can coordinate the date and the handover of the urn directly with your funeral director, who may also come on board if they are accompanying the family.
Can the ceremony be held in winter?
Yes, all year round. In winter, we favour the catamaran with its enclosed saloon, and choose a day with a calm sea. The winter light over the Calanques is often very beautiful.
Can flowers be thrown into the sea?
Yes, as long as they are entirely natural: petals, flowers without plastic stems, a wreath with no ribbon or film. We can provide natural flower petals on request.
Can the ashes of an animal be scattered?
The rules on scattering at sea concern human ashes. For an animal, contact us: we will tell you what is possible and under what conditions.
How long after the cremation can the ashes be scattered?
There is no set time limit for the scattering. In the meantime, the urn can be kept at the crematorium or with the funeral director. Many families choose a date a few weeks later, to gather loved ones and wait for a period of calm sea.
Can the ceremony take place at sunset?
Yes, it is often the moment chosen: the golden light over the Calanques and the Frioul gives the ceremony great gentleness. We adapt the departure time to the season so that the return takes place before nightfall.
Can we return to the place of scattering?
Yes. The certificate gives the exact GPS coordinates: we can take you back there on the anniversary, or during a family boat trip, for a moment of remembrance.
Can the ashes be shared between several places?
The law governs what happens to ashes and does not allow them to be divided between several destinations: they are scattered or immersed all at once. If several places matter to your family, we can pass each of them during the crossing before stopping for the scattering.
Can a loved one scatter the ashes themselves?
Yes, it is most often a family member who scatters the ashes or entrusts the urn to the sea, accompanied by the skipper, who shows the right side of the boat and the right moment. If nobody wishes to, the skipper does it respectfully, in the presence of the family.
Can an officiant or a priest come on board?
Of course. A celebrant, a priest, a pastor, a rabbi or an imam can come on board with the family to accompany the moment of remembrance. Let us know in advance so that we can keep a place for them.
How much does scattering ashes at sea in Marseille cost?
The price depends on the boat, the number of loved ones, the departure port and the options. The private trip includes the boat, the skipper, fuel, port taxes and the certificate of scattering. We send you a clear quote after our first conversation, with no commitment.
Quick reply, no commitment
Let’s talk about it simply
A conversation with no commitment, by phone or in writing, to arrange the ceremony at your own pace.
Set the right course from the start!
