Description
Stroll through the Calanque de Callelongue, the Passage des Croisettes and the village of Les Goudes. There are numerous military remains from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Your starting point is the terminus of RTM bus line 20, at Calanque de Callelongue. Here you've reached the extreme point of Marseille, accessible by wheelchair. The idea is to show you places on the southern tip of Marseille's coastline, since we're still in the 8th arrondissement. Calanque de Callelongue (1) nestles at the foot of the 321-metre-high Saint-Michel rock. It's one of many starting points for hiking and exploring the massifs of the Parc National des Calanques.
Walk up the single street to reach the orientation table on your left. Here you'll discover a 180° view of the islands. Their names, starting from the left: Jarron, Jarre, Plane and the highest and best-known of them all, Riou. None of them are accessible, but they are home to some sublime diving spots. On the right, the island closest to land is Maïre Island, whose story will be told a little later.
If you lean over the railing beyond the orientation table, you will discover the rusty remains of a wheel mechanism: the telescope of Marseille (2).
Continue up the street to the next bend on the right, where you'll find the entrance to the Napoleon parking lot.
To the left of the parking lot, a wide path begins, leading slightly uphill towards ancient reinforced concrete remains. Admire the landscape, with the Big Blue on one side and the highest points of the Marseilleveyre massif in the distance. The path splits in two, and you take the part on the right that climbs towards the military remains. Some of these are former forts built in the aftermath of the war of 1870 and 1871 (3). These bunkers encircle the village of Les Goudes, nestled in a cove well protected from the easterly wind.
Panoramic view of Ile Maïre (4).
Now follow the path that crosses this mineral landscape to walk towards a white limestone calvary (6) that dominates the village of Les Goudes.
Before reaching the cross, turn right through the small passage between the houses to enjoy a lovely view of the village and the port of Les Goudes (5). Go back to the path and follow on the right the small path marked by a low stone wall which delimits a property to reach the cross (6).
Then take the path to the pretty, turquoise cove below, l'anse de la Maronaise (7).
Now follow the old route de la Maronaise back to the seawall of the Port des Goudes. In the distance, you'll see Marseille and its landmark, Notre-Dame de la Garde. Then you'll come across a concrete block with a silhouette cut into it (8).
Drive down the road to the outer harbor of Les Goudes, a popular spot for shore fishermen who like to deploy their lines here while sitting on their camping chairs to try to catch fish. To start a discussion, ask if "ça pite" (it pokes). The verb "piter" means "to take the bait". It's also becoming increasingly common to see crested cormorants in this part of the harbour, excellent snorkellers.
Go around the wall that leads to the Port des Goudes and its boats. The low wall in front of the boats is a great spot, all year round and especially on mistral days, to sunbathe (because it is completely sheltered). In the past, it was the meeting place par excellence for the neighborhood's old-timers, who would come here to joke and chat after lunch and a short siesta.
Then take the stairs that join the road and turn left to walk along rue Désiré Pelaprat until you reach the large bar of Les Goudes. Descend to the left and then turn right to walk along the water below the restaurant's terrace. Once you've reached the terrace of the Marine des Goudes restaurant, turn right and then left to take the montée Jacques Decrieu. Follow it all the way to the end, passing between the terraces of houses and boats to return to the main street, Boulevard Alexandre Delabre. After the terrace of a pub, you will find on your right the bus stop that allows you to take the RTM 20 line in order to go back to the Madrague de Montredon and Castellane with the RTM 19 line. Or maybe it's the season for the maritime shuttle, which takes you directly to the Pointe-Rouge port, then on to the Old Port.
Accepted customers
- Level green – easy
Environment
- Mountain view
- Close to a public transportation
- Close to GR footpath
- Beach within 300 m
- Sea view
- Panoramic view
- Coastal
Points of interest
Points of interest
1Calanque de Callelongue
2Remains of the Telescaphe
It was a system of underwater cable car cabins that enabled visitors to explore the seabed between this point and the island of Maïre over a distance of 500 metres and a depth of around ten metres. It was the slightly mad project of two French ski lift engineers who wanted to make access under the sea possible for everyone. Unfortunately, the project only worked for a year, in 1967.
3Military remains, German bunkers
They were reused by Hitler's army during the Second World War as part of the Mediterranean Wall, a system of coastal fortifications between the towns of Cerbère (in the Pyrénées Orientales) and Menton (Alpes-Maritimes), designed to prevent an invasion by the Allies.
4Panoramic viewpoint
Admire the view of Île Maïre, the Passage des Croisettes, Tiboulen de Maïre (also known as Tortoise Island because of its shape) and the Anse de la Maronaise.
Île Maïre is originally a very large boulder that broke away from the Marseilleveyre massif and fell backwards. The channel separating it from the mainland is 80 metres wide. Do not attempt to swim to the island, as access is not permitted, as there is heavy sea traffic and the current is dangerous. The non-visible side of the island was the scene of a tragic maritime accident in 1907: the sinking of the Liban, which was rammed on its starboard bow by another ship, the Insulaire, as it left the port of Marseille. The wreck is still visible to divers. As a result of the collision, the ship sank in less than twenty minutes, drowning more than a hundred passengers trapped under a huge tarpaulin that protected them from the sun.
6Calvary in memory of Abbé Urbain Legré (1863-1923)
This little monument was 100 years old in 2023. Urbain Legré was educated by the Jesuits, and mathematics and natural sciences were his favourite subjects. When he was admitted to the Ecole Polytechnique, he changed his path and entered Holy Orders. Like his father, he had a lifelong passion for botany. He was also vice-president of the famous French Alpine Club, the CAF. Today he remains a well-known figure as a precursor of scouting and naturism. In 1907, he obtained permission from his superiors to take his pupils (all boys) to swim naked in the calanques. He died of a stroke while bathing in the sea on 12 July 1923.
Bernard Tabateau, a former member of the Abbé's group and now an architect, designed the cross on the Calvary. The text on the cross, which is illegible today, reads: "May this cross, overlooking Les Goudes, remind everyone of the holy priest, the scholar and the valiant excursionist who led so many young people there for so many years, and who died there one summer evening, by the sea, in this Provencal setting that he loved so passionately". Sources for this information: Thanks to Jean-Marc Nardini of the association Les Calancoeurs and Bruno Saurez of the association naturistes calanques.
7Extension to Cap Croisette
Motivated walkers could add a little diversions here to discover Cap Croisette and the Baie des Singes. Nothing could be easier. When you reach the road, take it to the left; it climbs a little. At the end, you'll find yourself facing Île Maïre and then you'll discover a small path made up of a number of irregular steps that really allow you to reach the end of the world. Here, you can see the world without leaving France, because according to the authors of the book of the same name published by Hachette, Cap Croisette bears a striking resemblance to the island of Milos in the Cyclades in Greece.
8Crack Concrete
This silhouette resembles Michelangelo's famous David, which can be seen at the end of Avenue du Prado. It was created by Boris Chouvellon in 2013, when Marseille was European Capital of Culture. And as part of the "rendez-vous aux Davids", thirteen contemporary sculptures whose theme was to have a link with the "classical David" were placed in different locations in the 6th and 8th arrondissements of Marseille.
