Category — Diving in the Mediterranean Sea

Diving in the Mediterranean Sea

by Evelyne

When I spent my childhood vacations in Sanary/mer, in Provence Coast region – located along the Mediterranean Sea between Marseille and East of Toulon – days were filled with swimming and playing on the nearby beaches, hanging on the local fishing harbor watching the wooden fishermen boats returning from the day catch, filling up shopping baskets with local produces at the daily market, enjoying evening walks in the narrow streets bordered by scented Mediterranean plants, watching over and over the sunset beyond the “Grande Bleue”. For the several weeks of holidays spent in this part of the country, life was as simple as it can be and days were passing by far too fast doing nothing.

Decades later, nothing has changed! Nothing? Almost… Sanary/mer has now grown in reputation not only for its unique fishing harbor and its “Pointus” (traditional wooden boats) but also for its rich history in diving. In sites near Sanary-sur-mer and places along Provence Coast, J-Y Cousteau, P. Thailliez and F. Dumas, AKA ‘Mousquemers” pioneered modern diving. The Historical Diving Museum in Sanary-sur-mer displays unique collections of these first modern diving gears, underwater cameras, scubas, etc. as well as a large number of antique pieces from Roman and Greek wreck ships and ancient harbors found along Provence Coast.

Diving is of course a very attracting activity when visiting Provence Coast region. Local diving centers offer varieties of dives including training, snorkeling and discovery of the sea world, wrecks diving and sub-aquatic archeology. Besides offering touristic interest, diving activity is also at the core of programs for educating visitors and locals on the vulnerability of the sea and the urgency to protect it.

By Evelyne

View Diving sites between Marseille and Toulon

Download pdf map of Diving Sites in Western Var Region

Sanary-sur-Mer

Centre de Plongee de Sanary (French)

Frédéric Dumas International Diving Museum – Video

Frédéric Dumas Museum Blog (French)

Port-Issol Bay underwater pictures and videos

Diving and underwater videos

(Port-Issol Bay – Sanary/mer – Provence Coast – France)

More about Snorkeling at Passion Snorkeling(French)

Bandol

Manta Club Diving Center

Bandol Plongee (French)

Six-fours-les-plages

Cap Plongee (French)

Ghost Sea (French)

Aquavision (snorkeling, aquatic discovery) (French)

La Seyne-sur-Mer

Au Marin Plongeur (French)

Hippocampe (French)

Diving Sites – Islands

Bendor Island – Off Bandol CoastThis small island, 7 minutes by boat from Bandol, is the hosting place of the smallest harbor on the Mediterranean.International Diving Center

Embiez IslandThe Embiez archipelago is a jewel of the Mediterranean with 95 ha of forest, vineyards, ‘garrigue’ and gardens. It is located 10 minutes by boat ride from Le Brusc harbor in Six-Fours-les-Plages, and 20 minutes from Sanary.

Port-Cros, Le Levant and Porquerolles (French)

Education and protection of the sea world

2000 Regards Sous la Mer (French)

Additional information for diving in France

September 4, 2010 Comments Off

Marseille

by Evelyne

Larger view of Marseille area

Marseille Information

September 3, 2010 No Comments

Cassis and ‘Les Calanques’

by Evelyne

Larger View of Cassis and ‘Les Calanques’ Area

Aubagne
Aubagne

Cassis
Cassis

September 3, 2010 No Comments

Bandol and Bendor Island

by Evelyne

Larger View of Bandol and Bendor Island Area

Bandol
Bandol
Bandol Yacht Club (French)

Bendor Island
Bendor Island

September 3, 2010 No Comments

Six-Fours-les-Plages and Les Embiez Island

by Evelyne

Larger View of Six-Fours-les-Plages and Les Embiez Island Area

Six-Fours-Les-Plages
Six Fours les Plages (ProvenceWeb)
Six Fours les Plages official website
Foret de Six Four / Notre Dame du Mai (French)

Le Brusc
Le Brusc

Les Embiez Island
Embiez Islands (French)

September 3, 2010 No Comments

La Seyne-sur-Mer and Toulon

by Evelyne

Larger View of La Seyne-sur-Mer and Toulon Area

La Seyne-sur-mer
La Seyne – Tourist office of the Ouest Var SIVU
City of La Seyne official website (French)

Saint-Mandrier
Saint-Mandrier
Saint Mandrier official website (French)

Toulon
Toulon
Naval Base – Faron Mount – Mourillon Beach
Zenith of Toulon – Arts and shows theatre (French)
Art, shows and sports events in Toulon - Le Comité Officiel des Fêtes et des Sports de Toulon (French)
Agglomeration of Toulon Official Site (French)
Toulon Tourisme
City of Toulon website (French)
Natural history museum of Toulon (French)
National Naval Museum – Toulon
Mount Faron Cable Car Infos (French)
Toulon Online Phone Book

Le Pradet
Le Pradet

September 3, 2010 No Comments

Sanary-sur-Mer and Ollioules

by Evelyne

Larger View of Sanary-sur-Mer and Ollioules Area

Sanary-sru-mer

An unique place on the Provence coast, is the little fishing town of Sanary-sur-mer. Its climate, location, history, culture and lifestyle make it an ideal choice to start discovering the coast of Provence.

Sanary – Facts of interest

Greeks and romans had trading posts in the gulfs around Sanary-sur-mer. The surrounding beaches are rich in archeological vestiges and ruins (i.e:Port Issol)
Intellectual and artists took refuge in Sanary-sur-mer between 1st and 2nd world wars – B. Brecht, T. Mann… lived in still existing houses in Sanary-sur-mer. Other famous anglo-saxon writers have spent time in Sanary. Amoung them, Aldous Huxley who wrote Brave New World (1932) in 4 months in La Gorguette area in Sanary-sur-mer
Sanary is considered as the birth place of modern scuba diving and underwater movies. F. Dumas, P. Tailliez and J.Y Cousteau, also known as ‘Mousquemers‘, experimented modern scuba diving equipment and made famous underwater movies in the sea around Sanary-sur-mer (Port Issol, Bandol bay).
Sanary-sur-mer is known for its unique wooden fishing boats
Some of the eldest wineyeards (dating from roman empire) can be found in Bandol, Le Beausset, … few miles west of Sanary-sur-mer.