Memorable Dining at Le Chateau in Calanque de Sormiou

This is the view as you drive over the rocky mountains towards the Mediterranean from the very eastern edge of Marseille. The breathtaking Calanque de Sormiou is the setting for Le Chateau, a family-run restaurant established in 1948.

Provence’s Calanques: The Fjords of Provence

Just east of Marseille lays the charming coastal town of Cassis, nestled at the bottom of steep, vineyard-covered hills that come almost to the sea. It’s so beautiful that you might think you are walking into a postcard. There’s nothing better than a stroll through town followed by a bowl of fish soup or some moules-frites at one of the many restaurants that line the docks.

The setting of Cassis is dramatic. Besides those vineyards, Cap Canaille—the highest cliff in France—towers over the town on its east side. And to the west are the beautiful and rugged calanques, the so-called mini fjords of France.