Written by Valerie
Have you ever thought to yourself, “This better be worth the effort because it would be really tragic to fall off the side of this cliff?” Likely you haven’t, but I, on the other hand, couldn’t get that thought out of my head as I was hiking Les Calanques de Cassis in the 9th arrondissement of Marseille.
You may have heard this area been called by its more popular name, the French Riviera, or as it’s known in French, the Côte d’Azur. My friend group and I wanted to go to the beach in the south of France. However, the way to see some of the most breathtaking views and picturesque beaches is to hike the cliff sides of the coast.
We stayed at a nice apartment that was less than ten minutes on foot from the train station, which made getting to and leaving the city much easier. Once we arrived in Marseille, we planned our activities for the next two days. Our Airbnb host was kind enough to leave a binder full of useful information about everything ranging from transportation to the local specialties, and even the best ways to reach the beaches. We looked into one of the beaches our host wrote about in the binder and bought train tickets to it for the next morning.
All ten of us made it out of the apartment primed and ready to spend a day in the sun. If we wanted to have a successful day, we had to adequately prepare for what lay ahead. So, once we got to Cassis, we stopped at a grocery store and stocked up on snacks in case we got hungry on the hike. Luckily, there was a hole-in-the-wall sandwich shop next to the grocery store where we stopped to have breakfast. Once we were energized and fed, we began the walk toward the hiking trail. There was an endless bounty of hills before we arrived at the trail where we would be walking on an incline for about 40 minutes or so, which is not too long. However, the terrain was rather unfavorable for the shoes I had on. The only shoes I took on that trip were a pair of white sneakers and flip-flops to wear around the apartment. The trail was very slippery in most parts whether it was because of smooth boulders or tiny rocks that slid under your feet. This is where I feared for my life on the side of a cliff, but once I lifted my gaze, everything changed. We were at the peak. The mesmerizing dance of the reflection of the sun coming from the ocean, which was mixed with tones of blue and green, was unlike anything I had seen. The world from that angle was simply pure and beautiful.
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, I was face-to-face with the most enchanting beach I had ever been to. It was like a symphony, the laughs of the people and the soft sound of the movement of the water were harmonious. Combine that with a kiss from the sun and a hug from the water and it’s nothing but blissful.
It feels really good to be in a moment of happiness like that one, where you’re enjoying everything around you. I wish those moments for everyone. Having experienced it though, I don’t think you need to be somewhere as extravagant as the French Riviera. Those moments can be found anywhere, or better yet, they can be created anywhere. I encourage you to go out and seek your blissful moment too, no matter where you are in the world.