Sport and the great outdoors around the mas
Padel
Tennis
Golf courses
- Golf Ouest Provence, Miramas (≈ 15 km): 18 holes, par 71, open every day. Book a green feeDirections
- Golf International de Pont Royal, Mallemort (≈ 30 km): 18 holes on a Provençal estate. Directions
- Set Golf, Aix-en-Provence (≈ 30 km): an 18-hole course on the outskirts of Aix. Directions
- Golf de Servanes, Mouriès (≈ 40 km): 18 holes, par 72, at the foot of the Alpilles among 4,000 olive trees. Golf course websiteDirections
Padel, right here in Lançon
- Enjoy Padel, 200 rue des Oliviers, Lançon-Provence. Book a courtDirections
- P4 Padel Indoor, ZI Les Sardenas, Lançon-Provence: indoor courts, perfect when the mistral blows. Book a courtDirections
- Le Complexe, Salon-de-Provence (≈ 15 km). Club website
Tennis
- Tennis Club Lançon-Provence, the village club: ask the club about renting a court.
- Set Club, Aix-en-Provence : 13 courts, 8 of them clay, open to non-members. Set Club website
- Many clubs rent their courts by the hour through the French Tennis Federation's Ten'Up app. Ten'Up
Hiking: in Cézanne's footsteps
Mont Sainte-Victoire, painted more than eighty times by Cézanne, offers beautiful hikes less than an hour from the mas. Closer by, the Côte Bleue coastal path links coves and calanques above the sea.
Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire seen from the Bibémus quarry (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons
From June to September, access to the hills is regulated daily according to the fire risk: check the day's access map before setting off.
On the water
When the wind picks up, Jaï beach in Marignane becomes the meeting point for windsurfers and kitesurfers; the Étang de Berre can also be explored by sailing boat or kayak.
Kitesurfing, wingfoiling and catamaran: spots, lessons and rentals
With the mistral and summer breezes, the Étang de Berre is one of the best stretches of water in Provence for board sports: shallow water without waves, ideal for learning. The schools below offer lessons for beginners and experienced riders; equipment rental is mainly available in July and August, so check before you come.
Jaï beach, Marignane: Jawaï Kite School
The lagoon's main kitesurfing and wingfoiling spot, on the Jaï sand bar. Jawaï Kite School gives kitesurfing, wingfoil, e-foil and towed-board lessons there, from age 11, every day from mid-March to the end of November, with a radio helmet so you are guided throughout.
Club nautique marignanais, Le Jaï
Beginner and improver lessons in catamaran, windsurfing, wingfoil and Optimist dinghies for children. In July and August, rental of boards, dinghies, paddleboards and kayaks.
Cercle nautique de Rognac
On the east shore of the lagoon, the Rognac club offers catamaran and windsurfing: courses, lessons and supervised outings, in a calmer setting than the Jaï.
Hotschool, Martigues
Kitesurfing, wingfoil, windsurfing and paddleboard lessons à la carte, depending on the wind: on the Étang de Berre, in the calanques of the Côte Bleue or at the Pointe de la Gracieuse, reached by boat from Martigues.
Closer to the mas: the Saint-Chamas water-sports centre (catamaran, sailing, kayak, paddleboard, 6 km away) and the Club nautique berrois in Berre-l'Étang (catamaran, windsurfing).
Where to rent a boat
The Étang de Berre, close to the mas, is a calm stretch of water ideal for a first family outing; the sea opens up at Martigues and Marseille. Without a licence you can drive a boat of up to 6 hp; beyond that you need a boating licence or can rent with a skipper.
Berre-l'Étang harbour
Berre's small marina opens onto the whole southern part of the lagoon: calm waters, ideal for beginners, with Champigny beach nearby. Motorboats with or without a licence, sailing boats and RIBs.
Saint-Chamas harbour
The closest harbour to the mas, between fishing boats and sailing boats, at the foot of the troglodyte village. Perfect for half a day on the lagoon, with a swim off Les Cabassons beach.
Martigues harbours
The 'Provençal Venice': set off from the colourful canals of the Miroir aux oiseaux, reach the sea through the Caronte channel, then the calanques of the Côte Bleue. A wide choice of boats, with or without a licence.
Marseille Old Port
For a day at sea: the Frioul islands, Château d'If, the Riou archipelago and the calanques as far as Cassis. Massilia Bateaux (quai de Rive-Neuve) rents motorboats with a licence or with a skipper.