Motorcycle accommodation in Bouches-du-Rhône with secure parking

Bouches-du-Rhône is unlike any other French département. In a single day in the saddle, you can ride along the calanques between Marseille and Cassis, cut through the Alpilles on empty back roads, then finish beside the Camargue lagoons with pink flamingos as your backdrop. All under a sun that shines reliably from March to November. The département breaks down into three very distinct worlds: a wild, jagged Mediterranean coastline, a Provençal interior of limestone massifs and hilltop villages, and the wide open flatlands of the Camargue. For a motorcycle rider, that's a rare combination. The roads are not necessarily long, but they are intense: the Col de la Gineste, the Espigoulier pass, the tight hairpins of the Termes road, the D17 threading through the Alpilles. Few French départements pack so much variety into such a compact area. Book a secure garage for the night, the evenings are warm, but your bike deserves a proper roof.

What to see and do in Bouches-du-Rhône ?

Marseille is the natural starting point: the Vieux-Port, the basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde towering above the city, the historic Panier quarter and the MUCEM museum cover the essentials in a few hours. To the south, the Calanques National Park reveals its turquoise creeks and limestone cliffs between Marseille and Cassis, a breathtaking landscape best appreciated from the ridge roads. Inland, Aix-en-Provence charms with its plane-tree-lined Cours Mirabeau, ornate fountains and grand 17th-century mansions. The Sainte-Victoire mountain, immortalised by Cézanne in over 80 paintings, deserves a contemplative stop. Further west, the Alpilles shelter Les Baux-de-Provence, a medieval village perched on a rocky spur at 210 metres, listed among France's most beautiful villages. Arles, the Camargue's capital inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, combines a Roman amphitheatre, an ancient theatre and the Alyscamps necropolis. In terms of wildlife, the Camargue delivers white horses, black bulls and pink flamingos across a unique European wetland. At the table, don't miss Marseille's bouillabaisse, Camargue sheep cheeses and the white wines of Cassis.

Motorcycle routes and road trip ideas in Bouches-du-Rhône

The département is an exceptional playground for motorcyclists. The absolute classic is the Col de la Gineste (D559): a twisting, steep departmental road that hugs the cliffs above the Mediterranean from Marseille all the way to Cassis. Chain it with the Route des Crêtes for unbeatable views over the bay. For altitude, the Espigoulier pass road is unmissable, at 723 metres, the highest paved road in the département, with varied-radius curves carved into wild garrigue. Rally drivers train here, which tells you everything about the road quality. From Allauch, the Route des Termes (D908 to Plan-de-Cuques) strings together endless hairpins through forest on smooth tarmac, the favourite Sunday ride for Marseille-area motorcyclists. In the Alpilles, the D17 between Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and Les Baux winds between olive groves and white limestone cliffs, low traffic and timeless atmosphere guaranteed. For a change of pace, the Étang de Berre loop (85 km) is an accessible circuit with pleasant maritime scenery. Finally, the Côte Bleue coastal road between Marseille and Martigues follows a preserved, spectacular shoreline that never gets old.

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