La Ciotat is a small, charming seaside town near Marseille in the south of France. It makes a perfect stop on a road trip between Nice and Marseille with its countless hiking trails, calanques and beaches , and breathtaking views of the Mediterranean. Keep reading to discover my top recommendations for things to do in La Ciotat, France. La Ciotat is vastly underrated, and to some people it is completely unknown. The highest sea cliff in all of France can be found in La Ciotat at the Falaises Soubeyranes — Cap Canaille , which sits high at meters!
Why else is La Ciotat worth a visit? And during the summer months, you are away from the tourists who tend to set their sights on Marseille, Nice and Cannes. This town has direct access to the Mediterranean Sea and is not far from the infamous French Riviera. The port has the largest mega-yacht elevator and yacht maintenance port in all of Europe. The old port is also where you will find some of the best restaurants in La Ciotat. While many restaurants serve a variety of dishes, I recommend trying a seafood dish.
A very common seafood dish which originates from this region is the Bouillabaisse , a type of fish stew. And on Sundays, there is a lively market running all day serving you any and everything from fresh breads, pastries, cheeses and meats to souvenir trinkets, beach necessities, and antiquities. Eden Theatre was built in , initially for theatrical and musical performances. The theatre went through a bit of restoration just a few years ago , and they were able to restore it following the same design from Today, Eden Theatre remains open and operating as a movie theater.
In addition to having a port and an old town that sits at the edge of the sea, La Ciotat is surrounded by lush green cliffs. It makes for the perfect environment for a light hiking trip. If hiking is an activity that you enjoy, then the topo rando Cap Canaille is perfect. You can spend a few hours getting your heart pumping by going on some of the most scenic hikes in the area! This hiking level is intermediate and can take up about half a day if you do the full tour.
Check out this detailed guide on how to complete the Cap Canaille hike. Parc du Mugel is a seaside park and garden just a few steps from Ciotat port. There is no fee to enter. Its green landscape and variety of plants make it a great place to walk through. This beautiful calanque is located just 15 minutes by foot from La Ciotat port and Parc du Mugel. The Calanques des Figuerolles is also accessible by boat as seen in the photo below.
