Is Marseille & the Calanques good for beginner divers?

Yes, partly: 3 of the 12 dive sites we document are suited to Open Water divers, including Le Grand Salaman, Les Amphores du Frioul and Tiboulen du Frioul. The others need more experience or a higher certification.

What is the water temperature in Marseille & the Calanques?

The water is usually between 13 °C and 22 °C over the year.

What marine life can you see in Marseille & the Calanques?

Divers regularly see barracuda, sardine, crustaceans, cuttlefish, nudibranchs and octopus.

Marseille & the Calanques

Diving in France

12 documented dive sites, 3 of them for Open Water divers. Known for barracuda, sardine and crustaceans.

Good months: Mar–Dec
Water: 13–22 °C
Levels: Open Water, Advanced, Experienced
Nearest airport: MRS

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

Marseille & the Calanques in October

Good season

Sea: 20 °C; at the surface
Air: 22 °C; 14 °C at night
Rain: 80 mm; one of the wettest months
Wind: 12 km/h; on average

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.

Diveable year-round, though some clubs close mid-Dec to mid-Mar; water ~13 °C in winter, 20–22 °C in summer. Wind matters more than the month: an east wind stops diving between Cassis and Île Maire.

Source: myprovence.fr

Dive sites in Marseille & the Calanques

From the easiest to the most demanding. Levels with a dashed outline are estimates we are still verifying.

Open Water friendly

usual dive down to 18 m3 sites

Wall

down to 40 m

Le Grand Salaman

East-wind-sheltered Frioul site with a 15 m rocky plateau for Level 1 divers, schools of anthias and spiny lobsters in the wall's crevices.

Open Water
Anthias

Artificial reef

down to 15 m

Les Amphores du Frioul

Sheltered 14-15 m sand bottom off the Frioul where 250 amphorae now rest, home to many octopus, blennies and yellow gobies.

Open Water
Octopus

Wall

down to 40 m

Tiboulen du Frioul

Frioul islet with a 15 m rocky plateau for all levels, where groupers, dentex, morays, octopus and cuttlefish are regularly seen.

Open Water
Cuttlefish

For Advanced divers

usual dive down to 30 m5 sites

Wall

down to 50 m

Cap Morgiou

Gorgonian-rich wall stepping at 25 m then dropping to 50 m, where Cassis divers report sunfish and John Dory.

Advanced
Mola mola (sunfish)

Rock formations

down to 25 m

La Pierre de Briançon

Off Jarre island: an arch on the sand at 25 m dressed in yellow encrusting anemones, then two daylight tunnels between 10 and 15 m.

Advanced
Scorpionfish

Wreck

down to 33 m

Le Dalton (wreck)

Broken 1877 steamer scattered from 15 to 33 m off Planier, its stern decorated with yellow solitary coral under clouds of anthias.

Advanced
Anthias

Wall

down to 37 m

Les Fromages

Mistral-sheltered site off Ile Maire used for try dives at 3-5 m, with yellow encrusting anemones on the boulders and a gorgonian wall below.

Advanced
Conger eel

Wall

down to 45 m

L'Impérial du Milieu

Advanced
Barracuda

For experienced divers

usual dive down to 40 m4 sites

Wreck

down to 37 m

Le Liban (wreck)

Passenger steamer sunk off Ile Maire in 1903, lying from 28 m at the bow to 35 m at the stern, swept by schools of sardines, mackerel and sea bream.

Experienced
Tuna

Wall

down to 65 m

Grand Congloué – La Pierre de Cassis

Deep Riou spur where Cousteau dug in 1952: vertical walls covered in purple gorgonians from 30 m, with barracudas and dentex passing.

Experienced
Barracuda

Wreck

down to 36 m

Le Chaouen (wreck)

Moroccan orange freighter lost at Planier in 1970, its stern draped in red and yellow gorgonians with groupers and conger eels under the rudder.

Experienced
Conger eel

Wall

down to 45 m

Les Pharillons

Steep wall off Ile Maire dropping to 45 m, its east face a carpet of large red and yellow gorgonians.

Experienced
Barracuda

Marine life

When the big encounters happen, month by month.

Reported here, season not documented yet:

Barracuda
Sardine
Crustaceans
Cuttlefish
Nudibranchs
Octopus
Scorpionfish
Anthias
Conger eel
Groupers
Moray eels
Corals
Dolphins
Rays
Mola mola (sunfish)
Tuna
Seahorses
Squid
John dory

Where is Marseille & the Calanques?

View on OpenStreetMapLocation: Calanques National Park (Wikipedia)Map: Natural Earth

Nearest airport: MRS

Marseille & the Calanques: frequently asked questions

When is the best time to dive Marseille & the Calanques?: The good months to dive Marseille & the Calanques are Mar–Dec. Diveable year-round, though some clubs close mid-Dec to mid-Mar; water ~13 °C in winter, 20–22 °C in summer. Wind matters more than the month: an east wind stops diving between Cassis and Île Maire.
Is Marseille & the Calanques good for beginner divers?: Yes, partly: 3 of the 12 dive sites we document are suited to Open Water divers, including Le Grand Salaman, Les Amphores du Frioul and Tiboulen du Frioul. The others need more experience or a higher certification.
What is the water temperature in Marseille & the Calanques?: The water is usually between 13 °C and 22 °C over the year.
What marine life can you see in Marseille & the Calanques?: Divers regularly see barracuda, sardine, crustaceans, cuttlefish, nudibranchs and octopus.
How do you dive Marseille & the Calanques?: The nearest airport is MRS.

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.

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Photo: Sarah Lee on Unsplash

Photo credits

Sunlight and bubbles in deep blue water, Sarah Lee, Unsplash License, on Unsplash