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Located in a whimsically wooded valley, Calanque de Port d’Alon is a hidden haven of calm. As the cove is very sheltered, the sea is generally pretty calm and clear.

Even though this spot is not that abundant with fish, you can still find great sights, such as salema, moray eels, octopus and starfish.

View of Calanque de Port d'Alon
View of Calanque de Port d’Alon.

How to get to the Calanque de Port d’Alon snorkeling spot

Calanque de Port d’Alon is located between Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer and Bandol.

You can get there by car, but there will be a charge for its two-level parking (the first one overhanging the calanque with an uneven trail of a 10 minutes walk, and the second closer to the calanque, but more expensive).

It is also possible to hike to the calanque from La Madrague (in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer) or from Bandol. Access to the trail or to the cove may be prohibited depending on the fire risk (black for the cove, red for the trail).

Calanque de Port d'Alon snorkeling map

Water entrance for snorkeling Calanque de Port d’Alon

You can enter the water from the pebble beach, or directly from the rocks bordering the cove.

Calanque de Port d’Alon snorkeling exploration

You can snorkel throughout the cove, as well as along the rocky coastline leading to the small beach of Pointe des Termes.

The seabed of Port d’Alon is made up of pebbles, rock bars, and posidonia meadows.

Though it is shallow near the beach (↕0.5-2m), the depth then increases quickly, reaching to about 4-5m in the center of the cove.

Red starfish at Calanque de Port d'Alon
Red starfish are pretty easy to find in the calanque’s rocky areas.

This spot is not actually located in a marine reserve. Here, big fish are rare, a few common species being salema, two-banded seabream, and mullets.

Near the rocks, you will also see painted comber and damselfish. On the flats, also look for the eye-catching red starfish which are also common in this area.

With a little luck, you might also be able to spot a small gilt-head bream or an Eastern Atlantic peacock wrasse being cleaned by a cleaning wrasse.

Black chromis at Calanque de Port d'Alon
Damselfish usually stay near the rocks, where they can hide in case of danger.

This whole area mentioned on the map is a no-boat area. However, be careful especially in the summer when the cove is found to be very busy.

Contrary to some information online, the Calanque de Port d’Alon is not equipped with an underwater trail with buoys.

Restaurants near Calanque de Port d’Alon

The restaurant Chez Tonton Ju is located in the cove, just behind the beach.

 

  • Level required Beginner
  • Maximum depth18ft/6m
  • Water entranceFrom a pebble beach, or rocks
  • LifeguardNo
  • Visitor numbersMedium
  • Access costsFree
  • Restaurants nearbyYes

MAP Spot

These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life.

This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.