En-Vau: the calanque “in the valley”
Reached on foot via Port-Miou and Port-Pin, via the Gardiole or from Luminy; from a boat you can only look.
The Calanque d’En-Vau lies in Calanques National Park between Marseille and Cassis. From the centre of Cassis, the park authority estimates 1.5 to 2 hours on foot; the usual route via Port-Miou and Port-Pin is 7.8 km (4.8 mi) return, three hours, 360 m (1,181 ft) of ascent, rated difficult. Landing by boat has been prohibited since the 2000s.
From the Belvédère at 170 m (558 ft) you look straight down into the cove; from there it is around an hour down via the Col de l’Oule. A blue-marked path from 2007 runs back along the coast to Port-Pin at a height of around 100 m (328 ft).
According to the park, up to 1,200 people crowd onto the beach at once in summer, in a space where 400 towels would fit comfortably. In the afternoon the calanque falls increasingly into shade. There is no drinking water, no toilets and no bins.
In numbers
- Path via Port-Pin, return
- 7.8 km (4.8 mi)
- Walking time via Port-Pin
- 3 hours
- Ascent via Port-Pin
- 360 m (1,181 ft)
- Path via the Gardiole
- 12.2 km (7.6 mi), 3 hrs
- Belvédère
- 170 m (558 ft)
- Belvédère to calanque
- around 1 hour
- At once in summer
- up to 1,200 people
- Protected since
- 31 July 1936
