Century-old wrecks and kelp walls in Europe's biggest tides
9–19°C · 48–66°Fintermediate
Country
Diving in France
22 dive destinations in France, up to 17,300 km apart. Water temperature across them runs 9–29 °C. All 22 are in season in Jun–Oct. 186 named dive sites have their own pages.
Réunion · photo Cynomana
- Destinations
- 22
- Dive sites
- 186
- Water
- 9–29°C
- Most in season
- Jun–Oct
RegionsMediterraneanAtlanticIndian OceanPacific IslandsCold Water
Where are the dive destinations in France?
Indian Ocean
Pacific Islands
- 1Chausey Islands & GranvilleAug–Sep
- 2Crozon Peninsula & the Iroise Marine ParkApr–Nov
- 3Glénan ArchipelagoApr–Oct
- 4Île de Groix & LorientJul–Aug
- 5Belle-Île-en-Mer & QuiberonJul–Sep
- 6Île d'Oléron & the Pertuis d'AntiocheJul–Aug
- 7Côte d'AzurJun–Sep
- 8Palavas-les-Flots, Carnon & Villeneuve-lès-MagueloneJun–Sep
- 9Sète & FrontignanJun–Oct
- 10Cap d'AgdeJul–Sep
- 11Marseille & the CalanquesYear-round
- 12Port-Cros & Îles d'HyèresJun–Sep
- 13Bastia & Cap Corse (East Coast)Jun–Sep
- 14Corsica — Calvi & the RevellataJun–Sep
- 15Banyuls-sur-Mer & the Côte VermeilleJun–Sep
- 16Corsica — Ajaccio & SagoneJun–Sep
- 17Golfe de ValincoJun–Sep
- 18Corsica — Lavezzi & BonifacioJun–Sep
- 19MayotteMay–Sep
- 20RéunionMay–Oct
- 21Poindimié & HienghèneMay–Nov
- 22New CaledoniaSep–Nov
Numbers match the table below. Land outline: Natural Earth (public domain).
How do they compare?
| # | Destination | Best months | Water | Visibility | Depth | Level | Access | Sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chausey Islands & Granville | Aug–Sep | 9–19°C | — | 20–38 m | Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced | Day boat | 5 |
| 2 | Crozon Peninsula & the Iroise Marine Park | Apr–Nov | 9–18°C | — | 5–20 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Day boat, Shore | 3 |
| 3 | Glénan Archipelago | Apr–Oct | 10–19°C | — | 5–30 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 4 |
| 4 | Île de Groix & Lorient | Jul–Aug | 9–19°C | — | 20–38 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 3 |
| 5 | Belle-Île-en-Mer & Quiberon | Jul–Sep | 9–19°C | — | 5–20 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Day boat, Shore | 5 |
| 6 | Île d'Oléron & the Pertuis d'Antioche | Jul–Aug | 10–20°C | — | to 30 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 4 |
| 7 | Côte d'Azur — Cannes & the Estérel | Jun–Sep | 13–25°C | 1–25 m | 5–40 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 12 |
| 8 | Palavas-les-Flots, Carnon & Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone | Jun–Sep | 10–23°C | 1–15 m | 4–25 m | Beginnersites from beginner to intermediate | Day boat | 12 |
| 9 | Sète & Frontignan | Jun–Oct | 12–22°C | — | 1–18 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 6 |
| 10 | Cap d'Agde | Jul–Sep | 12–22°C | — | 3–24 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 10 |
| 11 | Marseille & the Calanques | Year-round | 13–25°C | — | 2–40 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 10 |
| 12 | Port-Cros & Îles d'Hyères | Jun–Sep | 13–25°C | 5–25 m | 10–40 m | Intermediate | Day boat | 6 |
| 13 | Bastia & Cap Corse (East Coast) | Jun–Sep | 14–26°C | 5–35 m | 2–44 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 12 |
| 14 | Corsica — Calvi & the Revellata | Jun–Sep | 14–26°C | 5–25 m | 5–50 m | Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 9 |
| 15 | Banyuls-sur-Mer & the Côte Vermeille | Jun–Sep | 12–23°C | 1–15 m | 5–40 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat, Shore | 12 |
| 16 | Corsica — Ajaccio & Sagone | Jun–Sep | 13–26°C | 5–25 m | 5–40 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to intermediate | Shore, Day boat | 7 |
| 17 | Golfe de Valinco — Propriano & Porto-Pollo | Jun–Sep | 15–25°C | 5–35 m | 5–45 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 12 |
| 18 | Corsica — Lavezzi & Bonifacio | Jun–Sep | 14–26°C | 5–30 m | 10–35 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 13 |
| 19 | Mayotte | May–Sep | 25–29°C | 10–25 m | 5–30 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 4 |
| 20 | Réunion | May–Oct | 22–28°C | 10–30 m | 8–40 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 17 |
| 21 | Poindimié & Hienghène | May–Nov | 20–28°C | 5–35 m | 10–30 m | Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced | Day boat | 3 |
| 22 | New Caledonia | Sep–Nov | 21–27°C | 5–25 m | 5–40 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 17 |
When is the best time to dive France?
