Impressions of the Blue Coast: Off the beaten path in Provence
- Karyn Farrell
- May 20
- 9 min read
Updated: 5 hours ago
Calanques, Cote Bleue
It's the start of a four-day holiday with friends. We've landed in Marseille airport and are staring somewhat bemusedly at the huge black people-carrier we've hired for our trip. It's a monster. I'm picturing narrow winding roads and sheer cliffs while driving on the opposite side of the road in an enormous vehicle, and my palms are starting to sweat. But with just one named driver for this trip, five of us have dodged that bullet. Thankfully our designated chauffeur is cool as a cucumber and entirely unphased. Off we go!
Contents:
We're headed west along the coast from Marseille to La Redonne, a tiny port on the outskirts of Ensuès-la-Redonne. We've rented a gorgeous villa high in the hills above the village and are looking forward to a few days of downtime, good food and wine, and quality time with friends. Hiking is also thrown into the mix but not everyone is so keen. I park that suggestion for now...
Port La Redonne, Ensuès-la-Redonne
Less than 30 minutes from the airport, and under 40 from Marseille city, it feels a world away from metropolitan life. It's sleepy and charmingly old-fashioned - not a part of France that suffers from over-tourism. The Côte Bleue or Blue Coast, so named after the iridescent colour of the water, is dotted with small ports, beaches and secluded inlets, and the coastline is rugged, craggy and wildly beautiful.
First stop is the supermarché to stock up on the essentials: cheese, bread, wine, more cheese, beer, more cheese... You get the picture. As we make our way up the impossibly narrow and winding streets to the villa, we thank our lucky stars that we hired a car. The supermarket is a little further away than expected so making the trip on foot wouldn't have been an option. If we'd arrived by train as originally planned, it would have been an incredibly steep climb from the station to the villa.
On the final stretch, we take a sharp turn in the road and suddenly there it is: our first glimpse of the Mediterranean and the port at La Redonne. It's a dull grey April evening but there's still a sparkle to the sea. We pass beneath the magnificent viaduct and gasp, partly at the view and partly out of fear, as the car hugs the side of a sheer cliff drop.
Port La Redonne, Ensuès-la-Redonne
Where to stay: a luxury coastal villa
We pull up at the villa and are greeted by the lovely Karine who shows us around. I opt for the intro in French and am pleasantly surprised by how much I understand (those Coffee Break French podcasts have been a great refresher..) Sometimes it takes me a day or two to attune to a new language but she's kind and speaks slowly. She also seems to understand my halting French which gives me confidence over the days ahead.
Villa, Ensuès-la-Redonne
The villa is beautiful: whitewashed and topped with the iconic red roof tiles that are so familiar in this region. Surrounded by trees and with dramatic views of the rugged coastline and the port down below, one of its selling points is the large terrace with an outdoor dining and seating area, dotted with shrubs, herbs and potted plants. Recent rain brings all the smells of Provence to the fore and my senses are heightened as I breathe in the scent of lavender and rosemary. It's good to be back in France.
Ingenious wallpaper placement, villa living area (and yes, that is a real window)
I walk inside and am handed a glass of excellent local red, the first of many of this trip. All the stresses of travel and airports melt away as I sip my wine and take in the views from the wall-length picture windows. Down below, the lights of the port are twinkling as evening falls. It's peaceful up here with the crashing of waves in the far distance, and the rustling of the wind through the trees.
And now for a quick house tour.... The décor is fabulous: Scandi-chic with rustic French charm; comfy but with all mod-cons and the design is clever, set over multiple levels & terraces. Tones are calming and muted with pops of colour from some wonderful vintage French travel posters dotted throughout the house. There are plenty of couches and areas for lounging, and a huge plus are the four double-bedrooms, three with views of the port and the surrounding countryside.
The huge kitchen with breakfast bar in the centre is perfect for hanging out and chatting over meal prep. We listen to tunes and drink some Provençal bubbles while two of our men get cracking on the cooking. Setting the table and keeping the drinks topped up is our contribution.
