Port-Miou stands out due to its very long (over one kilometer) and winding shape, bordered by high white limestone walls that reach deep into the land. This geological configuration, although of karstic and not glacial origin, visually recalls Nordic landscapes. It is by winding through this 'arm of the sea' that one grasps the full majesty of this natural harbor, the best-sheltered on the coast.
While sailing in Port-Miou, you will notice the vertically carved cliffs: these are the remains of an industrial operation active until 1982. 'Cassis stone,' an extremely famous hard white limestone, was extracted here. Our skippers will tell you how these blocks were used to build the largest ports in the Mediterranean and even, according to legend, the base of the Statue of Liberty or the Suez Canal.
Swimming is not permitted inside Port-Miou because the Calanque is entirely dedicated to the navigation channel and the marina (it hosts over 500 boats). However, our tours include swimming stops just outside, in the crystal-clear waters of the neighboring Calanques, to offer you peace and safety away from port traffic.
This is one of the fascinating mysteries of the National Park: as geologist Eric Gilli explains, a major underground river flows into the sea here, creating a unique mix of fresh and salt water. This natural phenomenon, which you can observe through the shifting color shades on the surface, ensures particularly pure and bracing water at the entrance of the Calanque.
