Atlantic · France
Île d'Oléron & the Pertuis d'Antioche
World-war wrecks and rock walls in a tidal Atlantic strait
The Pertuis d'Antioche, the sea passage off Île d'Oléron, is a graveyard of ships sunk in the two world wars, and Oléron's boats dive it alongside rocky walls. The 150 m Sauerland and the old steamer Le Recoin head the list of wrecks, and the wall below the Phare de Chassiron gives a deep rock dive. Congers and lobsters hide in the wrecks and the rock crevices. This is tidal Atlantic diving for certified divers drawn to history underwater.
About diving in Île d'Oléron & the Pertuis d'Antioche
Exploration dives start by boat, and La Cotinière is the main port for the offshore wrecks such as the Sauerland and Le Recoin. One centre works sites around all three islands of Aix, Ré and Oléron with a boat that carries up to 8 divers. Tides and weather decide everything here, and the instructors pick the most favourable windows to go. On the deep wrecks and walls, managing the current and the visibility is what keeps a dive safe.
The bottom is rock, walls and wrecks. Ships sunk during the two world wars lie across the Pertuis d'Antioche, big steel hulls among them. Between the wrecks, rocky ground slopes away and breaks into crevices where conger eels and lobsters hide. Schools of cuttlefish pass over the rock, nudibranchs live along the reefs, and gorgonians and jewel anemones cover the walls.
The area suits certified divers who want wrecks with a story and accept cold, tidal water to reach them. First-timers start in the sheltered Crique de Chaucre, entered straight from the beach at 1 to 3 m. At the other end of the scale, a site called le 38 mètres lies between 27 and 38 m and is reserved for Level 3 or very experienced divers. A torch for the crevices and a delayed surface marker buoy for the safety stop belong in every kit bag.
Best time to dive Île d'Oléron & the Pertuis d'Antioche
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Fair |
The season runs from spring to autumn; summer brings the warmest water, while spring often gives the better visibility.
Dive types & marine life
Conger eels and lobsters are the regulars, often met on the Sauerland and tucked into crevices in the rock and the wrecks. Schools of cuttlefish pass over the Pointe de Chaucre, whose walls carry gorgonians and anemones, and nudibranchs turn up on the rocky sites.
- Wreck
- Reef
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Nudibranchs
Best dive sites in Île d'Oléron & the Pertuis d'Antioche
- 1
Sauerland
A 150 m wreck resting at 35 m, where congers and lobsters are often seen; Level 2 minimum.
- 2
Le Recoin
A steamer close to 100 m long lying at 25 m, open to Level 2 divers and above.
- 3
Phare de Chassiron
A rocky wall below the lighthouse that drops to 30 m.
- 4
Pointe de Chaucre
Rocky ground sloping gently to about 15 m, busy with congers, lobsters and cuttlefish.
- 5
Nautilus
The more accessible wreck, suited to intermediate divers.
- 6
Port-Calédonia
Wreck of a four-masted sailing ship, its history documented by archaeological research.
Site guides
Wreck
Blue lobsters under the hull plates of an old steamer
Spider crabs crowd the rock below the island's northern lighthouse
Shoals of cuttlefish over gently sloping rock
Wreck
Wide, open tween decks inside the bow of a wartime blockade breaker
How to get to Île d'Oléron & the Pertuis d'Antioche
Île d'Oléron has been linked to the mainland by a road bridge, the Oléron bridge, since 1966, so divers drive straight onto the island. Boats leave from the port of La Cotinière, and one club is based at Saint-Georges-d'Oléron.
Photos from Île d'Oléron & the Pertuis d'Antioche
Pom' from France, European Union · CC BY-SA 2.0
Questions divers ask
What certification do the Oléron wrecks need?+
The Sauerland and Le Recoin are reserved for Level 2 divers at minimum. Some wrecks from the Second World War are open to Level 1 divers diving with a guide, and the Nautilus suits intermediate divers.
What wetsuit is needed to dive Oléron?+
A 7 mm wetsuit is recommended even in summer. The sea sits near 10 °C (50 °F) in February and reaches about 20 °C (68 °F) in August, its warmest month.
Is there anything for newly qualified divers?+
The Pointe de Chaucre is cut out for newly certified Level 1 divers: an easy boat ride from the coast reaches rocky ground that slopes gently to about 15 m.
Sources
- Sites plongée Oléron : les meilleurs spots et épaves — Oléron Plongée
- IØ Plongée — IØ Plongée
- Sam Diving - Centre de plongée des 3 îles — Sam Diving
- Plongée île d'Oléron — Camping Les Sables Vignier Plage
- Saint-Denis-d'Oléron Average Sea Temperatures — seatemperature.org
- Île d'Oléron — Wikipedia
Photo credits
- A blue and white fishing trawler moored in a harbour, with a white lighthouse topped in red and colourful flags under a grey sky by Pom' from France, European Union, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Embed
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Around three hundred charted wrecks, most of them shallower than 20 m