2H
Côte Bleue
Discovery trip
1 to 4 people€220
5 to 6 people€240
7 to 10 people€35/person
Côte Bleue · Calanques · Sunset
Short boat trips in Marseille: 2 to 4-hour boat rides
Private RIB with a licensed skipper, departing from Port Corbières (L’Estaque) or Cassis. Swimming, calanques and sunset, for 1 to 10 people.
- Licensed skipper included
- Fuel & taxes included
- From €220 per boat
Our short boat trips are made for you: a boat ride in Marseille without spending the whole day? Fancy heading out to sea for 2, 3 or 4 hours? Board at Port Corbières or Cassis on our private RIBs with a licensed skipper: Côte Bleue, Frioul islands, the National Park calanques or sunset drinks. A fast, comfortable RIB trip, ideal for couples, families or friends.
The price is for the whole boat, fuel and port taxes included: the more of you there are, the better value the trip becomes.
- Licensed skipper included
- Fuel & taxes included
- From 1 to 10 people
- Prices include taxes
Price list
Short boat trip prices
Prices for the private boat with skipper, depending on duration, area and number of passengers.
Book this trip
3H
Côte Bleue
Discovery trip
1 to 4 people€320
5 to 6 people€350
7 to 10 people€55/person
4H
Calanques National Park
Calanques trip
1 to 4 people€630
5 to 6 people€670
7 to 10 people€750
4H
Outside the National Park
Calanques trip
1 to 4 people€520
5 to 6 people€570
7 to 10 people€650
7H
Calanques National Park
Full-day trip
1 to 4 people€730
5 to 6 people€790
7 to 10 people€950
2,5H
Calanque of your choice
Sunset drinks
1 to 4 people€280
5 to 6 people€320
7 to 10 people€55/person
Departure from the Vieux-Port or Carry-le-Rouet? Possible on request, with a supplement of €50 when this departure is not included in the option. A group project? Contact us for a tailor-made option.
Choosing your option
Short boat trips: which duration?
All our short boat trips are on a private RIB, with a professional skipper at the helm. What changes from one option to another is the distance you can cover and the time you spend at anchor. To help you choose, here is what you really see in 2, 3, 4 or 7 hours from Marseille.
| Duration | Area | What you see | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 hours | Côte Bleue | Corbières viaduct, the first coves of the Côte Bleue, one swim | €220 |
| 2 h 30 | Calanque of your choice | Sunset and drinks at anchor, back at dusk | €280 |
| 3 hours | Côte Bleue | Niolon, Méjean or La Redonne, two swim stops possible | €320 |
| 4 hours | Outside the National Park | Frioul islands and the bay of Marseille, coves of Pomègues and Ratonneau | €520 |
| 4 hours | Calanques National Park | The calanques between Marseille and Cassis, seen from the sea | €630 |
| 7 hours | Calanques National Park | The full day: calanques, lunch and long swims | €730 |
2 hours: discovering the Côte Bleue
The 2-hour boat trip is ideal for a first experience, with children or as a break before dinner. Leaving Port Corbières, you follow the Côte Bleue straight away: the Corbières viaduct, the first coves with clear water and a swim stop. It is short, but you really have time to swim and enjoy the scenery, with no wasted transit time.
3 hours: the right balance
With an extra hour, the skipper goes as far as the calanques of Niolon, Méjean or La Redonne, and you can stop twice. This is the duration we recommend to groups of friends and families who want a real boat ride in Marseille, with plenty of time to swim, without spending the whole day.
4 hours: the calanques or the Frioul
The 4-hour trip opens up two horizons. The “outside the Park” option heads for the closest spots, such as the Frioul islands and the bay, with the Château d’If as a backdrop. The “National Park” option goes as far as the calanques of the Calanques National Park, further away, hence a slightly higher price. From Cassis, the first calanques are just minutes from the port.
