Plage des Catalans

About this place Plage des Catalans

Plage des Catalans is the most accessible of Marseille's city beaches — a 15-minute walk from the Old Port or a quick tram ride from the centre. The beach is a mixed public beach but the southern section has a long-established informal gay presence, particularly on weekend afternoons and throughout the summer. The water is clean, the location has views back towards the city's distinctive limestone hillsides, and the social atmosphere is relaxed and tolerant. For visitors who want something wilder, the Calanques national park (accessible by boat or a 30-minute drive) contains numerous secluded coves with a long tradition of gay sunbathing, including Calanque de Morgiou and Calanque de Sugiton. The Catalans is the easy, convenient option; the Calanques are the memorable one.