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There are 26 creeks in this National Natural Park which are located in the massifs of Marseilleveyre and Puget.

The Port-Miou creek is bordered by two pontoons for nearly 1 kilometer. They give access to the numerous small boats moored there and offer a unique and charming spectacle.

Along the cliffs, one can see the remains of the old Solvay quarry, which extracted limestone from this creek to make lime.

6. The Park entails more than 80 species of birds and bats

Some of the Birds in the Park. Picture By Dkiechle.

At the gates of the Aix-Marseille Provence metropolis, nearly 80 kinds of nesting birds have made their home.

They are Bonelli’s eagle, Great Black-backed Gull, crested cormorants, shearwaters, etc. This is also the case for 13 species of bats out of the 17 recorded in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, including one of the largest in Europe.

The Calanques Regional Natural park also has a large number of reptiles, including the European leaf-toed gecko living at night and whose vulnerability is known in Europe.

The area is home to many wild boars that you may see swimming in the transparent Calanques water.

7. The Park has a unique marine heritage that must be preserved

The Calanques National Natural Park has a unique marine heritage that must be preserved.

The Posidonia Oceanica is a marine plant endemic to the Mediterranean. It is a real refuge for several species such as seagrass beds, wrasses, Diadematoida, or seahorses.

Red coral colonies have developed on the rocky bottoms while gorgonian coral has clung to the sides of the walls. Dolphins of different species evolve offshore, sometimes with a fin whale.

8. The Park has similar shapes to those of the Norwegian fjords

The Calanques of Cassis are a unique geological formation in  Provence, usually comprised of limestone or granite; they are made up of deep, narrow valleys with sharp edges, partly submerged by the sea.

Their shapes are very similar to those of the Norwegian fjords. These formations are often found in coastal Mediterranean areas.

Particularly in south-eastern France, where the sea has carved geological crevices, like emerald fingers reaching between the rocks, which have led to a beautiful display of sharp peaks and colossal fortresses.

9. The visitors sometimes are limited entry during the dry period

The Calanques National Park area is particularly at risk for fires during the dry summer months.

Because of this, there are times when the park might be closed to protect the lives of visitors.

The park has poor cell phone reception in many parts. And, due to its secluded nature, it can also be difficult for rescue teams to access certain areas. Thus, it is important to respect any signage warning against entry into the park.

10. The Park has three main parts 

The core of the Park is the most protected part. It benefits from reinforced protection through specific regulations. In addition to the terrestrial core, the Calanques National Park has the particularity of having a marine core covering 90% of the total core area, like the  Port-Cros and la Guadeloupe national parks.

The partnership zone on land constitutes the territory in ecological solidarity with the core area. This is in which the communes voluntarily commit themselves to encourage its sustainable development, with the support of the National Park.

In the Calanques National Park, the municipalities of Marseille, Cassis, and La Penne-Sur-Huveaune have chosen to join this area. They thus constitute the perimeter of the National Park’s partnership zone, which was ratified by the prefectural decree of 19 September 2012.

At sea, the adjacent maritime zone also specifies sustainable development guidelines, with the difference that the municipalities are not obliged to adhere to them.