Although Cassis is only a few miles away from the urban sprawl of Marseille it retains a more tranquil and relaxed atmosphere with the appearance of a quintessential Mediterranean harbour. The town is now largely dedicated to the tourist trade although there are still a few working fishing vessels tied up alongside numerous pleasure craft and tour boats. The town used to be well-known for the stone from local quarries which was exported to many ports around the Mediterranean and even to New York to form the base of the Statue of Liberty. The area is also famous for its vineyards.
The site has been occupied since ancient times and was certainly a port during the Roman period. When raids by pirates became a problem the population retreated to the fortified ‘castrum’ on the cliff tops and some of these buildings are still to be seen today although they are now in private ownership.
By the nineteenth century the community was largely occupied in the fishing industry and in the stone quarries. Cassis is surrounded by towering cliffs, rocky inlets known as calanques and the untamed expanse of limestone heights known as La Gineste. It was fairly inaccessible by road, effectively illustrated by the bus ride from Marseille which is spectacular and a little hair-raising in parts. However, road links were improved in the 1840’s and the railway line from Marseille was opened by 1860 and, as with so many other communities, this paved the way for expansion and new developments.
As leisure time became more available for more people so the attractions of seaside communities led to an influx of seasonal visitors. Amongst these were notable painters of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries including Paul Signac, Charles Camoin, André Derain, Henri Matisse, Georges Braque and Raoul Dufy. They have been followed by artists from every generation since from both France and overseas. The appeal of the place seems to be timeless.
HOW TO GET TO CASSIS
It is assumed that Marseille will be the base for exploring Cassis although there is plenty of accomodation in the town if that is preferred. Marseille is well-served by air services from the UK including daily flights from London Heathrow (British Airways), London Gatwick (Easy Jet) and London Stansted (Ryanair). There are frequent high-speed rail services from Paris Gare de Lyon with a journey time of approximately 3 hours 20 minutes. It is perfectly possible to travel from London to Marseille by Eurostar and the TGV with a total journey time of approximately 6 hours 30 minutes.
By train from Marseille Cassis is only a 25 minute journey from Marseille Saint-Charles and there are one or two trains an hour throughout the day. However the station is quite a long way from the centre of the village so be prepared for a long walk or a taxi ride.
By car from Marseille Cassis is about 20 km from the centre of Marseille. The quickest route is to take the A50 in the direction of Aubagne, Toulon and Nice. Take exit 8 in the direction of Cassis and get onto the D559A and then the D559 which will take you into the town. Alternatively you could take the D559 all the way from Rond-point du Prado in Marseille to Cassis. This will take slightly longer but the route will take you up into the rugged limestone hills with some wonderful views.
By bus from Marseille The bus runs from the Avenue de Prado near Castellane metro station and terminates at Le Gendarmerie in Cassis which is only a short walk from the harbour. It is probably best to get an up-to-date timetable from the tourist office in Marseille. The bus ride takes in some spectacular scenery and takes about 50 minutes.
Tourist information in Cassis Quai des Moulins, F - 13260 Cassis Tel: 08 92 39 01 03 Fax: 04 42 01 28 31 Website: www.ot-cassis.com Open: Throughout the year but times vary depending on season, best to check for exact details.
Although Cassis is only a few miles away from the urban sprawl of Marseille it retains a more tranquil and relaxed atmosphere with the appearance of a quintessential Mediterranean harbour. The town is now largely dedicated to the tourist trade although there are still a few working fishing vessels tied up alongside numerous pleasure craft and tour boats. The town used to be well-known for the stone from local quarries which was exported to many ports around the Mediterranean and even to New York to form the base of the Statue of Liberty. The area is also famous for its vineyards. 
