Diving the French Riviera | Port-Cros, the Rubis Wreck & Côte d’Azur Walls

About French Riviera – Côte d’Azur

The French Riviera, or Côte d’Azur, is the glamorous Mediterranean face of French diving, stretching from Menton near the Italian border to the calanques of Saint-Tropez and the islands of Hyères. Its clear blue water, warm summer temperatures and dramatic rocky coastline make it the most popular diving region in mainland France. The headline destination is Port-Cros National Park, the first marine park in Europe, where giant groupers, barracuda and eagle rays patrol walls and seagrass meadows. Beyond the park, the coast is dotted with World War II wrecks such as the submarine Rubis, dramatic drop-offs like the Tombant de la Rascasse, and the gorgonian-covered walls of Cap Ferrat. The Riviera combines easy, sheltered bays for training with challenging deep walls and advanced wrecks, all served by a mature, professional dive infrastructure and a string of harbours from Nice to Hyères.

Highlights

• ✓Port-Cros National Park: Europe’s first marine park, famous for giant groupers and pristine reefs
• ✓Le Rubis: a WWII French submarine wreck resting at 40 m off Cavalaire
• ✓La Gabinière: a legendary wall dive in Port-Cros with barracuda and eagle rays
• ✓Cap Ferrat wall: gorgonian-covered drop-offs a short boat ride from Nice
• ✓Le Tombant de la Rascasse: a sheer wall in Villefranche bay alive with anthias and morays

Getting There

Fly into Nice Côte d’Azur (NCE), the main international gateway, or Marseille Provence (MRS). The coastal autoroute and TER trains connect the resort towns, and most dive sites are reached by short boat transfers from harbours at Nice, Villefranche, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Hyères and Menton.