Beach clubs in Marseille and the Calanques
Two scenes in one city: the plages privees on the Prado sands and the wilder clubs out on the calanque rocks.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a small commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you.
There are 8 beach clubs in Marseille worth knowing about, and they split into two very different worlds. Most are plages privees, private beaches that hire sunbeds and run a restaurant and bar. A handful sit out on the calanque rocks instead of the sand.
Prices sit well below the Riviera, about €20 for a sunbed and €30 to €43 for a formule with a lounger, food and a drink. The season runs May to September, with most beaches open from around 9am to sunset.
The city clubs line up along three stretches: Escale Borely, the Prado beaches and the Corniche Kennedy. The wilder ones are out past Les Goudes on the way to the Calanques. For more of the coast, see our guide to beach clubs in France or head east to Cannes.
Looking for somewhere to stay in Marseille? Here are our picks:
- ★Design hotel on Prado Bay with a sea-view pool >> nhow Marseille at Palm Beach
- ★Four-star steps from the Prado beaches >> Hotel Villa Massalia
- ★Boutique rooms on the Corniche Kennedy >> Les Bords de Mer
- ★Michelin dining above the Corniche >> Le Petit Nice Passedat
- ★Vieux-Port base with harbour views >> Sofitel Marseille Vieux-Port
How much does a private beach cost in Marseille?
Less than you'd pay on the Riviera. A sunbed on the Escale Borely and Prado beaches runs about €20, with a parasol and towel a few euros on top.
Most beaches sell a formule instead: a lounger with food and a drink for €30 to €43. Out on the rocks, Tuba Club and La Baie des Singes charge a little more, with a transat at Baie des Singes at €25 and tied to a table booking.
Are there beach clubs in the Calanques?
Yes, but they trade sand for rock. Past Les Goudes and out to Cap Croisette, Tuba Club and La Baie des Singes lay mattresses straight on the white calanque rock at the water's edge.
They're smaller and harder to reach than the city beaches, some by a rock path or by boat. Go for the swimming and the seafood, not for a wide sandy beach.
Boa Vista
Boa Vista sits in the middle of Escale Borely, next to the Marseille skate bowl. It's the private beach of Sportbeach, palm-shaded and aimed at a young crowd.
Transats face the sea, the bar runs tapas and Mediterranean plates, and DJs play on summer evenings. The mood is festive, closer to a beach party than a quiet lunch.
It opens daily from 10am, with or without a reservation. A transat with a salad and a drink runs about €30. Good for a stylish, music-led day.
Heading to Marseille? These are the travel services we actually use.
- ★Travel insurance >> SafetyWing: from $56/month. Covers medical, cancellations, and delays. Don't skip this one.
- ★Buses & trains >> Omio: the easiest way to compare trains, buses, and ferries in one search.
- ★Car hire >> Discover Cars: we use this every time. Genuine price comparison across local and international companies, no hidden fees.
- ★Travel eSIM >> YeSim: set up a local data plan before you land. Cheaper than roaming, works instantly.
- ★Tours & activities >> GetYourGuide: boat trips, food tours, day trips. The good ones sell out, so book ahead.
L'Equinoxe
L'Equinoxe is a seafront restaurant and private beach a few steps along the same Borely promenade, facing the Frioul islands. It's relaxed and all-ages.
The kitchen sends Mediterranean plates straight to your sunbed. Front and second rows of transats, plus parasols and towels for hire.
Sunbeds start at €20, with a parasol at €8 and a towel at €6. The Equinoxe formule at €43 adds a lounger, mattress, a starter and a drink. Open daily 8am to 1am, with sunbed bookings by phone only.
Les Voiles M
Les Voiles M took over the old PataBeach site on the Borely promenade and reopened after renovations. It's the calmer, more service-led option here.
Staff set out mattresses, transats and parasols with table service. The restaurant runs a Mediterranean card built on fresh local produce.
A transat is €20, a parasol €8 and a towel €5. The formule at about €39 gets you a lounger, a salad and a drink. Quieter than its neighbours.
