Half-marathon of Marseille Cassis, were you there?

Half-marathon of Marseille Cassis

Looking back at the Marseille Cassis race, which follows its difficult but beautiful route.

More serious than its Parisian counterpart, Marseille Cassis is THE big race of the Provence region.

21.5 kilometers of wide, well-paved, hilly road, surprising in its bursts and charming at its end.

Organized by SCO Ste Marguerite, Marseille Cassis starts from the Vélodrome stadium, on Boulevard Michelet. From the start, you're in the thick of it, the road climbs, albeit not much, but until the Obélisque de Mazargues, the warm-up is difficult. Then it's off to Vaufréges, with a road that starts to become hilly, with turns, and on your right, if you lift your head, you can see the road you will pass on, a little further on you will even see runners on a steep climb.

At the end of Vaufréges, after the refreshment stand, there's a sharp right turn, the last one for at least 2 km, and you can tell that's when the real Marseille Cassis begins, before it was just an appetizer.
Your pace slows down, and you get passed by others, but don't worry, you'll catch up to them before you reach the top.

Stay focused on your pace and climb, the hill is long but steady, and even rolling if you keep the same pace.

At the end of the first straight, after one or two turns, you reach the first difficulty with an incredible view of Marseille, the Planier lighthouse, the Château d'If, and further away the Luminy campus.

But stick to your pace, the difficulty is there, with two series of hairpin turns on the mountainside that you can feel even better on a bike.

Then a long curve to the right and a left turn with a central safety barrier, and you're almost there, the few hundred meters that separate you from the real summit of the Gineste are easy.

Then comes the descent, the long descent towards Cassis; if the first lengths are easy, be careful, try to reduce your stride (but not your pace) to avoid working your thighs too much (the vastus muscles) and save them.

The descent is not at all easy, there is a climb again for 2-300 meters before attacking the straight line of Carpiagne. On the left is the military camp of the Armored and Cavalry, and on the right a small road winds down to the sea via the Calanque d'En Vau.

Cap Canaille

Then the road profile becomes a little higher on the plateau and in the distance, the cliffs of Cap Canaille appear.

Then comes the descent, the long descent towards Cassis. If the first stretches are easy, be careful and try to reduce your stride (but not your pace) to avoid overworking your thighs (the vastus muscles) and save them for later.

The descent is not at all a walk in the park. Another hill comes up after 200 to 300 meters before reaching the straight line of Carpiagne. On the left, you will see the military camp of the Armoured and Cavalry, and on the right, a small road snakes its way to the sea through the Calanque d'En Vau.

Next, the road rises a little on the plateau, and in the distance, you can see the cliffs of Cap Canaille. Then the real descent begins. You should have around 5 to 6 kilometers left, and even if you feel good, do not overwork your thighs. Try to reduce your stride.

Towards the end, the pine trees appear, a sharp right turn, and the first signs of fatigue set in. Further down, near the fire station, there's a small hill to climb, and the downhill takes its toll (unless you followed my advice).

Finally, the port of Cassis is nearby. The descent into the village is dizzying and very steep, so reduce your stride, work your abs, and let yourself go! Speed up! And then, enjoy your arrival in Cassis; everyone has their own pleasure!

Congratulations, you have just participated in the Marseille Cassis race.