Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
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Last updated on June 28, 2023
At the foot of the Cote Bleue’s cliffs, Calanque des Anthénors is one of Marseille region’s best-kept secrets. This small beach sheltered from the swell is bordered by a rocky shoal featuring a well-favored underwater relief. Among the sea life frequently seen here are wrasse, red mullet, salema, and more occasionally moray eels, octopus and scorpionfish.
Calanque des Anthénors is located in Ensuès-la-Redonne, in the Massif de l’Estaque, about halfway between Marseille and Martigues. By car, from the small port of Ensuès-la-Redonne, take the Chemin de Méjean and park on the side of the road opposite the railway.
A path and stairs lead down to the Calanque. You can also reach the Calanque on foot from the port by following the coastal trail (about 500 meters walk). Part of the Calanque is naturist.
You can get into the water directly from the pebble beach.
Calanque des Anthénors is a cove about 150 meters wide, protected on either side by two rock bars sticking out of the water. When you are facing the sea, you will see on your right the largest of them, nicknamed “the crocodile”.
The bottom of the Calanque is rocky and offers a combination of ridges, small islands and plateaus that are worth exploring.
In this shallow rocky bay, sheltered from the northern wind, you’ll spot many examples of Mediterranean fauna and flora. On the flats and sandy bottoms, you can easily spot wrasses, mullets, salema and seabreams.
To find rarer species, explore the rocky ridges and cracks to have a chance to spot a scorpionfish, a moray eel, shrimps, an octopus, or a starfish.
The Calanque is wild. There is a small grocery store and a few restaurants in the port of Ensuès-la-Redonne.
These spots are accessible to anyone with basic snorkeling skills, and feeling comfortable in the water and with his snorkeling gear. You will enter the water from the shore (beach, pontoon, ladder, rocks) or from a boat. The water height in the sea entrance area is reasonable, but you will not necessarily be within your depth. Moderate currents can occur in the area, even when the sea conditions are good. The distance to swim to reach the most interesting snorkeling areas of the spot does not exceed 200 meters. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
