BOAT-COMPARATOR

BOAT-COMPARATOR Guide

La Ciotat and the Île Verte by boat: calanques without the crush

Renting a boat in La Ciotat: the Île Verte, the Figuerolles and Mugel inlets, the Bec de l'Aigle — the smart base between Cassis and Bandol.

By Clément Lacaille, editor of Boat-Comparator · updated

Wedged between star names Cassis and Bandol, La Ciotat keeps for itself the only wooded island in the Bouches-du-Rhône and orange puddingstone inlets the crowds ignore. It is the sector's smart base.

The owner's tour

Ten minutes from port, the Île Verte and its Aleppo pines: anchor in the Saint-Pierre coves in 3-5 metres. Opposite, the Mugel and Figuerolles inlets beneath the Bec de l'Aigle, a wind-carved spur of red rock — a maritime western. Eastwards, Les Lecques bay closes the waters.

Cassis within reach

In fair weather, En-Vau and Port-Pin are 40 RIB-minutes away: starting from La Ciotat to visit the Cassis calanques skips the saturated Cassis harbour — and often rents cheaper. Passing beneath Cap Canaille, France's highest sea cliff, is the bonus of the trip.

Budget

License-free €90-170, RIB €200-380, motorboat €250-480: La Ciotat plays in Marseille's price bracket, not the Var's. A working shipyard keeps the port alive year-round, with operators open April to October.

Worth knowing

The Île Verte is partly protected: land only at the marked spots, no fires or camping. In an established easterly the water degrades fast — fall back to Les Lecques or cancel; local operators play fair.

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