Each year during the girls weekend, we plan a visit to one or two new places that we have never been to together.

The original goal was for me to discover new regions of France but now it’s really about finding a place where we will enjoy our time together.

Each year is completely different and this year I had another incredible discovery… On the coastline between Cassis and Marseille in the Bouches-du-Rhône département of France is the area of Les Calanques.

A calanque is a formation of limestone inlets in the form of a valley, with hair raising-cliffs, that are partly submerged in the sea.

Between Cassis and Marseille there are thirteen different calanques varying in difficulty to reach and enjoy the Mediterranean Sea down below.

We visited one of the easier calanques to hike, picnic, and swim.

You won’t see all the photos (the girls would throw me to the guillotine) and given the rocky terrain the pictures with no watermark were taken with my Point and Shoot.

Last year we visited the village of Cassis but I never would have imagined that just beyond its port would be one of the most beautiful regions in France.

Physically speaking, hiking Les Calanques is not for everyone (there are also boat tours) but if you don’t mind working up a sweat on rocky terrain (where foot trails are not always well marked) the stunning landscape and clear blue water will definitely reward your efforts.

If you decide to hike be sure to bring a picnic, a lot of water and avoid the week-end crowds (My French team knows how to prepare, thanks girls!).

If you haven’t gotten away this Summer, I hope this gives you a quick visual getaway or maybe an idea for your next vacation.

Enjoy!

Leslie