This is the view as you drive over the rocky mountains towards the Mediterranean from the very eastern edge of Marseille. The breathtaking Calanque de Sormiou is the setting for ‘Le Chateau’ a family-run restaurant established back in 1948.
To be able to drive down there, you have to make a reservation at the restaurant and give them your car’s registration number. It’s a white-knuckle drive down to the car-park (4€).
‘Le Chateau’ has an extensive fish menu. We opted for the only veg. dish which was a delicious ravioli a la brousse, plus salad, which was so filling I couldn’t manage a dessert. Shame as there was crème brulée a la lavande.
Sormiou apparently has no electricity or running water which must be a challenge for a restaurant – but there are loos with water so that must be brought in.
It’s a popular place and the terrace filled up quickly after mid-day with some people arriving by boat. The service we found was slick and very friendly.
Afterwards, what nicer than to walk on the beach. To reach it, you climb down
through the cabanons soon reaching the soft sand and turquoise sea.
In this photo, you can see the other restaurant there, Le Lunch, which is, as the French say, pieds dans l’eau.
It’s interesting to see the cabanons which provided Marseille families with holiday accommodation; they formed tight-knit communities, enjoying fishing, pétanque, pastis, sardinades, games of cards…Read more about them here: https://aixcentric.com/2012/03/27/le-cabanon/
‘Le Chateau’ is only open until September, doesn’t take credit cards – details and menus here: http://lechateausormiou.fr/#_=_
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