Diving Le Léopold

Site Overview

Le Léopold is a wreck dive site in Normandy – D-Day Wrecks & Channel, France, reached from the base town of Cherbourg. Le Léopold is a Belgian freighter wreck in the Cherbourg roads lying at about 30 m, a favourite advanced wreck. Its hull is draped in growth and shelters lobsters and conger eels. The site reaches a maximum depth of 30 m with an average profile around 25 m and a shallow start near 15 m, which places it firmly in the intermediate category and means divers should hold at least an Advanced Open Water certification. Conditions are typical of the French coastal coast: visibility generally runs from 6 to 20 metres, the current is moderate, and the water temperature ranges between 9 and 19 degrees Celsius with moderate surge exposure. The marine community is centred on Atlantic Cod, Conger Eel, European Lobster, Grey Seal, Small-spotted Catshark, Pollock, and the full species list is detailed below for divers planning a trip. Le Léopold is a strong representative of why Normandy – D-Day Wrecks & Channel diving is so highly regarded, blending the geology, history and biodiversity that define French underwater exploration. It pairs naturally with the other sites of the Normandy – D-Day Wrecks & Channel region for a varied holiday, and with the right thermal protection and, where relevant, the correct specialist training, it offers a memorable dive for photographers, naturalists and wreck or reef enthusiasts alike.