Long leisurely dinners are a highlight each evening. In an increasingly busy world, it's a privilege to spend meaningful time with friends. To have all the time in the world to enjoy life's simple pleasures: good food and wine and great conversation.
Another selling point is the swimming pool on the lower level, and the roof terrace with panoramic 360 degree views. Sadly the sun only graced us with its presence for a few hours on our last day. Overall the weather was quite wet and windy with a distinct chill in the air so we made little use of either of them. Despite the pool being heated, the external temperature and strong winds made it feel much colder. I jumped in that first morning and it almost took my breath away. A reminder that the weather in April in France can be a tad unpredictable, even down south in Provence.
Villa at Ensuès-la-Redonne - for more images or to book, click on AirBnB link here.
For a video walkthrough, see my Instagram stories here.
Port La Redonne
Port La Redonne, Ensuès-la-Redonne
It's our first full day in La Redonne and the clouds are ominous. We make dash for the port in between showers, using the shortcut Karine had pointed out the day before - a tree-lined path path from the garden of the villa to the bottom of the village. It's incredibly steep which is good news on the way down, less so on the climb back up. The pay-off is the wonderful views between the trees.
A magnificent six-arch viaduct serves as a dramatic backdrop to the village, overlooking a charming little port with colourful boats bobbing in the water. The only action on this particular morning was the Redonne Nautical Society meeting and the occasional customer at the port's only bar, L’Auberge De La Calanque. The brown shuttered windows and Stella Artois sign feels like a throwback to a distant past. In my head I hear the wistful theme music from Jean de Florette.
Port La Redonne
If it's a buzzing nightlife you're looking for, then this is not the place for you. But what you do have access to here are some of the most spectacular walking and hiking routes in France.
The calanques of La Côte Bleue | The Blue Coast, Provence
The Côte Bleue refers to the southwestern coastline of Provence, stretching from northern Marseille in the east to Martigues and the Rhône river delta in the west. It's an area famed for its scenery - the landscape is rugged and wildly beautiful, lined with pine trees and punctuated by a succession of 'calanques', a series of inlets or coves enclosed by steep-sided cliffs. Not to be confused with the Calanques National Park to the south-east of Marseille, these are lesser-known but no less impressive.
As the rain finally stops on day two, I'm keen to explore some of the coves within walking distance of the port. The reluctant hikers are convinced to join us with the promise of a beer or two at the end. We set off along the Sentier des Douaniers, a hiking trail which hugs the coastline and offers pedestrian access to some of the bays along the coast. The path is forested and for the most part pretty flat, but it's worth noting the steep and sometimes uneven terrain to access the calanques. The views revealed between the trees are utterly jaw-dropping and stop me in my tracks.
We head east in the direction of Niolon: our first port of call is the Calanque des Anthénors. We optimistically wear our swimsuits beneath our clothes but it soon becomes clear that there will be no swimming this day. The sea is rough and wild with waves crashing against the rocks. There's a small rocky beach with a family having a picnic. We admire their fortitude and leave them to it, continuing onwards to Calanque des Figuières.
Petit Port des Figuières
We emerge at the gorgeous little Petit Port des Figuières with boats bobbing in the bay on one side, and waves ferociously slamming the cliffside on the other. Like La Redonne, it also has a Nautical Society - a ridiculously cute one with brightly-painted blue doors and shutters.
It's completely deserted - we're the only walkers. We sit on the rocks and take a moment to appreciate our surroundings. It's a wildly beautiful place and I'm a little awestruck by the sublime power of nature.
Petit Port des Figuières
We make our way back to the port. Appetites sufficiently whetted by the morning's excursions, we make a pitstop at the L’Auberge De La Calanque. Refreshingly chilled glasses of blonde lager hit the spot, with platters of salty panisses (chickpea fritters) for sustenance.
As the sun emerges at last, the outdoor terrace begins to fill up. When we pass later, it's buzzing. It's a little rough and ready and prices are above the norm but without any competition, they're on a winning streak.
