La Calanque de Figuerolles

The brown mud and stone make this a medium-sized calanque with an unusual look. Rocher du Capucin stands out nearby, shaped a bit like a hawk or dog's head, and makes for great photos. The beach gets busy during the day, then quiets down in the evening once the sun moves away. There are rocks at different heights to jump from. The pebbles leave a brown sheen on your towel, though. Street parking is fine, with one hour free and then free again after 8pm.

The bus gets you close, then it's just a short walk to some of the most beautiful views around. The water is clear and it's a lovely spot for a swim. I'd go in March-April or October-November: it's cooler, but swimming is still possible. Summer heat here is unbearable.

The sea was only a short walk from our table, and the restaurant had great food and atmosphere. Everything about the evening was going wonderfully until Ben forgot his glasses and let everyone down. It put a real damper on the night, and I can imagine it affecting our whole stay in the area. Still, that's not the restaurant's fault and shouldn't really affect my rating. If Ben had kept better track of his things, it would all have been fine. The restaurant has the glasses, and Ben is picking them up tomorrow, so I guess that's some good news. The steak was great too.

We had a great experience. The service, food, setting, and location were all wonderful, and everyone we spoke with was very nice and could speak English, which isn't that easy to find in France. It's a magical place with an amazing sea view, and you can go for a swim too. It had everything we could want from a restaurant on the coast.