Diving South of France

[Gary Cameron]

I am trying to get on to the Nautica Dive WEB site but cant. Has anybody used them?
Are they still on the go?
Where exactly are they based? (How close to Nice)

Thanks

Gary

[webmaster]

Their web site seems to be down at the moment

They are based in the Port at Bormes les Mimosas. This is near Le Lavandou which is the other side of St Tropez from Nice, nearer Toulon. This places it well for the whole area including the islands of Porquerolles and Port Cros and a great selection of wrecks.

There are a number of good dive centres in this area, including those in Cavalaire.

Mike

I am trying to get on to the Nautica Dive WEB site but cant. Has anybody used them?
Are they still on the go?
Where exactly are they based? (How close to Nice)

Thanks

Gary

[Gary Cameron]

Thanks Mike

Maybe you can give me some advise. I have booked flights to Nice from Leeds/Bradford Airport. New low cost airline and thought I would have a try at getting a couple of days diving over a weekend. However the diving around Nice appears more scenic and I would prefer couple of wrecks but with a 40 (ish)metre limit. Is there a good operator that is close to Nice that does wrecks. Don't particularly want to do really deep stuff. Presumably have to hire a car at Nice and drive to another town?

Just really want to do a couple of days of wrecks and eat a bit and drink a bit. Going in June so would a shortie do or do I have to get a semi dry?



Thanks

Gary

Their web site seems to be down at the moment

They are based in the Port at Bormes les Mimosas. This is near Le Lavandou which is the other side of St Tropez from Nice, nearer Toulon. This places it well for the whole area including the islands of Porquerolles and Port Cros and a great selection of wrecks.

There are a number of good dive centres in this area, including those in Cavalaire.

Mike

[Claire]

You might be a bit cold in a shortie - it gets down to around 13 C at depth - we dived in 5mm two pieces (long johns and jacket).
You could try Cote d'Azur diving - based in Port Grimaud near St. Tropez. It is run by a Brit, their english website seems to be down but the dutch one is below or email <a href="mailto:jonclark@diveazur.com">jonclark@diveazur.com</a>.
About qualifications - I don't know if anyone else has had this problem but if you are a CMAS 2* (dive leader/sports diver)you might be restricted on depth. The French rules state that you can dive to 20m in a buddy pair but to 40m only with an instructor. So even though as a BSAC dive leader you might have dived to 50m with a buddy you would need an instuctor with you to go beyond 20m in France. Might be worth checking out if it applies.
There are several good wrecks around 40ish in the Cavalaire / bay of St. Tropez region including Le Rubis an intact submarine. Have fun!

Claire
Thanks Mike

Maybe you can give me some advise. I have booked flights to Nice from Leeds/Bradford Airport. New low cost airline and thought I would have a try at getting a couple of days diving over a weekend. However the diving around Nice appears more scenic and I would prefer couple of wrecks but with a 40 (ish)metre limit. Is there a good operator that is close to Nice that does wrecks. Don't particularly want to do really deep stuff. Presumably have to hire a car at Nice and drive to another town?

Just really want to do a couple of days of wrecks and eat a bit and drink a bit. Going in June so would a shortie do or do I have to get a semi dry?



Thanks

Gary

:=Their web site seems to be down at the moment
:=
:=They are based in the Port at Bormes les Mimosas. This is near Le Lavandou which is the other side of St Tropez from Nice, nearer Toulon. This places it well for the whole area including the islands of Porquerolles and Port Cros and a great selection of wrecks.
:=
:=There are a number of good dive centres in this area, including those in Cavalaire.
:=
:=Mike

[Mike Halligan]

Gary,

If you've kept your DIVE 09/03 edition, see the prize letter on page 16. Contact me off-forum for more info, but Kerry used Nice Diving (?15 / dive) easyJet and hotelgoodprice.

Regards,

Mike

[Simon Moore]

Or try <a href="http://www.sub-plongee.com" >http://www.sub-plongee.com</a> for an outfit based near Hyeres, to the west of Nice. Better wrecks and viz (IMHO) than at Nice, but as mentioned, persuading them to take you down there is another matter.

[AQUABIN]

I used Jon Clark (DiveAzur) last summer, OK outfit, seemed a bit tourist orientated though. The French lady who put us through our AOW (sorry Bsac) was great serious but fun and very careful. CMAS rules out there as AOW we were only allowed 25max, padi usually says 30. Good diving, rather than spectacular, Rubis is pretty deep (40m I believe) we werent allowed on it and the currents can be bad. French boat skippers take no notice of dive flags so (D)SMB and be carefull. Pony's were regarded by the locals as irrelevant and unnecessary bits of kit. Driving conditions down there are appalling the roads are too small, the car drivers mental and the bike (motor) riders are even worse - make sure you get collision damage waiver and good medical cover. Other than that I still loved it cos I was diving, hope you enjoy it too. You could do worse than search wwww.divernet.com forums (destinations) for some more info. Oh and we dived in August in 7mm semis plus hoods and 7mm over jacket, it was OK, boat ride cooled us down nicely.
Matt

[webmaster]

Thanks Mike

Maybe you can give me some advise. I have booked flights to Nice from Leeds/Bradford Airport. New low cost airline and thought I would have a try at getting a couple of days diving over a weekend. However the diving around Nice appears more scenic and I would prefer couple of wrecks but with a 40 (ish)metre limit. Is there a good operator that is close to Nice that does wrecks.