The most destinations are rated good or prime at the same time in Jun–Oct: 22 of 22. Each row is one destination's own season rating.
| Destination | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Chausey Islands & Granville | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair |
| 2Crozon Peninsula & the Iroise Marine Park | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair |
| 3Glénan Archipelago | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair |
| 4Île de Groix & Lorient | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair |
| 5Belle-Île-en-Mer & Quiberon | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
| 6Île d'Oléron & the Pertuis d'Antioche | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Fair |
| 7Côte d'Azur | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
| 8Palavas-les-Flots, Carnon & Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
| 9Sète & Frontignan | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair |
| 10Cap d'Agde | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
| 11Marseille & the Calanques | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| 12Port-Cros & Îles d'Hyères | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
| 13Bastia & Cap Corse (East Coast) | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
| 14Corsica — Calvi & the Revellata | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
| 15Banyuls-sur-Mer & the Côte Vermeille | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
| 16Corsica — Ajaccio & Sagone | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
| 17Golfe de Valinco | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
| 18Corsica — Lavezzi & Bonifacio | Off-season | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
| 19Mayotte | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
| 20Réunion | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair |
| 21Poindimié & Hienghène | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair |
| 22New Caledonia | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good |
| Good or prime | 1 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 7 | 2 |
Which destinations combine into one trip?
Destinations that fit within 200 km of each other end to end and share at least one month rated good or prime. Distances are straight lines between destinations, not travel routes.
- 13Bastia & Cap Corse (East Coast)
- 14Corsica — Calvi & the Revellata
- 16Corsica — Ajaccio & Sagone
- 17Golfe de Valinco
- 18Corsica — Lavezzi & Bonifacio
153 km end to end
In season together: May–Oct
- 2Crozon Peninsula & the Iroise Marine Park
- 3Glénan Archipelago
- 4Île de Groix & Lorient
- 5Belle-Île-en-Mer & Quiberon
132 km end to end
In season together: Apr–Oct
- 8Palavas-les-Flots, Carnon & Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone
- 9Sète & Frontignan
- 10Cap d'Agde
- 15Banyuls-sur-Mer & the Côte Vermeille
130 km end to end
In season together: May–Oct
141 km end to end
In season together: Apr–Oct
All 22 destinations in France
Atlantic
Rock walls carpeted in jewel anemones, plus wrecks in the bay
9–18°C · 48–64°Fbeginner
Atlantic
Glénan Archipelago
France
Fifteen wreck sites and anemone-covered rock among 59 sites in one archipelago
10–19°C · 50–66°Fintermediate
Atlantic
Île de Groix & Lorient
France
A German U-boat at 38 m and wrecks from both world wars around one island
9–19°C · 48–66°Fintermediate
Atlantic
Atlantic wrecks and rock dives on both sides of one strait
9–19°C · 48–66°Fbeginner
Atlantic
World-war wrecks and rock walls in a tidal Atlantic strait
10–20°C · 50–68°Fintermediate
France's largest no-take fishing reserve sits at Cap Roux
13–25°C · 55–77°Fvis 25 m · 82 ftintermediate
A no-fishing reserve rock and small wrecks 15 minutes off Montpellier
10–23°C · 50–73°Fvis 15 m · 50 ftbeginner
A 1905 trader at 18 m and a 32 m lagoon resurgence
12–22°C · 54–72°Fbeginner
Lobster-packed coralligenous reefs at 20–24 m off the Île de Brescou
12–22°C · 54–72°Fintermediate
Wrecks, deep walls and island dives inside a national park
13–25°C · 55–77°Fintermediate
Dozens of dusky groupers hold station on the rock face at La Gabinière
13–25°C · 55–77°Fvis 25 m · 82 ftintermediate
Two WWII P-47 fighter wrecks on a quiet coast in metropolitan France's largest marine park
14–26°C · 57–79°Fvis 35 m · 115 ftintermediate
A B-17 bomber upright on the sand at 25 m below the citadel
14–26°C · 57–79°Fvis 25 m · 82 ftintermediate
Reserve reef diving at Cerbère-Banyuls, France's first marine reserve
12–23°C · 54–73°Fvis 15 m · 50 ftintermediate
Granite rock heads, arches and a P-51 wreck in the gulfs of Ajaccio and Sagone
13–26°C · 55–79°Fvis 25 m · 82 ftintermediate
Red-gorgonian rock towers rising from 50 m to just under the surface
15–25°C · 59–77°Fvis 35 m · 115 ftintermediate
At Mérouville, habituated dusky groupers stay with divers all dive
14–26°C · 57–79°Fvis 30 m · 100 ftintermediate
Resident manta rays clean daily at Passe en S inside the barrier reef lagoon
25–29°C · 77–84°Fvis 25 m · 82 ftbeginner
A recovering fringing reef and two easy wrecks on the sheltered west coast
22–28°C · 72–82°Fvis 30 m · 100 ftintermediate
Pygmy seahorses on gorgonian pinnacles inside the UNESCO-listed north-east lagoon
20–28°C · 68–82°Fvis 35 m · 115 ftintermediate
A 38 m chimney built by freshwater springs venting inside the lagoon
21–27°C · 70–81°Fvis 25 m · 82 ftintermediate