Grande plage, La Ciotat: what the photos don't tell you
Short answer: Gravel beach facing south. Mid-July: Direct sun on the sand from 06:40 to 20:40, 38 min before sunset, when the sun drops behind the hills: 14 h of sun in all.
Marseille and the Calanques.
Thu 15 July 2027
Sun on the sand 06:40–20:40
Direct sun on the sand from 06:40 to 20:40, 38 min before sunset, when the sun drops behind the hills: 14 h of sun in all. Sunset at sea level: 21:17.
Each block is half an hour from 05:00 to 22:00. sun on the beach · sun up but behind the cliffs or hills · sun down.
Reality check
- Surface
- Gravel and small stones (OpenStreetMap)
- Water shoes
- Recommended: gravel are hard on bare feet and hot by midday, and urchins live on rocky seabeds. (From the surface)
- Climb back up
- Nearest public car park 440 m away, 9 m up, about 50 steps or a steep path: about 9 min on foot. Bus stop 30 m, 5 m up, about 30 steps or a steep path. Mapped stairways nearby: 16 steps. (Elevation model + OpenStreetMap)
- Beach clubs and free sand
- 1 beach club with paid sunbeds mapped on this beach (La vague). Part of the sand stays free. (OpenStreetMap)
- Natural shade
- Open beach: full sun from morning to evening, no natural shade from the terrain. Bring an umbrella or rent one. (Calculated from the terrain)
- Water depth
- Deepens steadily: out of your depth within a few tens of metres. 200 m out about 4 m deep, 400 m out about 8 m deep. (Seabed model with about 100 m detail: the first metres from the shore are not resolved.) (EMODnet Bathymetry)
- Toilets and showers
- Public: toilets 240 m. Beach clubs have their own for customers. (OpenStreetMap)
- Sea temperature
- August: 23 °C on average. Warmest August (23 °C). (NOAA OISST, 1991–2020 average)
Plan it
Arrive before the sun reaches the sand to get a spot, or come for the last hours of sun when the day crowds leave. A boat trip reaches coves with no road access.
Through the year
Times on the 15th of each month, local time.
| Month | Sun on the sand | Lost to cliffs | Sea | Waves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 08:25–17:05 | 41 min | 14 °C | — |
| February | 07:45–17:40 | 37 min | 13 °C | — |
| March | 07:05–18:15 | 43 min | 13 °C | — |
| April | 07:15–19:50 | 49 min | 14 °C | — |
| May | 06:40–20:20 | 1 h | 17 °C | — |
| June | 06:25–20:45 | 1 h 02 | 20 °C | — |
| July | 06:40–20:40 | 1 h 04 | 22 °C | — |
| August | 07:05–20:10 | 53 min | 23 °C | — |
| September | 07:30–19:20 | 42 min | 21 °C | — |
| October | 08:00–18:30 | 35 min | 19 °C | — |
| November | 07:40–16:50 | 33 min | 17 °C | — |
| December | 08:20–16:45 | 35 min | 15 °C | — |
Questions
What time does the sun leave Grande plage, La Ciotat?
In mid-July: Direct sun on the sand from 06:40 to 20:40, 38 min before sunset, when the sun drops behind the hills: 14 h of sun in all. Pick any date above for that day's times.
Is Grande plage, La Ciotat sand or pebbles?
Gravel. Water shoes: Recommended: gravel are hard on bare feet and hot by midday, and urchins live on rocky seabeds.
How far is the walk from parking to Grande plage, La Ciotat?
Nearest public car park 440 m away, 9 m up, about 50 steps or a steep path: about 9 min on foot. Bus stop 30 m, 5 m up, about 30 steps or a steep path. Mapped stairways nearby: 16 steps.
Is the water deep at Grande plage, La Ciotat?
Deepens steadily: out of your depth within a few tens of metres. 200 m out about 4 m deep, 400 m out about 8 m deep. (Seabed model with about 100 m detail: the first metres from the shore are not resolved.)
How warm is the sea at Grande plage, La Ciotat?
Jan 14 °C, Feb 13 °C, Mar 13 °C, Apr 14 °C, May 17 °C, Jun 20 °C, Jul 22 °C, Aug 23 °C, Sep 21 °C, Oct 19 °C, Nov 17 °C, Dec 15 °C (1991–2020 averages).
Is there free beach at Grande plage, La Ciotat or only beach clubs?
1 beach club with paid sunbeds mapped on this beach (La vague). Part of the sand stays free.
Sun and shade come from the sun's position and the skyline around each beach, measured every 4° of compass direction from a 30 m elevation model out to 6 km. The climb back up is the height difference between the beach and the nearest mapped car park or bus stop (about 0.17 m per step). Water depth comes from the EMODnet seabed model; surface, beach clubs, toilets and showers from OpenStreetMap; sea temperature is the 1991–2020 average from NOAA OISST and waves the 2015–2024 average from ERA5. Prices are not shown: they change every season and differ between clubs. Map data checked 7 Nov 2026; next check 1 Dec 2026 (monthly). Sea averages are refreshed every January. Sun and shade are calculated for any date you pick. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · map record. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information.