Hiking to Pas de La Demi-Lune and Marseilleveyre

Hiking in Marseilleveyre Massif

Hiking around the Marseilleveyre mountains is the closer and probably the better area to hike in the National Park of Calanques due to its incredible canyons, exceptional views and it reaches the Marseilleveyre peak (the best viewpoint of marsella) and the Rocher Saint-Michel d’Eau Douce from where there is a very beautiful scenary of the Rocher des Goudes and the “pas de la demi-lune”.

Hiking in Calanques requires to be fit, to take proper boots for hiking due to the harsh and slippery terrain of the paths and not to be afraid of heights because some of the trails are exposed to heights.

Marseille – Marseilleveyre Summit

The trail starts from one of the 2 streets at the top of Boulevard de la Grotte Roland or at the end of the Boulevard de Marseilleveyre. It begins though a pine forest and the path that has to be followed is the one that is marked with a green line. It quickly goes up and gains height and the pine forest turns into a steep rocky canyon.

The path arrives to a climbing pass that is pretty easy but in case that you are not sure of being able to do it, there is an alternative way marked with green lines following a few meters more the path and turning right following the marks. This part is way easier but there is a part that is very narrow and there is a fall of 4 meters so be careful!

After this part, the path is very steep and after some meters the path follows a small corridor that is a bit to the right that lead to the Col des Chèvres.  From the Col des Chèvres to the right there is a path that goes up and is marked with a blue line. This Path leads to Marseilleveyre Peak (433m) and during the path there are really nice views of Marseille.

Marseilleveyre – Tête de la Mounine

Keeping going to the north, it trail passes by an old building and there is a path marked with red line that takes quicly to the path to the south that is not marked but is clearly seen that reaches Tête de la Mounine.

Tête de la Mounine – Rocher de Saint-Michel d’Eau Douce

Going back from Tête de la Mounine to the left there is a no marked path. This path is kinda hard to find and leads to Col de la Mounine. In Col de la Mounine there is a path to the left that will be followed. After a few meters the trail reaches Col Saint-Michel and to the right there’s a path that reaches la Rocher de Saint-Michel d’Eau Douce.

The views from la Rocher de Saint-Michel d’Eau Douce are amazing and is a privilage to see from the top la Rocher des Goudes with the Pas de la demi-lune. 

Way back to Marseille

Going back from La Rocher des Goudes to the left there is a path marked with green lines and when it arrives to the Grotte de Saint-Michel d’Eau Douce has to be followed the path that goes down to the north to keep following the green lines all the way back to Col des Chèvres. This part of the trail has the most difficult part on the pass du Pin, a easy climbing pass but a bit exposed due to the big fall that there is behind you. In case that you are not able to to this pass, you can keep walking the path to Marseilleveyre and from there go back by the blue path to Col des Chèvres.

Other routes near Pas de la Demi Lune

From the green path marked from Col des Chevres, is possible to follow the yellow marks to reach the Pas de la Demi-Lune that ends in Callelongue. From here is possible to Marseilleveyre beach of Calanques or from this same place is possible to take the bus nº20 way back to Marseille.