Hello,
We will be in south of France this weekend (Marseille) and we have 1 day to explore a Calanque. We are confused between Sormiou and Sugiton.
If there is no risk of forest fire that day, which Calanque would be a better option out of the 2 - scenic or more serene and worth the trip? We would like to pick only one and walk around and relax at the beach or take a swim.
We do have a car with us too, if that matters.
Thanks!
Hi,
In case of fire risk, neither calanque would be accessible. Check status here: http://www.calanques13.com/acces-massifs-forestiers.html ; so far so good!
Regarding scenery: Sugiton is more dramatic than Sormiou, but the beach is smaller (still workable). Take plenty of water (1.5L/person), wear good sneakers (at least) and plan on a 1.5-2 hour round-trip hike whichever calanque you choose. For Sugiton, you start the hike at Luminy (end of bus line 21), for Sormiou, you start at les Baumettes (end of line 22). There is no signage; while it's difficult to get lost, the "IGN" map of the Calanques available in ALL the newsstands and bookstores in town could be worth it.
We ended up taking the boat trip for 9 Calanques and that was it. It was way to hot to consider hiking even though the hikes were open and could be done.
We ended up driving to one of the BlueCoast beaches and relaxing there.
The boat ride was beautiful and the Calanques are impressive, but maybe in a milder climate.
We were there to see the Lavender fields and that was our highlight which was really special.
Summer can be rough indeed, glad you found alternatives! Hiking season is more reliably 15 Sep to early June, winter is not a problem as long as not too windy (the gusts can make you lose your balance in some exposed spots).