Indigo Cafe
Indigo Cafe has run at Escale Borely since 1992, a Tex-Mex restaurant with its own sandy beach facing the Frioul islands.
The kitchen is Mexican, cooked from fresh produce, with food brought out to the sunbed. Umbrellas and transats on the sand make it easy with kids.
A transat is €20 for the day or €14 for a half-day. The beach opens daily May to September, with bookings by phone or online. A solid family pick.
✅ DON'T FORGET TRAVEL INSURANCE!
SafetyWing is an affordable subscription travel insurance that you can purchase without knowing your itinerary in advance and even after departure.
>> Click here for info and current pricing <<La Rhumerie
La Rhumerie sits on the Prado beaches, built around three spaces: a private beach, a restaurant in continuous service and a cocktail bar.
The name points to the draw, a long list of rum and cocktails. It's laid-back, set up for a slow day by the sea rather than a party.
Places on the beach are limited, so reservations are required. Book the beach on +33 6 51 69 61 87, the restaurant separately. Best for cocktails with your feet near the sand.
Le Petit Pavillon
Le Petit Pavillon is one of Marseille's oldest bains de mer, on the Corniche Kennedy since the mid-1800s, with a private beach below the restaurant.
Sunbeds are on the sand until 6pm. After that the mood turns festive, with tapas, DJ sets and salsa nights running until 11pm from May.
The kitchen keeps to Mediterranean classics: grilled fish, wood-fired pizza and shellfish. Open daily 10am to 2am, minutes from the Vieux-Port. It sits at the pricier end, so book ahead for sunset.
Tuba Club
Tuba Club marks the shift from sand to rock. It's a design-led restaurant, bar and small hotel on the rocks at the entrance to the Les Goudes fishing village, open since 2020.
Yellow-striped mattresses lie straight on the rock at the water's edge. Paddleboards and canoes are there to borrow, and the kitchen leans on fresh seafood across two terraces over the calanque.
It's widely called the trendiest beach club in the Calanques, and it's tiny, so book well ahead. This is a place to swim off the rocks, not lounge on a beach.
La Baie des Singes
La Baie des Singes sits right at the tip of the Cap Croisette peninsula, past Les Goudes, set into the white calanque rocks facing the Ile Maire.
The draw is grilled fish and Mediterranean plates with your feet by the water. Transats sit on the rock, not sand, so this is a swim-and-lunch spot.
A transat is €25 for the day, 10am to 6pm, bookable only with a table reservation. Reach it on foot by a path cut into the rock, or by boat to the little Cap Croisette port.
Frequently asked questions about Marseille beach clubs
Do you need to book beach clubs in Marseille in advance?
For the city beaches at Escale Borely and the Prado, you can often turn up and hire a sunbed, though weekends in July and August fill fast. The Calanques spots are different. Tuba Club is tiny and books out well ahead, and La Baie des Singes only rents a transat alongside a table reservation.
What is the best beach club in Marseille?
It depends on the day you want. For a stylish, music-led beach day, Boa Vista at Escale Borely is the pick. For something rarer, Tuba Club on the Les Goudes rocks is the most talked-about spot in the Calanques, better for swimming and seafood than lounging on sand.
When are Marseille's private beaches open?
The season runs broadly May to September. Most plages privees open daily from around 9am or 10am until sunset, and some, like Le Petit Pavillon on the Corniche, keep going into the evening with tapas and DJ sets. Outside summer, expect reduced hours or closures, so check ahead before you travel.
Which Marseille beach clubs are good for families?
The sandy plages privees along Escale Borely suit families best. Indigo Cafe has an easy Tex-Mex kitchen and sunbeds on the sand, and L'Equinoxe next door is relaxed and all-ages. The Calanques clubs sit on rock with deeper water, so they work better for confident swimmers than young children.
How do you get to the beach clubs in the Calanques?
They sit past the Les Goudes fishing village at the southern edge of the city. Tuba Club is at the entrance to the village, while La Baie des Singes is further out at Cap Croisette, reached on foot by a path cut into the rock or by boat to the small port. Driving and parking is tight in summer.
