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Paradise on earth
The town of Cassis, which lies on the Mediterranean coast of south-east France, is one of those rare places that you know must have been first in the queue when God was giving out blessings. Its location is about as delightful as any you could summon up in your dreams. It lies on what is surely the most scenic stretch of France's lovely Mediterranean coast. Here, as well as pretty beaches, there are stunning cliffs and creeks, once the haunt of pirates.
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Ancient town with superb climate
Cassis is an ancient town with many quaint streets and beautiful buildings, and the superb climate of Provence adds the finishing touch to the creation of what is about as close to an earthly paradise as you can find!
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From a hilltop to the sea
The town of Cassis began life as a fortified hilltop town, and over the years it has gradually grown and spread down towards the sea. The port and harbour is a pretty, typically Mediterranean affair, with a plethora of little sailing boats bobbing on the blue water. Once a harbour for the fishing boats which provided the early economy of the town, the harbour now houses mainly pleasure craft, and the motor boats used for day trips to the calanques.
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Cassis’s calanques
Cassis is even more fortunate than many of its neighbours in that the unique calanques, or cliffs and creeks which so characterise the area, offer effective protection against the worst excesses of the powerful Mistral, the wind that can be the bane of Provençal life. These calanques are fascinating to explore, many of them only accessible by sea. Check with the tourist office before you plan a trip, though, as in certain conditions and at certain times of year access is banned.
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Provençal ambience
The unique ambience of Provence is unmistakeably present in Cassis. The town, with its ancient streets flanked with quaint old houses with their bright shutters reflecting the shimmering blue of the sea below, is almost too perfect. Its colours and scents are so gloriously Provençal that it could have come straight from a painting by Picasso or Cézanne.
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Artists and writers
Artists and writers have long loved Cassis, and the streets are still filled with artists hoping to capture the beauty and atmosphere of the town on canvas. With white cliffs to the west and pink and gold cliffs to the east, a colourscape is created that seemingly exists nowhere else. Indeed the quality of light in the region defies explanation, and this is evident when you look at the works of those who painted in Cassis. Take, for example, Cézanne's evocation of an evening sunset, with the rose pink and deep golden hues that you can see if you look to the east at that hour when the sun is at its most rich.
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Cassis's artists' market
Those who have sought to immortalise Provence in words also flocked to Cassis, and included Virginia Woolf and Henry Miller. There is an artists' market held in Cassis, and this can be a wonderful place to gather and absorb the special atmosphere which has charmed all who have experienced it for generations.
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Wining and Dining
Cassis is, as you would expect, a perfect place to enjoy a romantic meal. Whether you choose to eat at lunchtime, as many of the French do, or to while away a long lazy evening sitting in one of Cassis's delightful restaurants, you can rest assured that the experience will be one to savour... as will the food and wine. Provençal flavours are as rich and aromatic as the earth from which they come, and are bursting with colour and taste. Try the freshly caught seafood along with a wonderful tomato, garlic and herb sauce, and wash the whole down with a local wine for an authentic Cassis dining experience.
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Out and about
Glorious though Cassis is, you would do yourself a great disservice if you did not spend some time discovering the wider area. As one of France's most beautiful areas, Provence has everything. The vegetation is both dramatic (tall Alep pines) and exotic, with heat loving shrubs such as myrtle, juniper and mimosas. All around the hillsides grows the wild thyme and lavender that attract the gently humming bees in their thousands, and which richly scent the air.
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Vineyards and wine domains
Cassis, as a wine producing town, has vineyards and wine domains to visit, where you can taste the wines and learn a little about the age old art of wine making. Try also making the effort to visit nearby Aix-en-Provence, where you can browse the many intriguing bookshops and sit in the sunshine watching the sparkling fountains, which play endlessly in the centre of town. Or perhaps you might prefer to take a table in a pavement café and simply soak up the atmosphere.
Getting active
Cassis, with its dramatic coast, lends itself superbly to the sport of scuba diving. The clear blue waters harbour an amazing variety of marine life, and once you are equipped with a basic knowledge of the sport, you can pass some very rewarding days diving here. Other activities you can try from a base in Cassis include walking, climbing, sailing and fishing.
How to get there
To reach Cassis from the UK you have a number of easy options. The nearest big airports are Nîmes, Marseille and Nice, all of which have direct flights from the UK with a number of airlines. Nîmes is served by Ryanair; Marseille by British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair and Aer Lingus; and Nice by bmibaby, British Airways, easyJet, bmi, Jet2, flybe, Air France and Aer Lingus. The TGV is another choice, as the super fast train travels into Marseille from Paris and Lille.
Property prices and availability in and around Cassis
Dreams may be free, but making them a reality is a little costlier. Property in Cassis is never going to be cheap, or anything approaching it. That's the bad news. The good news is that houses here hold their value exceptionally well, and there is also a very strong rental market which may allow you to recoup some of the initial costs of purchasing here. Of course, the other factor to consider is that if you own property here you can spend time in one of the most beautiful places in France whenever you wish.
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