Château de Cassis, Medieval castle at Cap Canaille cliffs, Cassis, France.

The Château de Cassis is a fortified castle that rises from a clifftop overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and the town's harbor. The structure features defensive walls and living quarters arranged across multiple levels, with a chapel within and expansive views in all directions.

A first fortified wall was built in the 8th century during the Carolingian Empire, in the face of Saracen raids; a "Saracen tower" from it still stands. In 1223 the lords of Les Baux took the seigneury of Cassis, and during the Hundred Years' War they built the present enclosure: walls and four square towers 8.5 m high. A well, a bread oven and a church dedicated to Saint Michael were added between 1372 and 1380. Charles V sacked the castle in 1524.

The lords of Les Baux held Cassis from 1223, and their sixteen-rayed star still sits above the castle's main gate. The seigneurie passed to the bishops of Marseille in 1473 under René d'Anjou, and the bishop's crozier appears in the town's coat of arms. The castle is now a guesthouse overlooking the port and vineyards.

The castle stands on a cliff above the port, reached on foot through the streets of Cassis; the climb is steep and the grounds are uneven. The site now operates as a guesthouse, so courtyards and terraces are not freely open to day visitors. Check access before setting out and wear shoes with grip.

The castle's main gate still carries the coat of arms of the Baux lords: a star with sixteen rays. The Baux family held the seigneurie from 1223, and the present walls and four square towers, 8.5 m high, were built during the Hundred Years' War. A well, a bread oven and a church dedicated to Saint Michael were added between 1372 and 1380.