L’Auberge De La Calanque, 3 Port Redonne, 13820 Ensues-la-Redonne
l'Estaque: a painters inspiration
Place Maleterre, l'Estaque
A day trip brings us to l'Estaque, a fishing village and port on the outskirts of Marseille. As far back as the mid-19th century, this pretty little town has served as inspiration for some of France's greatest painters including Cézanne, Braque, Dufy and Renoir. Place Maleterre off Rue Jumelles offers the best vantage point of the iconic red roofs, the harbour and the sparkling sea which appear in so many of their paintings. Sadly, on this particular day, it was absolutely bucketing down with rain and the hills in the background had all but disappeared into the clouds.
Cézanne's studio and one of his iconic paintings of the red roofs of l'Estaque
Cézanne is one of our all-time favourite artists so undeterred by the rain, we make our way to l'Église de l'Estaque, the church overlooking the terrace. A plaque on the wall of a house beside the church tells us that "Paul Cézanne stayed many times in this house between 1870 and 1888 and created some of most admired and celebrated paintings in the entire world". I've lost myself in those wonderful sun-drenched paintings in books and in galleries, where the Provençal light seems to glow from within the canvas. Unfortunately the real-life glow was nowhere to be seen, but I still got a buzz from standing in the spot where those masterpieces were created.
l'Église de l'Estaque and Rue Jumelles
The Painters' Path, or le Chemin Des Peintres, is a walk marked by enamel plaques throughout the town, following the sights of painterly inspiration and significance. At this stage the rain was biblical so our explorations of l'Estaque were shortlived. It's a good excuse to come back again when the weather gods are looking more favourably on us.
And now so for some lunch...
Hippocampe
L'Hippocampe l'Estaque
Lunch at L'Hippocampe was one of the highlights of our trip. An unassuming exterior is usually a sign of a good restaurant in my book and this one was no exception. They don't need to show off, but the locals know it's good. And if it's full of locals, then this is where I want to eat.
It's USP - it's a seafood restaurant quite literally perched on the water. From the terrace you can look down through the wooden slats to the sea below. But as it's still raining, we have to sit inside. We're warmly welcomed and shown to a table at the window to enjoy a (dry) view of the port beyond. I speak in French but the young waiter wants to practice his English. He asks us if we're American. We say no and tell him we're Irish. He thinks for a minute and says 'Conor McGregor?' We look horrified that this is now the first thing people think of when they hear Ireland. He tries again. Cillian Murphy? He's redeemed himself.
As you'd expect, seafood is king here. We tuck into huge bowls of plump juicy mussels, and the freshest seabass I've ever tasted. Unsurprising, as everything is caught locally and served fresh that day. The fish is expertly fileted at the table as we look on in awe. We wash it down with a light and refreshing local Rosé and somehow find room for some dessert. Portions are generous so arrive hungry.
Just one thing to note: fresh fish is priced according to weight and size. Customers pick the fish from the counter and it's cooked to order. While everything else on the menu is very reasonably priced, we were taken aback at the cost of the seabass - make sure to ask before selection.
L'Hippocampe l'Estaque, 151 Plage de l'Estaque, 13016 Marseille
Getting there and getting around: all you need to know
We continued our trip with a few nights in Marseille, a wonderfully vibrant city. You can read my impressions here.
Fly direct with Aer Lingus or Ryanair from Dublin to Marseille-Provence Airport. There are frequent trains to both Ensuès-la-Redonne (approx 30 minute journey) and l'Estaque (approx 20 minute journey) from St Charles station in Marseille city.
The shuttle bus to St Charles station departs every ten minutes from 7am to 8pm . Tickets are €10 one way and it takes approx 35 minutes. Find out more here
For car hire, one of the best value sites we've used to date is Discover Cars, comparing prices across 700 suppliers. Our car on this occasion was a little more costly than usual but we required a six-seater.
Traveling with a group? Welcome Pickups offer excellent value for money and a reliable airport transfer service. Book your transfer here
Bon voyage!
Karyn xx
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