Water taxi in La Ciotat

The default meeting point is the Vieux-Port, on quai Ganteaume or quai Général de Gaulle — the same waterfront where the Île Verte shuttle and the calanque excursion boats operate. If you are staying near the Nouveau Port, we can board you in the bassin Bérouard to the west of the marina or the bassin des Capucins to the east, and yacht crews are usually picked up alongside at the shipyards. Your skipper sends the precise spot and a photo of it the day before.

By sea it is one continuous run of roughly 5 nautical miles around the Bec de l'Aigle, near twenty minutes on the water. By road you either take the Route des Crêtes — closed in strong wind and on high fire-risk days in summer — or the inland route, about 20 km, which in July and August means traffic on the way in and then finding parking in Cassis, a town that has very little of it. The sea route does not have those failure modes.

Prices start from around 350 € for the short hop to Les Lecques and rise with distance — from about 390 € towards Cassis, 490 € to Bandol and from 890 € for the run west to Marseille. It is a private charter price, not a per-seat fare: the figure covers the whole boat, the skipper and fuel for up to about ten passengers, so a family or a group of friends splits one price. Waiting time and return legs are quoted separately.

The Bay of La Ciotat is fairly sheltered, but the stretch off the Cap Canaille and the open water towards Marseille build up quickly in a north-westerly. Your skipper checks the forecast the evening before and again on the morning of departure. If conditions are unsafe or simply unpleasant, we propose a different departure time, a sheltered alternative such as running east towards Les Lecques and Bandol, or a full refund — we do not sail a transfer that would be a bad experience.

Yes to both. The boat takes normal holiday luggage for a party of up to about ten, and cabin bags are stowed under cover. Many clients add a slow pass in front of the Bec de l'Aigle, Figuerolles and the Grand Mugel, or a swim stop off the Île Verte, on the way to Cassis. Tell us when booking so the skipper allows for it — the calanques are inside a national park and there are anchoring and access rules he will apply.

Westbound, the classic run is La Ciotat to Cassis under the Cap Canaille, and further on to Marseille and its islands. Eastbound, the bay opens towards Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer and Les Lecques, then Bandol, Sanary and Toulon. Every leg is quoted from La Ciotat, one way or return, and the same boat can drop you at a beach club, a marina berth or alongside a yacht at the far end.