Wreck
down to 8 m
Mario wreck (Stagnola, Ajaccio)
A small 17 m tug at 8 m, 200 m off Stagnola beach in the Gulf of Ajaccio, an easy wreck for beginners.
- Open Water
West Corsica (Calvi, Scandola, Ajaccio)
Diving in France
10 documented dive sites, 1 of them for Open Water divers. Known for dentex, amberjacks and barracuda.
- Good months
- Apr–Oct
- Water
- 11–27 °C
- Levels
- Open Water, Advanced, Experienced
- Nearest airport
- CLY
When to go
Pick a month: the diving season, from published sources, and the typical weather.
Pick a month
- Best
- Good
- Possible
- Closed
- Not documented yet
West Corsica (Calvi, Scandola, Ajaccio) in October
Good season- Sea
- 22 °C
- at the surface
- Air
- 23 °C
- 17 °C at night
- Rain
- 70 mm
- average for the year
- Wind
- 11 km/h
- on average
Exposure suit: 3 mm full suit · if you feel the cold: 5 mm full suit. How we choose
Typical weather, not a forecast: averages for 2021–2025 (air, rain, wind) and 2023–2025 (sea), data from Open-Meteo (ERA5 / Copernicus, Météo-France). Covers an area of roughly 10 to 25 km around the destination.
Diving runs from spring to autumn (Apr–Oct); off Ajaccio the sea ranges from about 11 °C in Feb–Mar to 27 °C in Jul–Aug.
Dive sites in West Corsica (Calvi, Scandola, Ajaccio)
From the easiest to the most demanding. Levels with a dashed outline are estimates we are still verifying.
Scuba diving is banned inside the Scandola reserve, where only supervised breath-hold diving is allowed; around Corsica, a surface marker buoy is compulsory and picking coral is forbidden.
Open Water friendly
usual dive down to 18 m1 siteFor Advanced divers
usual dive down to 30 m3 sitesFor experienced divers
usual dive down to 40 m6 sitesPinnacle
down to 45 m
Capo Rosso (Canyon de Capo Rosso)
Submerged rock pinnacles rising from 35 m to within 2–10 m of the surface, with a grouper grotto.
- Experienced
- Groupers
Marine life
When the big encounters happen, month by month.
| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CrustaceansSource: visit-corsica.com |
- Peak season
- Seen
Crustaceans: Feb–Jun
Also reported here, season not documented yet:
- Dentex
- Amberjacks
- Barracuda
- Octopus
- Scorpionfish
- Groupers
- Moray eels
- Corals
- Dolphins
- Tuna
- Conger eel
Where is West Corsica (Calvi, Scandola, Ajaccio)?
- Nearest airport
- CLY
West Corsica (Calvi, Scandola, Ajaccio): frequently asked questions
- When is the best time to dive West Corsica (Calvi, Scandola, Ajaccio)?
- The good months to dive West Corsica (Calvi, Scandola, Ajaccio) are Apr–Oct. Diving runs from spring to autumn (Apr–Oct); off Ajaccio the sea ranges from about 11 °C in Feb–Mar to 27 °C in Jul–Aug.
- Is West Corsica (Calvi, Scandola, Ajaccio) good for beginner divers?
- Yes, partly: 1 of the 10 dive sites we document are suited to Open Water divers, including Mario wreck (Stagnola, Ajaccio). The others need more experience or a higher certification.
- What is the water temperature in West Corsica (Calvi, Scandola, Ajaccio)?
- The water is usually between 11 °C and 27 °C over the year.
- What marine life can you see in West Corsica (Calvi, Scandola, Ajaccio)?
- Divers regularly see crustaceans (Feb–Jun), dentex, amberjacks, barracuda, octopus and scorpionfish.
- How do you dive West Corsica (Calvi, Scandola, Ajaccio)?
- The nearest airport is CLY.
About this page
Seasons and marine life come from the sources below. Site levels and depths marked as estimated come from our original catalogue and are being checked one by one. Conditions change: always confirm with a local dive centre.
Your next dive is somewhere out there.
Find my next dive tripPhoto credits
- Sunlight and bubbles in deep blue water, Sarah Lee, Unsplash License, on Unsplash