The Cote Bleue is a coastline stretching north of the centre of Marseille for about 25 km, ending near the town of Martigues.
Administratively, much of the coastline still falls under the city of Marseille, although it is realistically about 30 minutes away from the centre by train.
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The wild coastline beckons for hiking
The Côte Bleue may not be as vast and wild as the famous Calanques National Park in the south of Marseille, but its scenery is still simply spectacular.
Here and there, jagged rocks form small caves or coves in which cute little villages lie.
The coastline is particularly attractive for hiking.
Along the entire Côte Bleue there is a marked trail Sentier des Douanier for over 15 km. The route along the coast can be completed in one day or you can choose to take short walks in the individual villages.
Similar to the more famous Cinque Terre coast of Italy, there is a train stop in every village, so you can combine walking tours of the Côte Bleue in any length.
Towns on the Côte Bleue
There are several resorts on the coast.
The three largest towns, La Couronne, Sausset-les-Pins and Carry-le-Rouet, are the most easterly, where you'll find the most services and accommodation, but the towns are not as picturesque.
We particularly recommend visiting the more westerly villages of Niolon, Méjean and La Redonne, where you can experience true Mediterranean peace and tranquillity.
Beaches and diving
The Cote Bleue coastline is not a typical location for swimming in the sea. The beaches in each town are very small and bordered by narrow rocky coves.
On the other hand, the coast is ideal for diving thanks to its many caves and reefs and is one of the best diving sites in southern France.
Accommodation
Cote Bleue is one of the more expensive locations, especially in the prettiest little villages. You won't find large hotels here and accommodation is mainly in local luxury apartments.
Find accommodation in Côte Bleue
How to get there
All the towns on the coast are perfectly accessible, especially by train.
Trains cross the coast every day at irregular intervals of about 45 to 150 minutes between Marseille St Charles and Martigues stations. At either end, you can change trains to other trains throughout France.
You can find timetables and buy tickets via sncf-connect.com.
You can buy a ticket at no extra charge at each station from a ticket machine.
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