Drive a Convertible to Cassis & Calanques from Marseille

You drive the convertible. The guide handles the route and the stops.

This shore excursion puts you behind the wheel of your own convertible (either a Volkswagen Beetle automatic or a Fiat 500 manual), and takes you from Marseille's cruise terminal through Cassis, along the Route des Crêtes, and into the Calanques National Park with a live guide. The guide leads the way in a support vehicle, choosing stops at Cap Canaille, Cassis port, the Calanque de Figuerolles and other coastal landmarks. Groups stay small: four passengers per car, with a maximum of 16 participants total. A valid driving licence from your home country is required.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each8 stops

1. La CornicheEntry included30m
2. Cassis PortEntry included30m
3. Calanques National ParkEntry included30m
4. Old Port of Marseille5m
5. Vallon des AuffesEntry included5m
6. Cap CanailleEntry included20m
7. Notre-Dame de la Garde BasilicaEntry included15m
8. Marseille CathedralEntry included2m

Drive and explore Marseille and Cassis

• Meet at Marseille cruise terminal
• Drive along Corniche Kennedy boulevard
• Stop at Vallon des Auffes fishing port
• Pass by Marseille Cathedral La Major
• Visit Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica
• Drive the Route des Crêtes panoramic road
• Photo stop at Cap Canaille cliff
• Explore Cassis port and narrow streets
• Lunch or snack in Cassis restaurants
• Visit Calanque de Figuerolles cove
• Drive through Calanques National Park
• Stop at La Ciotat town
• Return to Marseille cruise terminal

The experience

You arrive at Marseille's cruise terminal or the InterContinental near the Old Port and pick your convertible (automatic Beetle or manual Fiat 500) before following your guide out of the city. The first stretch takes you along La Corniche Kennedy, the 3.7-kilometre boulevard that hugs the Mediterranean, then past the Vallon des Auffes fishing village tucked into the cliffs. From there, the Route des Crêtes opens up: a 15-kilometre panoramic drive linking Cassis to La Ciotat, with Cap Canaille (Europe's highest sea cliff at 394 metres) looming above. The guide stops for photos and points out the geology and history as you go.

Cassis itself is a working fishing port with narrow cobbled streets, colourful houses and restaurants lining the water. You'll have time to walk through the village, grab lunch or a snack, and see the calanques (those narrow limestone coves with turquoise water) from the shore before heading to the Calanque de Figuerolles near La Ciotat. That cove sits between puddingstone cliffs and has inspired painters including Georges Braque. A restaurant there offers views if you want to linger. The guide decides the exact stops based on conditions and the ship's return time, which is why the excursion can run anywhere from five to seven hours depending on traffic and how long you spend in each place.

You're driving your own car, so the pace and the handling are yours: the guide simply leads the convoy and narrates the route. A support van travels with the group to carry passengers who aren't driving, and the guide speaks English, Italian or French depending on the group. Water is included. Everything else (snacks, lunch, tips). You arrange. Return to the terminal happens between 3 and 4:30 PM, timed to your ship's departure.

What’s included

• One small bottle of water per person.
• pickup from Marseille cruise terminal or the InterContinental near the Old Port.
• your choice of Volkswagen Beetle automatic or Fiat 500 manual convertible.
• a live guide in English, Italian or French.
• air-conditioned support van for passengers not driving.
• all fees and taxes.

Options for this experience

5 options

Manual Fiat 500 convertible, No. 1Guide in English, French or Italian · 09:30Manual Fiat 500 convertible, No. 1: Suitable for 2 adults, or 2 adults and 2 young children. Only one Fiat 500 is available for rent. Pickup is included.

Automatic VW convertible, No. 4Guide in English, French or Italian · 09:30Automatic VW Beetle, No. 1. Pickup is included.

Automatic VW convertible, No. 3Guide in English, French or Italian · 09:30Automatic VW convertible, No. 2. Pickup is included.

See 2 more options

Automatic VW convertible, No. 2Guide in English, French or Italian · 09:30Automatic VW convertible, No. 3. Pickup is included.

Automatic VW convertible, No. 1Guide in English, French or Italian · 09:30Automatic VW convertible at the start of the circuit. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Lasts 5h–7h, runs every day at 09:30, from € 549 per group, with a live guide in English, French and Italian, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30Last departure this season: 30 Nov

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 4 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Aixellcars ste

Is this one for you?Choose the manual Fiat 500 if you're comfortable with a stick shift and want the full European driving experience. Pick the automatic Beetle if you prefer to focus on the road and the scenery without managing the clutch on a winding coastal route. Either way, you're steering through the Calanques yourself instead of watching from a bus seat, which is what makes this different from a standard shore excursion.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French and Italian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Do I need a valid driving licence to book this convertible tour from Marseille?

Yes, a valid driving licence from your home country is required. You'll be driving the convertible yourself, so the licence must be current and recognised in France.

What's the Route des Crêtes and why is it part of this drive?

The Route des Crêtes is a 15-kilometre panoramic road connecting Cassis to La Ciotat that climbs past Cap Canaille, the highest sea cliff in France at 394 metres. It's the scenic spine of the tour, offering views of the Mediterranean and the Calanques massif. The guide stops there for photos and to explain the landscape.

Can I choose between a Volkswagen Beetle and a Fiat 500, and what's the difference?

Yes, you choose at checkout: the Volkswagen Beetle is automatic, while the Fiat 500 is manual. Both are convertibles and hold four passengers each. Pick based on which transmission you're comfortable driving.

What is the Calanque de Figuerolles and will we stop there?

The Calanque de Figuerolles is a cove near La Ciotat nestled between white cliffs with a small pebble beach and turquoise water. It's a stop on the tour, and there's a restaurant there if you want to sit and take in the view, though meals aren't included in the tour price.

How much time do we spend in Cassis, and what can we do there?

You'll have time to walk the narrow streets, browse shops, and eat at one of the many restaurants and cafés around the port. Cassis is a working fishing village with an authentic atmosphere, and the guide builds in a lunch or snack stop depending on the group's pace and the ship's return time.

What happens if the Route des Crêtes is closed on the day of my tour?

The road can close in summer due to high winds, heat or occasionally on Sundays. If it's closed, the guide will take an alternate route to reach Cassis and the calanques, so the tour still runs. Just with a different drive.