Château d’If and the Frioul islands from Marseille: ferry, time and swimming
5 min read
The answer first. Decide first whether you want to set foot inside the fortress or to swim. For the castle, the boat trip to Château d’If with entry included is the all-in-one choice, from €58. For a swim, a Frioul cruise is better, and the two Frioul cruises below are about the water, not the castle.
Check availability and prices for the Château d’If boat trip
Visiting the castle
The boat trip with entry lasts 4 hours and starts at 1 Quai de Rive Neuve in the Old Port, where a host meets you. The ferry crossing takes 30 minutes and the page plans 1.5 hours on the island for a self-guided visit. Round-trip boat transfer and the castle ticket are part of the description; the page also lists people with mobility impairments and people prone to seasickness as not suitable. One review mentions a walk of about half an hour through the city before the ferry; the page itself does not describe that part. The itinerary on the same page also marks the castle visit as Optional, Extra fee, so confirm on the booking page that entry is included in the option you choose.
The cheaper way is the Château d’If entry ticket, from €12.50, valid for one day. The page states that the boat crossing is not included and must be booked separately. Its note that the castle opens only from 1 April to 30 September does not match the monument’s own practical information: Château d’If opens all year, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. between 1 April and 27 September and from 10 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. between 28 September and 31 March, when it is closed on Mondays. It is also closed on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December and in bad weather. Bought at the monument, an individual ticket costs €7; the crossing is extra. The CityPass description names the ferry companies Les Compagnies Maritimes and Le Bateau Métropole for If, and only Le Bateau Métropole for the Frioul islands. It also says that boat trips and castle access depend on the weather and can be cancelled.
Swimming around Frioul
The Frioul archipelago, with the islands Pomègues and Ratonneau, is a short sail from the harbour. Two cruises are built around swimming:
- The morning cruise with coffee and swimming lasts 2.5 hours on a hybrid boat for at most 12 people. Boarding is usually in front of La Criée Theatre at 70 Quai du Port, with a welcome at 9:30 a.m. and a return at noon; the page notes that the boarding point depends on the boat, so check it in your confirmation email. The crew provides masks and snorkels and a light snack. You are assigned to one of three boats and cannot choose.
- The catamaran to the Frioul islands lasts 3 hours, leaves from the Mucem and carries at most 22 passengers. It sails past Château d’If and anchors in a cove, with two stand-up paddleboards, masks, snorkels and a snack. The page says no landing on the islands and no inside visit of the castle. You need a working WhatsApp number, because the operator communicates only through it.
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating | You get |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boat trip with castle entry | 4 hours | €58 | 3.8 stars, 40 reviews | the fortress |
| Morning cruise and swim | 2.5 hours | €60 | 4.8 stars, 225 reviews | swimming, a quiet start |
| Frioul catamaran | 3 hours | €72 | 4.6 stars, 69 reviews | paddling, a view of the castle |
What to check before you book
Wind and sea can change a route or cancel a crossing. Arrive 15 minutes before boarding on the catamaran, where late arrivals are not refunded. Swimwear and a towel are on the morning cruise’s what-to-bring list.
Our recommendation
Book the castle trip if the fortress is the point, and a Frioul cruise if it is the water. Do not expect both from one ticket. If you also want the open sea beyond the harbour, see our guide to the Calanques by boat, catamaran or hike. For the Frioul calanques with other formats, see all boat tours.
