Cassis
Cassis is a tourist town of the department of Les Bouches-du-Rhône, at approximately 20 km east of Marseille. Famous for its cliffs and creeks, it is also known for the wines of Cassis (white, but also rosé) produced in the area.
The Cap Canaille, situated between Cassis and La Ciotat is the highest maritime cliff of Europe. It peaks at 394 meters. Cassis has 11 km of coast and 2 conservation areas: the Massif des Calanques since 1975 and the Cap Canaille since 1989. We can admire these two sites, as well as the city, from the road of the Crete leading from Cassis to La Ciotat.
The stone of Cassis is a limestone of an orange color of very good quality, which was formerly used on the streets of Marseille for the realization of public works because of its extreme resistance. This stone was also used to realize the base of the Statue of Liberty in New York. This limestone is orange thanks to the oxides of irons. These characteristics make of this stone an ore looked for for the sculpture. The exploitation of the stone of Cassis began from the Antiquity. Over the centuries several careers were opened, then abandoned.
It is naturally the tourism which has now became the main wealth of Cassis.