Les Goudes is a stunning fishing village south of Marseille on the very end of the headland. It’s wild, incredibly beautiful and a fantastic day trip out of the city!
Amazingly it’s actually part of the city of Marseille but as it’s also located in the National Park of the Calanques, it’s protected from new developments. This has allowed the village and the surrounding areas to retain their stunning, natural beauty!
Despite its popularity with locals and tourists, the village and surrounding areas have kept their authentic feel and charm. Go into the village and you’ll find fishermen sat at a bar drinking their Pastis mid morning – it’s so Marseille.
Tip: There’s little to no shade around Les Goudes so make sure you bring plenty of water and sunscreen. Temperatures reach 35c/95f+ during the summer!
What to Do in Les Goudes
Les Goudes is very small and you’re visiting not just the small village but the surrounding area as well. This guide has a round up of the best sights, restaurants and areas to explore.
Explore the Port
The village surrounds the small port and it’s very pretty. Small, fishing boats are moored in the marina which is surrounded by small, old fashioned fishermen’s houses.
I’d suggest starting on the north side of the village and working your way around the port to the east side. You can explore the port, take in the sites and watch the boats.
Walking clockwise around the port you’ll come to the northern quayside. You can stop here and watch local children fishing for crabs and enjoy the marina.
At the north western edge you’ll see a road (Route de la Maronaise) that leads around the headland and to some incredible rocky bays..
L’Anse de la Maronaise
Follow the road out of the port for around 5 minutes and you’ll come to a beautiful secluded beach. It’s rocky, wild and has incredible, turquoise water.
It’s small but perfect for a quick dip if the weather is hot! It gets popular with locals as there’s quite a bit of sandy parts.
I stopped here once to cool down and after a quick break continued around the bay to one of the most beautiful view points!
Baie des Singes
The Baie des Singes or, Bay of the Monkeys in English, is an absolute must see and worthy of the hike up the rocky headland. It’s about a 7 minute walk up from the Anse de le Maronaise and provides incredible views out to Île Marie.
The tiny little bay used to be a landing port for smugglers and its where the name comes from as local children were told to be “quiet as monkeys”.
The narrow channel is where pleasure craft and fishermen take a short cut to cut through to the calanques and further a field.
Tip: Wear appropriate shoes! The ground is very rocky and the walk way is extremely narrow. I wouldn’t advise walking down the bay for those who aren’t steady on their feet.
Go up the path and you’ll find the viewing point before it dips down to the bay itself where there’s a small public beach and the Restaurant La Baie des Singes.
The restaurant has about 30 sun loungers which you can rent for €25 for the day. I haven’t eaten at the restaurant but they mainly served fresh, locally caught fish.
Try Bouillabaisse in Les Goudes
If you’re on your way back to the village of Les Goudes are fancy a spot of lunch then it’s the perfect place to try the famous Bouillabaisse soup from Marseille.
On the port there are two really good restaurants which serve the famous fish soup and they both have great views out across the port. You can try either Grand Bar des Goudes or La Marine des Goudes. Both restaurants serve incredible locally caught fish!
Calanque de Callelongue
If you walk up above the village along the Boulevard Alexandre Delabre you’ll head up towards a parking spot (more on where to park in Les Goudes later in this guide). Continue further down the Boulevard and you’ll come to the Calanque de Callelongue – a stunning rocky inlet known as a ‘Calanque’.
The walk down to the Calanque is on the easier side and it’s definitely worth the effort to see the turquoise water and stunning landscapes. You’ll also be able to see across to Île Jarre and Île Riou which are natural reserves. They’re also great mooring spots if you’re exploring the area by boat!
There are few fishing boats, houses and a very good restaurant – La Grotte. I’d avoid driving here as it’s effectively a dead end and there’s always LOTS of traffic!
How to Get to Les Goudes From Marseille
Getting from Les Goudes from Marseille is relatively straight forward – you simply follow the only road down the coast (it does change names a few times as you pass Pointe Rouge and the Prado). You can drive, bike or take public transport.
Driving to Les Goudes
Driving to Les Goudes is the simplest option but do note that parking is limited, there’s only one road and it gets narrow as you approach the village!
During the summer the roads can get really busy and parking can be VERY difficult. I’ve attempted driving there in August a few years ago and had to abort due to the traffic!
I’d advise getting there early (before 10am) to have the best chance of avoiding traffic and getting a parking spot. The drive can take anywhere from between 30-50 mins from the Old Port.
Bus to Les Goudes
Getting the bus to Les Goudes isn’t particularly simple as it involves 3 changes. It takes around 1 hour 10 minutes depending on traffic.
For the coastal route take:
- Bus 83: From the Place aux Huiles at the middle of the southern end of the Old Port.
- Bus 19: You’ll then need to change for Bus 19 at Parc Borély .
- Bus 20: Finally you’ll need to change for Bus 20 at La Madrague. This bus ends at Les Goudes.
Where to Park in Les Goudes
Parking in Les Goudes is a challenge – even during the low season! As previously mentioned I’d strongly advise to try and arrive as early as possible.
There are 3 places to park in and past the village:
- On the approach to the village: There are quite a few spots on either side of the road as you approach the village. There’s no official spaces but you will see cars on either side of the road.
- Official parking above the town: As you go past the village the road starts to climb and you will see cars parking up on the rocky sides of the road. There’s a long car park just above it here. There aren’t too many spaces so if it’s full your best option is..
- Bd Alexandre Delabre: Past the above car park the road widens and there are spaces on both sides of the road. It’s roughly here.
Planning to eat at Restaurant La Baie des Singes? There’s parking for guests roughly here. There is security so they’ll only let you through if you have a reservation.
When’s the Best Time to Go
If you’re visiting in the summer then I’d advise that you avoid weekends. Les Goudes is very popular with locals and they will go on their days off.
I’d also generally avoid August completely as this is when Marseille and the surrounding areas are invaded by French holidaymakers. The city, like the South of France, gets very busy and it gets extremely hot.
Try to go in April, May, early June or September. This is low season and the weather is more tolerable.
