Sapphire blue waves, emerald green trees and rugged rock paths. Just 30 minutes away from Marseille, the village of Niolon promises an unadulterated perspective of Provence. La Côte d’Azur dominates blog posts and travel guides, but its sister, la Côte Bleue, deserves just as much attention. The town of Niolon offers a starting point to the Sentier des Douaniers trail. A little over an hour’s hike from Niolon along this trail, the Calanque d’Érevine beckons with its beach reserved for the brave hikers who make the trek. For travelers looking to discover the heart of Provence, namely its calanques, this hike is for you. Here’s how to take a day trip to Niolon from Marseille and embark on the Sentier des Douaniers trail.
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Getting to Niolon
Niolon is easily accessible from Marseille. The drive from Marseille to Niolon is anywhere between 30 and 45 minutes. If you plan to drive, do plan to arrive earlier in the morning in order to get a good parking spot. And the train from Marseille Saint Charles to Niolon is just 25 minutes. Plus, trail access to the Sentier des Douaniers is maybe a two minute walk from the train station.
Hiking the Sentier des Douaniers
From Marseille to Martigues, the Sentier des Douaniers is over 17 miles long. But there’s a variety of different circuits, which vary in duration and starting/ending point. We started in Niolon, hiked to the Calanque d’Érevine and then returned to Niolon. Our hike took us a little over an hour to reach to the calanque from Niolon. We spent several hours at the beach at the calanque d’Érevine and then spent another hour or so hiking back to Niolon. In total, with beach time, our hike lasted between 4-5 hours. Follow the red and white trail markers.
On our way to the calanque d’Érevine, we passed the calanque du Jonquier and the calanque du Riflard. It’s hard to believe that just a couple hours prior, we were in the hustle and bustle of Marseille. On this hike, we basked in the raw, unblocked views of the Mediterranean. I’m still not over the fact that I live in this exquisite region.
Why the Sentier des Douaniers (and not other calanques)
I’ve hiked a plethora of different calanques in Marseille and Cassis. And this hike from Niolon might be one of my favorites. And here’s why. Unlike other hikes such as the Calanque de Sugiton or Sormiou, you have sea views the entire way. Hiking the Sugiton and Sormiou calanques are gorgeous, but you don’t have sea views until the end. And the way back is virtually all uphill. However, the Sentier des Douaniers is a trail that hugs the shore. Débora and I kept stopping to take pictures along the way. Simply breathless.
The path is also covered at different moments, which means you get some shade. This is rarely the case when it comes to hiking in the sun-soaked calanques. The trees provide a sweet relief of shade throughout the hike. In terms of swimming, many calanques are cliffs and don’t have creeks or beach-like access to the water. That means jumping all in at once. However, on this hike from Niolon, there’s a small beach where you can wade into the water if you’d like.
Another aspect of this hike that I loved is that it was relatively flat. (As far as calanque hikes go!) There were few steep inclines. You certainly will get your steps in, but it wasn’t horribly strenuous. That being said, it was one of the more risky hikes I’ve done. The paths could be narrow at times and there weren’t many barriers between the cliff and the path. This hike is NOT suitable for small children or people with reduced mobility. A large portion of the hike is fairly simple with a good-sized path. However, there are a few tricky spots where you really need to pay attention to your feet as there’s a risk for slipping. Debora and I had no problems in terms of safety, but it’s important to take your time on several parts of the path.
What to pack
It’s a hike, so be sure to wear comfortable tennis shoes. We wore swimsuits under our clothes and brought beach stuff (i.e. towels, water shoes). We packed a picnic and enjoyed it at the beach at the Calanque d’Érevine. Definitely pack lots of water and sunscreen!
Like most beaches in Marseille and nearby, it’s not a sand beach. It’s a rocky, pebble beach. You will definitely want to pack water shoes to protect your feet. The day of our hike in late August was the perfect temperature to float fully submerged in the water. The water was so clear, you could see right to the bottom.
To be honest, I hadn’t given much thought to the Côte Bleue before my hike from Niolon. From Nice to Cannes, I had eyes for the Côte d’Azur. But the Côte Bleue should certainly not be overlooked. It offers more rugged and authentic take on Provence and also less crowded. Best of all, it’s easily accessible from Marseille. If you’re in Provence, you’ll want to head to Niolon to admire the gorgeous views of the Calanque d’Érevine up close and personal.
You might also be interested in my guide to Marseille.
With five years under my belt as an expat in Provence, I wanted to share my tips and expertise. And the France Field Guide is 32 pages of just that! Read the first chapter here.