Côte d'Azur · France · Wall
Le Batéguier
Rock at 3 m on top, drop-off running past 40 m below
Area photo: Tangopaso · Public domain
The drop-off west of Île Sainte-Marguerite, and the Cannes dive that works for any level: the operator lists it as suitable for all divers. Rock at 3 to 6 m forms the top of it; below that the face falls away past 40 m, cut with holes and small caves where moray eels shelter and gorgonians grow on the shaded rock.
Also known as Bateguier.
Where it is and how deep
43.5216° N, 7.0306° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
Boats drop you on the shallow rock west of Sainte-Marguerite, where the top of the drop-off sits between 3 and 6 m. That shelf is a dive in itself, shallow and bright, and groups who want to stay well inside easy limits simply work it and never cross the lip. Everyone else uses it to get sorted before turning over the edge.
Over the edge the rock turns down and keeps going past 40 m, so the plan sets the floor rather than the site setting it. The face is not clean wall but broken ground: holes, overhangs and short caves that hold moray eels, with gorgonians growing out of the shaded rock further down. Work along it at one depth rather than sawing up and down.
Whatever depth you take, the return is onto the same shelf you started on, which turns the safety stop into part of the dive instead of a hang on a line. Visibility here is logged between about 10 and 20 m through the season, so the drop-off reads as a slope disappearing below you rather than as a single face you can see top to bottom.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Côte d'Azur: Water runs about 13°C in February and 25°C in August, and diving carries on year-round; the Théoule park's shore trail opens only from mid-June to mid-September.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Le Batéguier?+
The drop-off runs from rock at 3 m at the top to over 40 m at the foot. Staying on the 3 to 6 m shelf makes it a shallow dive; following the face down turns it into a deep one, so the plan decides the depth.
Is Le Batéguier suitable for beginners?+
The top of the drop-off is shallow enough for any level and the operator lists the site as suitable for all divers. Beginners stay on the 3 to 6 m rocks rather than going over the lip.
Sources
- Le Batéguier - Dive Site — SSI/Scubago
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