Sunset and full day
The sunset drinks trip lasts 2 h 30: departure in the late afternoon, drinks at anchor in the calanque of your choice and back at dusk. For those who want to see it all, the 7-hour day in the National Park combines sailing, lunch on board and long swims. For a day on a sailboat or catamaran, see our full day at sea instead.
Price per person
A boat ride in Marseille: how much per person?
The price of our short boat trips is for the whole boat: skipper, fuel and port taxes are included. The price per person therefore drops as the group grows. Above 6 passengers, some options switch to a price per person, shown in the table above. Here is what it means in practice:
| Option | 4 people | 6 people | 10 people |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-hour discovery trip | €55 per person | €40 per person | €35 per person |
| 3-hour discovery trip | €80 per person | €58 per person | €55 per person |
| Sunset drinks 2 h 30 | €70 per person | €53 per person | €55 per person |
| Calanques 4 h, outside the Park | €130 per person | €95 per person | €65 per person |
| Calanques 4 h, National Park | €158 per person | €112 per person | €75 per person |
| Full day 7 h, National Park | €183 per person | €132 per person | €95 per person |
With 6 people, a 2-hour boat trip therefore comes to €40 each, the price of an ordinary leisure activity, with a boat all to yourselves. For a birthday, a hen party or an outing with colleagues, it is often the best-value option. For groups of more than 10 people, we offer a sailboat, a catamaran or several boats sailing together.
Would you like to give one of these trips as a gift? They are all available as a boat trip gift voucher, valid for 12 months.
On board
Our RIBs: Medline III & Nzo 760
Two RIBs designed for the sea: a V-shaped hull that handles choppy water well, benches that convert into sunbeds, and a professional skipper at the helm from start to finish. Swimming is possible, and highly recommended!
- V-shaped hull, comfortable even in choppy seas
- Sunbeds at the front
- Swim ladder
- Licensed skipper on board
The RIB is the ideal boat for a short trip: it is fast, which leaves more time for swimming, and its tubes make it very stable at anchor. The skipper adjusts the speed to the sea state and the group’s wishes, from a gentle ride to a few more thrills.
From 1 to 10 peopleWhere to go?
Côte Bleue, Frioul and calanques in pictures
Côte BleueWild coves and clear water, right next to L’Estaque
Frioul islandsSwimming in the coves of Pomègues and Ratonneau
CalanquesThe National Park, from Marseille to Cassis
SunsetDrinks at anchor in the calanque of your choice
Where to go in 2 to 4 hours
Routes for our short boat trips
The skipper chooses the route on the day, depending on the wind. In Marseille, the mistral blows from the north-west: the Côte Bleue is then less sheltered and the calanques calmer, while with an east wind it is the other way round. Leaving from Port Corbières, in L’Estaque, means you can quickly reach both sides of the bay.
The Côte Bleue from L’Estaque
Just outside the port, the Côte Bleue unfolds its wild calanques: Corbières, Niolon, Méjean, La Redonne. The railway viaducts span the coves, the water is crystal clear and the rocky seabed attracts fish. The coastline is protected by the Côte Bleue Marine Park, with reserves where anchoring is forbidden: your skipper knows the authorised areas.
The Frioul islands and the Château d’If
About twenty minutes away by boat, the Frioul archipelago offers turquoise coves on Pomègues and Ratonneau, with views of the Château d’If and Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde. It is the favourite destination of the 4-hour “outside the Park” trips, and a beautiful setting for sunset.
The calanques of the National Park
Between Marseille and Cassis, the calanques of Sormiou, Morgiou, Sugiton, Port-Miou and Port-Pin form the heart of the National Park. Speed is limited to 5 knots within 300 metres of the shore, music is forbidden and the calanques of En-Vau and Port-Pin are closed to motorboats: you admire them from their entrance. From Cassis, these calanques are very close, which leaves more time at anchor.
Step by step
How a short boat trip goes
1. You book
Option, date and number of passengers via the form or WhatsApp. We confirm availability and departure time very quickly.
