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History

Cassis was already a port in ancient times. Roman sources refer to it as Carsicis Portus, and archaeological finds from the historic fishing quarter confirm the existence of an active port from approximately the 1st century AD. The collections of the Musée Municipal Méditerranéen d’Arts et

Traditions Populaires, located right in the historic centre on Place Baragnon, include archaeological finds, Roman remains, amphorae from nearby shipwrecks, paintings and objects associated with traditional life in Provence. In 2026, a permanent archaeological exhibition entitled ‘Sur les traces du Cassis antique’ (‘In the Footsteps of Ancient Cassis’) opened here, along with an exhibition dedicated to Prehistory and the Cosquer Cave.

A turquoise cove between white limestone rocks and pines in the Calanques

The prehistoric Cosquer cave

Hidden away in the Calanques massif near Cassis lies the unique prehistoric Cosquer Cave, dating back to 33,000 BC. It was discovered relatively recently, in 1985, by the diver Henri Cosquer, after whom it is named. It is the only cave in the world situated below sea level. Its entrance now lies 37 metres below sea level, whereas tens of thousands of years ago, it was entirely accessible by land. Hundreds of prehistoric paintings and engravings have been preserved on the walls, including depictions of horses, bison, seals, penguins and seabirds. Most of the original cave is now flooded, and less than a quarter of the prehistoric chamber remains above water. The original is not open to the public, but a faithful replica can be seen at the Cosquer Méditerranée museum in Marseille. grotte-cosquer.com

Colourful houses and boats in the old harbour of Cassis reflected in the water

Film

For decades, this picturesque, historic harbour has attracted filmmakers and cultural personalities, and so the town of Cassis has featured in many French and international films, such as The French Connection (1971), Un balcon sur la mer (2010), and Cézanne et moi (2016). Today, Cassis is reconnecting with its illustrious cinematic history. From 16th to 20th October 2026, the first edition of the Festival du Cinéma Français de Cassis will take place, thereby joining the prestigious Cannes International Film Festival. With director Claude Lelouch as honorary president of the festival, the programme is set to include around twenty French films, preview screenings, competition screenings, meet-and-greets with directors and actors, and tributes to prominent figures in cinema.

La Ciotat, the cradle of cinema Just a few kilometres from Cassis lies La Ciotat, a town closely linked to the beginnings of cinema. The Lumière brothers used to spend their summers here, and in 1895 Louis Lumière shot one of the most famous early films here, “The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station“. To this day, you can visit the Eden Théâtre, the oldest cinema still in operation in the world, as well as sites associated with the Lumière family.

A Czech footprint in Cassis

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Geology

The landscape around Cassis is made of white limestone, which the sea and wind have carved into narrow, fjord-like coves known as Calanques. To the east of the town rises Cap Canaille, a massive cliff of ochre-coloured sandstone and conglomerate which, at a height of around 394 metres above sea level, is one of the highest sea-cliffs in France, and Europe. The stone from Cassis, the famous pierre de Cassis, is an exceptionally hard limestone dating back approximately 117 million years. Fossilised shells of prehistoric marine creatures can still be found within its structure today. It was extracted in the surrounding quarries for millenia and, thanks to its durability and distinctive colour, was used for harbours, paving and monumental structures throughout the Mediterranean. Limestone quarried from the former quarry at Calanque de Port-Miou was used in the construction of the harbour quays in Alexandria and the Suez Canal. Cassis stone was also used to make smaller items of daily use such as traditional Provençal stone sinks, the famous piles provençales.

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