Roche Rouge

The site is a rock formation off Cargèse whose upper reaches sit at about 10 m, so the descent from the boat brings you onto the rock quickly and the first part of the dive can be shallow. The rock is volcanic and red, which is what gives the site its name and sets it apart from the other rock sites on this coast, and the colour is best seen on the upper formation where there is still light to carry it.

From the top the rock runs down to 35 m, and the deeper section turns a shallow rock tour into a dive that needs planning: at 35 m the no-decompression time is short and the red has gone grey, so the usual pattern is to visit the base early and spend the rest of the dive working back up the face. The catalogue rates the site for all levels, which fits that structure, with the newer diver staying on the upper rock and the trained diver taking the whole profile before a safety stop near the top.