An Early Autumn Tour of La Ciotat's Calanques and Beaches

OK, so this is just a  little unseasonal (though the weather is still very mild down here in Southern Provence - and even milder in La Ciotat, which a little more sheltered than we are from the Mistral north-west wind). It's still warm enough for a stroll along the beach or a little hike to one of the calanques. And La Ciotat is well-placed for both these activities, as many of its beaches and its three calanques are all easily within walking distance of the town centre. Its calanques will surprise you, too, if you're familiar with the ones around Marseille and Cassis - they're rich deep red and covered with pine trees! Now that the crowds are gone and the coast is - literally - clear, we decided to go along recently to check them out. Click here to read more.