2. Welcome at the port
Meet a quarter of an hour before departure at Port Corbières (private parking) or in Cassis. The skipper welcomes you and introduces the boat.
3. Safety briefing
Everyone gets a life jacket in their size, and the skipper explains the rules on board and the day’s programme according to the weather.
4. Sailing and swimming
Head for the chosen coves. At anchor, the swim ladder makes it easy to get in the water, then you enjoy the sunbed at the front.
5. Back to port
Back at the agreed time. For the sunset trip, you return at dusk with golden light over the bay of Marseille.
6. And then?
Enjoyed it? There are also trips on sailboats and catamarans, or multi-day cruises, to extend the experience.
Practical tips
Getting ready for your boat ride
A RIB trip needs little preparation, but a few details make all the difference, especially in summer when the sun is strong on the water.
- Light clothing and a windbreaker: under way, the wind cools you down quickly, even in midsummer.
- Swimsuit, towel and sunglasses: swimming is part of the programme.
- Non-aerosol sunscreen, ideally with mineral filters, to protect the posidonia seagrass.
- A soft bag rather than a hard one, and a waterproof pouch for your phone.
- Water and a snack, especially for trips of 4 hours or more.
The RIB is stable at anchor but, under way, it feels the waves more than a large sailboat. If you are prone to seasickness, sit towards the back, look at the horizon and ask your pharmacist for advice before departure. Our other practical answers are in the boat trip FAQ, and the safety rules on our safety at sea page.
The skipper checks the marine weather before every departure. If conditions do not allow safe sailing, the trip is postponed or refunded: you never pay for a trip cancelled because of the weather.
FAQ
Boat ride in Marseille: your questions
Where do the trips leave from?
From Port Corbières in L’Estaque (Marseille), with private, secure parking, or from the port of Cassis. A departure from the Vieux-Port or Carry-le-Rouet is possible on request, with a supplement of €50 when this departure is not included in the option.
Is the price per person or per boat?
Per private boat, skipper, fuel and port taxes included. Above 6 people, some options are charged per person, as shown in the price list.
Do I need to know how to sail?
No. A licensed skipper is on board and drives the boat from start to finish.
Can we swim during the trip?
Yes. The skipper stops at anchor in a cove for a swim, depending on the weather and the length of the trip.
What happens if the weather is bad?
The skipper decides whether the trip goes ahead depending on conditions. If it is cancelled because of the weather, the trip is postponed or refunded in line with our terms and conditions of sale.
More than 10 people?
Our RIBs take 2 to 10 people. For a larger group, board a sailboat or catamaran, such as our IA Orana catamaran, ideal for 14 to 16 people, from €1,090 for a sunset.
What is the difference between “National Park” and “outside the Park”?
The “National Park” trips go as far as the calanques of the Calanques National Park, further away. The “outside the Park” trips stay at the closest spots, hence a lower price.
Are short boat trips suitable for children?
Yes. The 2-hour trip is perfect for the youngest. We provide life jackets for every size: just tell us the children’s ages when you book.
Can we bring food and drinks?
Yes, you can bring drinks and a snack, avoiding glass bottles. On the sunset drinks trip, drinks at anchor are the highlight of the outing.
How far in advance should I book?
In July and August, one to two weeks ahead, especially for weekends and sunsets. Off season, a few days are often enough, depending on availability.
What time do the trips leave?
Departure time is flexible during the day, subject to availability. The sunset drinks trip leaves in the late afternoon, at a time set by the sunset, which varies with the season.
Which duration for a first boat trip?
The 3-hour trip is the best compromise: long enough for two swim stops, short enough not to bore the children. To see the calanques of the National Park, choose 4 hours.
Booking
Book your boat trip
Choose your option, the date and the number of passengers: we confirm availability very quickly.
Boat trip from Cassis
Full-day hire
Hen and stag parties at sea
IA Orana catamaran
Safety & rescue
Marine weather Marseille
Set the right course from the start!
