Cassis: the gem in Provence
Cassis was a very ancient fishing port and is an interesting village to visit. The village was rebuilt on the old ruins in the 18th century, resulting in a more regular layout than most other medieval villages. Some of the buildings, however, date .
A walk through the old village streets will reveal some nice old buildings, some dating back to the 16th century, and some restored with the colorful pastels of Provence . Other sites in the village are old fountains and an open-air artists market (where we bought a few small paintings of Provence). The harbor area is really the prettiest part of Cassis.
A fine old chateau-fort, the 1381 Chateaux de la Maison des Baux, dominates the harbor, but it's privately owned and closed to the public. A walk up ot the hill top beside the chateau offers a reasonable view down to the village and harbor. The local map (from the Office de Tourisme) shows a "loop" route down to the shore. It's a pretty walk, but the shore-line path back to the village is now closed off, so it's back up over the hill past the chateau.
The first of the white Cassis stone quarries in the Calanques was opened in 1753.
Beaches
Cassis has a fine sandy beach just outside the port, the Plage de la Grande mer. The beaches Plage du Corton and Plage de l'Arène are on the coast just to the south of the village. Just west of the port are the beaches La Plage du Bestouan and La Plage Bleue;
The wine was being made around Cassis even before the Greeks arrived around 600 BC, and it's only gotten better. The appellation Cassis wine, received the Appellation d'Origine Controlée in 1936 -- the first in the region. It's produced in red, rosé and white, with the white being the most famous.
The landscape here is classic Provence; white, scrubby, garrigue-strewn cliffs overlook the vineyards below, which lead right down to the clear blue waters of the Baie de Cassis. Garrigue (herb-strewn scrubland based on dry limestone soils) was described by Baron Le Roy de Boiseaumarie (the godfather of the appellation system) as the ideal vine-growing terroir.
Throughout Provence, a series of low coastal mountain ranges and ridges creates varied mesoclimates. The warmest are those directly next to the Mediterranean, which also provides a warming, moderating effect. The stretch of coastline where the Cassis and Bandol appellations are located is a prime example of this. Protected from cold north winds by the Montagne Sainte-Victoire and Massif de la Sainte-Baume to the north and the Chaine de Saint-Cyr to the west, the vines enjoy sheltered and warm growing conditions.
The vines of Cassis are particularly sheltered by the Montagne de la Canaille, whose cliffs run along the coast towards La Ciotat to the east. La Grande Tete is the highest of these cliffs and at 1310ft (400m) is one of the tallest in France.
Cassis is known for its full-bodied, herby white wines made principally from Clairette and Marsanne, accompanied by Bourboulenc (locally known as Doucillon Blanc), Pascal, Sauvignon Blanc, Terret Blanc and Ugni Blanc. A small quantity of rose and red wines made from Mourvedre,Cinsaut and Grenache are somewhat overshadowed by those from Bandol, just a few miles down the coast.
The landscape here is classic Provence; white, scrubby, garrigue-strewn cliffs overlook the vineyards below, which lead right down to the clear blue waters of the Baie de Cassis. Garrigue (herb-strewn scrubland based on dry limestone soils) was described by Baron Le Roy de Boiseaumarie (the godfather of the appellation system) as the ideal vine-growing terroir.
Throughout Provence, a series of low coastal mountain ranges and ridges creates varied mesoclimates. The warmest are those directly next to the Mediterranean, which also provides a warming, moderating effect. The stretch of coastline where the Cassis and Bandol appellations are located is a prime example of this. Protected from cold north winds by the Montagne Sainte-Victoire and Massif de la Sainte-Baume to the north and the Chaine de Saint-Cyr to the west, the vines enjoy sheltered and warm growing conditions.
The vines of Cassis are particularly sheltered by the Montagne de la Canaille, whose cliffs run along the coast towards La Ciotat to the east. La Grande Tete is the highest of these cliffs and at 1310ft (400m) is one of the tallest in France.
Cassis is known for its full-bodied, herby white wines made principally from Clairette and Marsanne, accompanied by Bourboulenc (locally known as Doucillon Blanc), Pascal, Sauvignon Blanc, Terret Blanc and Ugni Blanc. A small quantity of rose and red wines made from Mourvedre,Cinsaut and Grenache are somewhat overshadowed by those from Bandol, just a few miles down the coast.
Where staying
Villa Astoria in Cassis is a famous place for staying in Cassis.
Villa Astoria has a 4 key classification (the highest standard of the Clés Vacances classification) and enjoys a spectacular view of the Cassis Bay and the imposing Cape Canaille.
Completely renovated and refurbished at the end of 2007, we have created within Villa Astoria a luxurious and calm environment in which house guests can relax and unwind. The doors are open all year long, to guests who wish to experience a stylish and luxurious environment with discrete conviviality.
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