Corbières beach

When we talk about Marseille, we think naturally of the Old Port, Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde and other monuments or famous places in the city. To the rigor, one thinks of the bouillabaisse if not one imagines the calanques to the south of the phocéenne town. It is rare that our thoughts turn towards the north, in the 16th arrondissement, on the side of the Estaque and yet there are magnificent beaches suitable for a successful holiday on the shores of the Mediterranean.

The Estaque district is especially renowned for the "village" atmosphere which reigns there permanently. It seems that the place was spared by the excessive urbanization of the city center allowing it to keep a certain authenticity far from the frenzy in which the other districts of Marseilles bathe.

This rather special atmosphere has already seduced the members of the Marseilles bourgeoisie of the 19th and 20th century who made the Estaque their place of holiday. The painters also fell under the charm of this small village that they immortalized in their works of art. Among them is Paul Cézanne, a great master in this art which is the pride of all Provence.

At this time of the rise of the resort at the Estaque, the existing infrastructures were not present and the beaches were more difficult to access. Nowadays, since work has been undertaken, allowing the gain of more space on the sea where to develop beaches of sand and pebbles, but also landscaped gardens. This is what we call today the beaches of Corbière.

In all there are three beaches: from east to west, La Lave beach, La Batterie beach and Fortin beach. The first one is located just beside the port of the same name and has a first-aid station and sanitary facilities. Access is easy because the slopes are gentle. As for the other two, they are located not far from the port and are accessible via a path and stairs dug into the rock.

These three beaches have two common points, they are shallow and are partly shaded. These features make them perfect places to accommodate families with small children. In addition, there are several playgrounds and various recreational activities are offered, supervised by experienced instructors.