Palavas-les-Flots, Carnon & Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone · France · Pinnacle · Reef
Le Coulombray
An offshore sec in the current, 25 m up to 19 m
Area photo: Julien Renoult · CC BY 4.0
An isolated sec about 100 m across, lying alone on muddy sand off Palavas-les-Flots: a low rocky hill of slabs, small breaks and scree rising from 25 m to 19 m. It sits in the path of the Liguro-Provençal current, which feeds the fixed life on it — yellow gorgonians, soft corals and a range of nudibranchs — and asks for some ease in the water.
Also known as Le Coulombre.
Where it is and how deep
43.4739° N, 3.9916° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Le Coulombray is a plateau roughly 100 m across out in open water off Palavas, its bottom at 25 m and its top at 19 m. It is small in surface area — a rocky hill of slabs, small breaks and scree in the middle of muddy sand — so the whole dive is spent on the rock itself, and the sensible plan is to work the site and come back to the line rather than to strike out across the bottom.
Its position exposes it directly to the Liguro-Provençal current. That current is the reason for the density of fixed life here, but it also means the dive needs some technical ease and a group that stays together. Plongée Carnon asks for Niveau 2 / PA20 as a minimum, which matches the depth as much as the water movement, and visibility on this site is often poor.
The rock carries yellow gorgonians and soft corals, and the site is known locally for the variety of its nudibranchs, which is reason enough to bring a lens. Inspect the cavities around the edges of the slabs, where most of the life sits. It is also a popular spot with fishermen, and the remains of their gear are part of the scenery.
Marine life and season
- Nudibranchs
| 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 Palavas-les-Flots, Carnon & Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone: Clubs dive year-round, but logged visibility sits near 2 m and the sea at 10-12 °C from January to March; one club runs seven days a week in July and August.
Know before you go
- The sec is fished heavily and remains of nets and anchors are regularly found on it, so watch for line and monofilament around the slabs.
- It sits directly in the Liguro-Provençal current: plan the drop with the current, stay low on the rock and keep the group tight in poor visibility.
Questions divers ask
What level do you need for Le Coulombray?+
Plongée Carnon gives Niveau 2 / PA20 as the minimum. The site is 19 to 25 m deep and sits directly in the Liguro-Provençal current, so it needs some technical ease.
Sources
- Plongée au Coulombre — Plongée Carnon
- Le Coulombray — Octopus Plongée
- Le Coulombray, dive site — Scubago/SSI
More dive sites in Palavas-les-Flots, Carnon & Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone
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A wide scree field at 8-14 m for slow hunting
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A hollow 12 m cistern alone on the sand at 11 m
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Fields of white gorgonians on a bank closed to fishing
A plateau of faults and posidonia beside a white-sand valley
Caves and faults on a 6-9 m plateau
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A 4-6 m bank 400 m off the beach, used for first dives
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Big overhangs and a dolmen block on an offshore bank
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A 60 m rock at 6-10 m, full of holes
Similar dives elsewhere
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