ceuse + calanques accomodation recommendation?

not sure if this is the right place to ask or not, but I was curious if anyone had a recommendation of a good place to stay near Ceuse or the Calanques. I'm going to be traveling through southern France in the end of September and was hoping to hit those places for a day or two. Camping isn't an option, so I'm looking for a gite/chambres d'hotes/hostel or cheap hotel... I'll have a car, so if it isn't right next to the crags, that's ok.

thanks in advance,
Chuck

You speak French, right?

Gites de France

You will need more than a day or two in the calanques to do anything productive, Could be really hot that time of year too but you can chase shade.

You have a car and I know you said no camping, Well camping is usually not that easy in places like that anyway, unless you like KOA style pay for nothing

I car camp a bunch that way, I usually get back on the highway though and go to the next rest stops, they are big and you wont get hassled if you just want to sleep in your car

Gites are ok, Hotels are spendy by american standards and you don't get much for your money.

I would check out the beoux and the Verdon if your in that area, Verdon is by far my favorite of all mentioned areas.

Bon Chance

JPVallone wrote: I usually get back on the highway though and go to the next rest stops, they are big and you wont get hassled if you just want to sleep in your car

I'd highly NOT recommend sleeping in your car any where near the autoroute(s). Had a friend who's car was broken into while they were in it. Smash and grab from a motorcycle. Scary.

We had a gite in Auriol that was nice (great courtyard out back), clean, difficult parking, and close to the wine cave (!).

You might pull up any of the towns nearby and search through accomodations through their tourist offices. Bunches of options.

Day climbs in the Calanques are pretty easy to pull off. Also, St. Victoire is huge and the guidebook is at least as stacked with routes as the Calanques. There's inexpensive lodging there too, I seem to recall (hostel or some such).

Stayed in a hotel in Sisteron that was pretty nice. Tourist office there very helpful. Within striking distance of Orpierre and Ceuse, and a few other local crags.

Edit to add: you might have difficulty in renting a gite for just a day or two. They're usually weekly rentals.

Cheers.

I know you said you only have 1-2 days, but check out the Dentelles climbing area:

summitpost.org/mountain/roc…

Only 1-1/2 hours from Marseille.

Its not uber-well-known, but I've never been to a climbing area with a better mix of sport and trad (although more sport oriented), single and multi-pitch, and climbs of all grades from 5.5 - 5.12. Easy access to most of the climbs. Easy to chase the shade. No crowds.

Thanks for all the great suggestions! Much appreciated. Sounds like I should try to move to the south of France, not just visit for a couple of days! I can't wait!

CK