We'd gotten advice from friends and confirmations from the tourist bureau, which was conveniently located about 10 minutes from our door. We had a couple of public transport options headed south out of the city center, converging for the string of beach towns and what looked to us like suburbs of condos for middle-class to wealthy retirees. Clean and modern. Big shopping centers. Fresh statues. Starbucks. We got off the bus at the end of the line, where things had turned into quaint, quiet villages that we didn't explore.
It wasn't clear how one might access the beach. A private community occupied the foreground. Our maps said we were at a trailhead of the Calanques national park. And sure enough, just a short walk up the public road and the park announced itself. We climbed a short way up the trail and were in a cliff-shaded area meant for picnicking but without toilet facilities. We took a break to drink some water and be out of the sun while we reconnoitered our next move.
The allure of the calanques has reality and myth, history and legend going for it. Nobody we've known who's come here wishes otherwise. For anyone who appreciates deserts, this is another, though it supports some 900 species of plants, a lot of insects, and a lot of reptiles to eat them, though this scrub desert side is mostly at the tops of the hills, which are actually valleys formed by collapse and erosion in tilted blocks of limestone that results in romantic, secluded, obscenely lovely inlets, bays, mini-fjords.
I find the geology fascinating, but the scenery is breathtaking. I recommend the Wiki article on calanques, along with others associated with the national park.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calanque
http://www.calanques-parcnational.fr/en
But until you do read the Wiki, here's a worthwhile start: "A calanque (French: [kalɑ̃k], "inlet"; Corsican: calanca, pl. calanche; Occitan: calanca, pl. calancas) is a narrow, steep-walled inlet that is developed in limestone, dolomite, or other carbonate strata and found along the Mediterranean coast. A calanque is a steep-sided valley formed within karstic regions either by fluvial erosion or the collapse of the roof of a cave that has been subsequently partially submerged by a rise in sea level.["
Our original plan had been to take a longer bus ride to a more famous calanque that called for a 45 minute descent and an hour return, not counting getting to the trailhead from the bus stop after a longer bus trip. We'd carry water and snacks and something to read between dips in amazingly blue water and sunning ourselves against the white limestone. That plan had been abandoned last night as we nursed feet that had been pounding the ground for more than five weeks without a break. We were beginning to break, and the long, steep hike loomed more as torture than adventure. But, damn it, we wanted to see some of this and maybe touch toes to water.
We hiked back to the street. It was calm and hot, getting hotter. We could either walk down to the wharf in the last beach town the bus had passed or see where this road went, which is what we did. It became residential, but behind walls and gates. Modest places that looked well-lived in and equally cared for. Flowers cascaded over walls that were the only shade on the street.
Finally, we came to a dead end that opened out on a beautiful ocean scene and the very first named calanque as one left the city was right there. Hot damn. Plus there was a walk down the cliff, and occupying both sides of the end of the road was Restaurant les Tamaris (www.restaurantlestamaris.com), with a monoply on basically everything, but no inclination to take advantage of it except to offer tables with umbrellas only to those ordering food. But coffee drinkers were welcome in the sun or inside the actual bar.
We were easily convinced to sit under an umbrella and order lunch. We also needed a lot of water, as well as coffee. Our lunches were excellent, and now that we were seated, there was no problem with us staying there and sketching. Of course, we wound up ordering more coffee and dessert before using their restrooms yet again. Then we headed down the path into the calanque and then around its top and out onto the shelf of limestone next to it.
