Beginner divers can swim through schools of sea breams in the 20 m depth zone while floating over grass-wrack fields at Cap-Ferrat, Cap d’Antibes or the Lerins Islands.
Experienced divers will enjoy the drop-offs from Nice to Menton which descend to 40 to 60 m deep while being surpringly close to the shore. From Golfe-Juan, you can scuba dive in a maze of narrow canyons off Cap d’Antibes.
The most experienced divers will appreciate the twin shipwrecks of the « Grec » and the « Donator » (maximum depths of respectively 40 and 55 m) in the heart of the National Park of Port-Cros and Porquerolles.
The city of Cavalaire has also become one of the leading destinations in Europe for deep wreck diving training thanks to the « Togo » shipwreck (maximum depth of 66 m) and the « Rubis » submarine wreck (maximum depth of 40 m).
Diving in the French Riviera is the opportunity to discover the underwater habitat of the Mediterranean Sea and its numerous marine species.
Thanks to its Natura 2000 marine reserves (Golfe-Juan-Cap d’Antibes- Lerins Islands) or even France’s first marine National Park (Port-Cros and Porquerolles), the marine life of French Riviera thrives.
The friendliest encounters include groupers, which often show curiosity with scuba divers, and octopus, who prefer to hide under a rock.
The « Fourmigue » lighthouse, in Golfe-Juan, is full of surprises for scuba divers who love unusual dives. On the one hand, you can visit a miniature underwater village built as the setting of an animation movie.
If you are fond of scuba diving history, do not miss the dive site called « Grotte de Miro » (Miro’s Cave) which is the home of a statue of Commander Le Prieur, the inventor of modern scuba diving.
The French Riviera is the region of mainland France that offers the mildest conditions in terms of water temperatures. In the 20 m zone, the temperature exceeds 20°C as early as June. The water temperature can easily reach 26°C in August.
In the late summer until October, the Mediterranean Sea displays remarkable underwater visibility, with 30 to 40 m, which is just as good as some more exotic destinations.
in the French Riviera
By Florine Quirion
Florine is a dive travel blogger. She selects her destinations to combine extraordinary dive sites with cultural discoveries. In her stories, she shares her top tips to scuba dive and travel more responsibly.
