Making the most of Bandol
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Bandol’s harbour can accommodate 1,500 craft of every size, including yachts, tall sailing vessels and working fishing boats.
Ships anchor offshore here, with tender boats taking passengers directly into the town centre.
Home to around 8400 people, Bandol is a well-established seaside resort whose early visitors included Thomas Mann, Aldous Huxley, Marcel Pagnol, Mistinguett, Raimu and Fernandel. Sandy beaches, cliffs, inlets and creeks shape the coast, backed by hills covered with pines and willows.
Getting around
A seven-minute boat crossing leads to the nearby Ile de Bendor, a traffic-free retreat bought by the pastis-producing Ricard family in the 1950s.
Bandol’s vineyards are renowned for wines in several styles: powerful yet velvety reds, lively and fruity rosés, and refined, full-bodied whites. Across every colour, they rank among the finest wines of the Midi and even of France.
Nearby places
Bandol railway station is only about 1 km away. Trains reach Cassis in roughly 20 minutes and generally depart every 30 minutes. This appealing small Provençal town sits on southern France’s Mediterranean coast and is celebrated for its cliffs, calanques and locally produced white and rosé Cassis wines.
The station at Cassis lies 3 km / 1.9 miles from the harbour, reached by a substantial 40 minute downhill walk beside a busy main road. Travellers who would rather not walk can find a list of taxi numbers opposite the station ticket office.
Food and shopping
Browse designer boutiques along Quai de Charles De Gaulle, then visit the morning market held in Place de la Liberte.
Money
The local currency is the Euro.