Key informations

Departures in Spring and Autumn

• 4-days stays

• 790€ per person (with climbing guide, food  not included)

• Sailing level: beginner to advanced / moderate pace

• Climbing level: beginner to advanced

• Groups of 4 people max

• Accommodation on board the yacht, in shared cabins

• Meals prepared on board

The playground

the Calanques of Marseille

• Port de departure: Marseille (old harbour)

• The Cliffs nestled in the Calanques

• The Sormiou, Morgiou and Bec de l’Aigle creeks

• The Riou archipelago and the island of Frioul

The Calanques de Marseille are the french southern dream when you think of combining sailing with climbing, with many cliffs sheer out to sea and others nestling at the bottom of the Calanques.

Departure is from Marseille’s old harbour, making it easy to get to the Calanque de Sormiou, which is surrounded by several cliffs, as well as circumnavigating the Riou Archipelago or heading as far as the Bec de l’Aigle.

The days on board the yacht are spent learning manoeuvres and navigation.

During the stopovers, the diversity and high quality of the cliffs opens up a wide range of climbing opportunities for all levels.

Days start around 9am and finish around 6pm. Both on the water and on the cliffs, as much time as possible is dedicated to practice, without neglecting the theory points that are essential to improve your skills.

A teaching programme is drawn up by Andrea at the start of the holiday, depending on the level and expectations of each participant.

Here is an example of the programme and itinerary:

J1 :
Welcome aboard the yacht at 2pm in Marseille’s Old Harbour. Brief presentation of the boat, onboard settling in, a quick meet-and-greet, safety briefing, then we set sail for the Calanque of Sormiou. This first navigation will be an opportunity for everyone to get their bearings on board, discover the basics of how the boat works, take the helm and try their hand at trimming the sails. If you already have some experience, we’ll take advantage of this sailing to assess your level together and plan the points to be covered during the trip to help you progress.

This will also be an opportunity to admire the coast and the passage between the islands of the Riou archipelago, arriving at the anchorage before sunset.

Dinner prepared on board and overnight at anchor.

J2 :
Wake up early on the boat, enjoy a generous breakfast and the first task of the day is to disembark! We get on board the boat’s small dinghy to meet our climbing guide, a specialist in the Calanques, on Sormiou beach.

The choice of sector will have been decided the day before according to the profile and level of the group. Approach walk and day on the rock, in the paradisiacal setting of the Calanques. Initiation for beginners, personalised coaching for the more experienced… the instructor will adapt to each individual.

Picnic lunch at the foot of the climbing wall. Return to the boat in the late afternoon for a well-deserved aperitif and dinner! Night at the anchorage.

J3:
Wake up to the sound of the sea, breakfast and off we go for a day on the water! Sail to the Bec de l’Aigle, along the coast to admire the impressive relief of the Calanques, before dropping anchor at midday in the Figuerolles cove. After a tasty lunch (and a swim for the brave!), we weigh anchor and hoist the sails to gently begin our return to Marseille: heading for the Riou Archipelago or the Calanque de Marseilleveyre, where we’ll spend the night at anchor.

For this day dedicated to sailing, the emphasis will be on teaching and practice, adapting the roles to both the desires and the level of each person.

J4:
On the programme for this last day: sailing to the island of Frioul for a short hike with a lunch break ashore. Back to the boat for a final short sail to Marseille’s Vieux Port, disembarking around 5pm. It’s time to say goodbye and head back to the station. We’ve had a great time on land and sea!

Andrea and Sarah

Sailing instructor and trainer

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