Banyuls-sur-Mer & the Côte Vermeille · France · Wall · Cave & cavern
Les Chambres
Drop-offs and caves that carry on down to 40 m
Area photo: Florian Pépellin · CC BY-SA 3.0
Drop-offs, caves and rock formations that generally run from 10 to 40 m, rated for intermediate to advanced divers. The name means 'the rooms', and the dive is a descent down the drop-offs to whichever depth your plan allows, looking into the caves for groupers, lobsters, octopus and moray eels on the way.
Where it is and how deep
42.4412° N, 3.1706° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The boat puts you onto the rock at about 10 m and the drop-offs start almost at once. Rather than one continuous wall, the rock breaks into steps and formations, with caves opening off the faces. The route is down: pick a target depth before you go, because the rock keeps going to 40 m and the deeper ground is what separates this site from the shallower reserve capes.
The caves are where the animals are. Groupers hang at the entrances, lobsters sit under the ledges, and moray eels and octopus use the cracks between the formations, with the usual Mediterranean rock fish over the rest. Look rather than enter, and keep your torch on the walls of each opening so you see what is holding inside before it sees you.
Time and gas set the turn. From the bottom of your profile you climb back up the drop-offs in stages, using the ledges, and finish over the shallower formations near 10 m before ascending. Plan the dive as a multi-level profile: the deep ground comes first and the shallow rock is where you spend the end of the dive.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Octopus & cuttlefish
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Banyuls-sur-Mer & the Côte Vermeille: The Banyuls centres open year-round, but the sea averages 12 °C in February against 23 °C in August, the reserve's snorkel trail runs June to September, and the Tramontane can stop boats in any month.
Know before you go
- The rock continues to 40 m: agree a maximum depth before the dive and hold it, since the drop-offs invite going deeper than planned.
- The caves are look-in features rather than swim-throughs; stay outside the rock with a clear route to open water.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Les Chambres?+
Depths generally range from 10 to 40 m. The drop-offs start near 10 m and the caves and rock formations carry on down to 40 m, so the dive is planned to a chosen depth rather than to the bottom.
What level do I need for Les Chambres?+
The site is described as accessible to intermediate to advanced divers. Diving the deep chambers near 40 m calls for a deep qualification and a planned multi-level profile.
Sources
- Les Chambres - Scubago — Scubago
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