Drive a Convertible to Cassis & Calanques from Marseille

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/51

Duration5h–7h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · IT +1

PickupAt your hotel

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.

5h–7h

Step-by-step itinerary

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.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

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.