Dive sites in France
Browse by region, city or dive type to find suitable locations for your experience level.
Regions
All dive sites
Lavezzi Islands
Bonifacio · Corsica · France
A granite archipelago in the Strait of Bonifacio between Corsica and Sardinia, where powerful currents deliver exceptional visibility and support dense grouper populations in a strictly protected marine reserve.
Scandola Nature Reserve
Porto · Corsica · France
A UNESCO World Heritage volcanic peninsula where red gorgonian forests and huge groupers thrive in crystal-clear Corsican waters.
Calanques National Park
Marseille · Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur · France
Dramatic limestone cliffs plunging into the Mediterranean, sheltering over 40 dive sites rich in gorgonians and groupers.
Villefranche-sur-Mer Bay
Nice · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur · France
A deep, sheltered bay on the French Riviera where Oceanographic Institute research sites, Posidonia meadows, and rocky reefs offer surprising biodiversity just minutes from central Nice.
Le Sec Jaune
Saint-Leu · Reunion · France
The legendary dive of Reunion Island, a volcanic pinnacle rising from the deep with extraordinary fish mimicry, green turtles, and seasonal humpback whale encounters.
Le Port Artificial Reef
Le Port · Reunion Island · France
A purpose-built artificial reef complex off Reunion's west coast designed to restore marine habitat lost to coastal development, now attracting groupers, turtles, and diverse reef fish in the shadow of the Piton des Neiges volcano.
Hyeres Islands Porquerolles
Hyeres · Var, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur · France
The largest of the Golden Islands off the French Riviera, where a national park protects pristine Posidonia meadows, dramatic rock formations, and the densest concentrations of grouper and barracuda on the Provencal coast.
Dive centers in France
Plongée Passion Guadeloupe
Bouillante · Guadeloupe · France
Dive center in Bouillante, Guadeloupe offering diving in the Jacques Cousteau Reserve with turtles and tropical reefs.
Atoll Plongée
Antibes · Côte d'Azur · France
French Riviera dive center in Antibes offering Mediterranean diving with groupers, barracuda, and posidonia meadows.
Diving in France
Dive sites in France include reef, wall, pinnacle locations across Corsica, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Reunion, Reunion Island, Var, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur. Each location includes depth, conditions and environment type to help you plan safely.
Use the region and city navigation above to narrow your search, or explore individual site pages for detailed conditions, entry type, skill requirements and nearby alternatives.
FAQ
What regulations apply to diving at the Lavezzi Islands?
The Lavezzi Islands fall within the Bouches de Bonifacio Nature Reserve and the international marine park shared between France and Italy. Diving is strictly regulated with different zones. The integral reserve zone around Lavezzi Island requires diving with an authorised guide and is limited to specific sites with maximum group sizes. No anchoring is permitted, and boats must use mooring buoys. Some areas are completely closed to diving. All dive centres in Bonifacio hold necessary permits and include reserve fees in dive prices. Night diving is prohibited throughout the reserve.
How challenging are the currents at the Lavezzi Islands?
Currents in the Strait of Bonifacio can be significant, particularly around exposed points and channels between islets. The strait funnels water between Corsica and Sardinia, and tidal and wind-driven currents can reach 2 to 3 knots at peak flow. Dive centres time their visits carefully with tide tables and weather conditions, choosing sheltered sites on strong current days and exposed sites during slack periods. Intermediate certification with current diving experience is recommended. Dive operators will brief thoroughly on current management and may cancel specific sites if conditions exceed safe limits for the group.
Why are the groupers at Lavezzi so large and approachable?
The Lavezzi Islands have been protected since 1982, giving dusky groupers over four decades of complete protection from fishing. These long-lived fish, which can reach 40 years of age and 60 kilograms in weight, have had generations to grow to full maturity and lose their fear of humans. The result is groupers that actively approach divers with curiosity rather than fleeing. Some individuals are so familiar with dive groups that researchers have identified them by their markings and given them names. This behaviour is unique to well-established marine reserves and demonstrates the powerful effect of long-term protection.
Can you scuba dive inside Scandola Nature Reserve?
Diving inside the core reserve zone is prohibited to protect the marine ecosystem. However, diving right along the border of the reserve offers exceptional quality, with the protected waters ensuring abundant marine life spills over into adjacent dive sites. Dive centres in Porto and Galeria operate trips to these boundary sites.
When is the best time to dive near Scandola in Corsica?
June through September offers the best conditions with water temperatures of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius and visibility exceeding 25 metres. The volcanic coastline provides shelter from the prevailing westerly winds on many sites. May and October are cooler but offer fewer divers and often excellent visibility.