Organising a corporate event in Cassis

Why organise a corporate event in Cassis?

Cassis has no business district: its economy is based on tourism, hotels and a renowned vineyard, with protected designation of origin (AOC) status since 1936. People come for the setting, not the infrastructure. The harbour, the cliffs of Cap Canaille and the entrance to the Calanques National Park create a backdrop that stays with you.

It is an ideal destination to reward a sales team, bring a management committee together or offer clients a day that makes a change from the trade fair. For 300 people or more, it is better to aim for Marseille or La Ciotat, then take a trip out to Cassis.

Which venues are there for an event in Cassis?

• The wine estates on the hillsides: tastings, cocktails among the vines, outdoor dinners.
• The hotels and restaurants around the harbour: meeting rooms for a small group, terraces for drinks.
• The boats leaving from the harbour: a tour of the Port-Miou, Port-Pin and En-Vau calanques from the sea.
• The Calanques themselves, for a guided hike; see our page on the Cassis Calanques.

Which season should you choose for an event in Cassis?

In July and August, the village is saturated: car parks full, restaurants fully booked, traffic crawling. Access to the Calanques massifs is also restricted in summer according to fire risk, including full closure on some days. May, June, September and early October offer the sea, the light and far more availability. In winter, the village is quiet and hotel rates are gentler: a good choice for a working seminar.

How do you get guests to Cassis?

This is the most sensitive point. Traffic is restricted in the centre during the season and the car parks near the harbour fill up quickly. For a group, the most comfortable solution is a coach or minibuses from Marseille, dropping off as close to the venue as possible. For a wine estate, check that coaches can drive up to the property. The station is about 3 km from the harbour: a transfer is needed for guests arriving by train.

Which formats work in Cassis?

The one-day incentive: a morning by boat in the Calanques, lunch on the harbour, a cocktail workshop or a tasting on an estate in the afternoon. Sunset cocktails with a saxophonist are also very popular: the atmosphere is there without turning up the volume. To carry on with dancing, a DJ with a sound system suited to the venue.