Cycling/Stuff in or near Marseille?

I'm flying to Marseille for a few days in September and going to take or hire a bike. Not booked accommodation yet and thinking about exploring along the coast-I've visited Marseille for the city thing before so happy to get out in the countryside.... Anyone got any experience/recommendations of the area that I should check out?

Much appreciated.

well, the calanques are beautiful... some - morgiou, sormiou - have roads leading into them that are often closed to cars in summer...

except they're often closed due to fire risk.

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if you like climbing, just ride east out of marseille, looking for cassis. Road is spectacular, and very very steep.

If you have legs of steel, go east again, up on to cap canaille. View is spectacular. Calanques on the way back to marseille for swimming?

Route

Brilliant!

Sounds perfect-thanks. Spoke to a mate that said cycling to Aix is worth the effort for the scenery but don't know if I'll have the legs to get back again!

eh, yes, the road beneath the mont saint victoire is beautiful too.....

I am going to be in Aix from 27th Aug for 10 days before going off to the the Pyrenees to do the c2c.

Had looked at Mt Saint Victoire as a possible training ride or two. Can't remember the road to Cassis (drove it before) but Cassis itself is well worth a visit.

I ride the road under mont saint victoire most mornings. super smooth and quiet. If you take the route all the way around the mountain, the road is higher than any public road in england (631 meters).

The bus to aix goes every 20 minutes and is 8 euros (its blue and called the navette)

I don't like Marseille much, bit there's some great places in the area, cassis is ok but there's a natral water,- whats the word when water comes outthe ground - into the sea and the sea is a few degree's colder at cassis then other beach spots. For places to stay Camping is easy to do and theres a few hotel F1's in the area for about 30 euros a night

A bus to avignon is a good idea, since VENTOUX is an easy ride to get to from avignon, not so easy to climb!

I'm a bit busy in september moving into a new house, but feel free to ask me some qustions also if your in the area on the 18th and 19th of september we will be having a jam at peynier trails (http://www.peynierbmx.com/) ([ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4dUpog1s-g"]youtube
video[/ame])

Well, my flight got cancelled at the last minute after a slog of a weekend rushing work to get finished for hols... General strike! Very French... so no joyously trotting around the calanques or tasty food for Gregor.

BA, other airlines still flying but not Ryanair, who true to form have just binned the flight incase they have to give out a free sandwich or something.

Fucking Ryanair. Never again. Really not worth it and too expensive to re-book anything else. Any luck I might make it up to windswept midge infested Skye for a few days instead!

Totally gutted and now need to see if I can get deposits back on flat/car... bollocks.

Looking to head to Marseille I'm September...does anyone know of any road bike hire places there?