There are few decent wreck dives around Nice. Best to go further west.


Don't particularly want to do really deep stuff. Presumably have to hire a car at Nice and drive to another town?

Right, but once you have transport it gets easy (you could even try easycar.com near Nice airport). Its about an hour and a half to Cavalaire in June (double that in July/August) and most of the dive centres between St Raphael and Le Lavandou have good wreck access. However, the point made further down is completely valid, that the depth you can dive to is governed by law in France and many of the wrecks in the area are in the 30-45m bracket.


Just really want to do a couple of days of wrecks and eat a bit and drink a bit. Going in June so would a shortie do or do I have to get a semi dry?

Forget shorties in the Med at anytime, particularly if you are going below 20m, and particularly in June (possibly OK in September). But don't forget, most dive centres have suits for hire, probably not worth buying just for a weekend.
I recall once diving with a centre in Collioure who assumed that a Brit tourist who needed to hire a suit was an inexperienced beginner. Didn't occur to them that he had years' of experience but only possessed a dry suit.

Mike


Thanks

Gary

:=Their web site seems to be down at the moment
:=
:=They are based in the Port at Bormes les Mimosas. This is near Le Lavandou which is the other side of St Tropez from Nice, nearer Toulon. This places it well for the whole area including the islands of Porquerolles and Port Cros and a great selection of wrecks.
:=
:=There are a number of good dive centres in this area, including those in Cavalaire.
:=
:=Mike

[Gary Cameron]

Thanks to all for the information so far but have another question...

As indicated, there seems to be a restriction on depth depending on whether or not the diver/s are intructors or not.

Do the french authorities regognise BSAC grades, am an AD/OWI and my buddy will be a DL and assistant diving Instructor (ie done IFC) or is this basically a no go because BSAC does not have CMAS equivalancy.

Do both divers in a buddy pair need to be instructors.

ie will the dive centre regognise my BSAC quals and take me out?

Regards

Gary Cameron

Right, but once you have transport it gets easy (you could even try easycar.com near Nice airport). Its about an hour and a half to Cavalaire in June (double that in July/August) and most of the dive centres between St Raphael and Le Lavandou have good wreck access. However, the point made further down is completely valid, that the depth you can dive to is governed by law in France and many of the wrecks in the area are in the 30-45m bracket.

[Simon Moore]

The best thing to do is to contact your chosen/shortlisted dive operator, and ask. Whatever Jean Paul tells you the position is in Nice is by no means any comfort that Marc Antoine In St. Raphael will agree.

The basic problem is that, until you've actually dived with them, there is a strong inclination to think you know nothing, qualifications regardless.+

So be prepared for some surprising answers.

[AQUABIN]

I am trying to get on to the Nautica Dive WEB site but cant. Has anybody used them?
Are they still on the go?
Where exactly are they based? (How close to Nice)

Thanks

Gary

Gary you might also need a medical to say you are fit to dive, I dived last year with a Padi outfit (as I was Padi OW) and they got around this requirement, but I understand French i.e. Cmas based operators require a medical cert. Best to check I think. Also we had a Cmas level 1 diver with us (he was BSAC in reality but they assigned him Cmas equivalence) and down graded his quals to the limiting factor. AOW (Padi) usually trains to 30m but in France it was to 25m only due to local/National law.
Regards
Matt

[andy botten]

I used to dive with a branch in Antibes.
They knew me, but took my sons logbook (sports) as CMAS 2*.
It is probably worth getting the BSAC plastic card, as it has the CMAS stars on the back.
It is easier to replace a plastic card than a log book.

Lock the car doors whilst driving. Hire cars are very easy to spot and get targeted. Someone opened my wife?s car in traffic and speed of with her handbag; passport and all.

[alan jones]

Thanks Mike

Maybe you can give me some advise. I have booked flights to Nice from Leeds/Bradford Airport. New low cost airline and thought I would have a try at getting a couple of days diving over a weekend. However the diving around Nice appears more scenic and I would prefer couple of wrecks but with a 40 (ish)metre limit. Is there a good operator that is close to Nice that does wrecks. Don't particularly want to do really deep stuff. Presumably have to hire a car at Nice and drive to another town?

Just really want to do a couple of days of wrecks and eat a bit and drink a bit. Going in June so would a shortie do or do I have to get a semi dry?



Thanks

Gary

:=Their web site seems to be down at the moment
:=
:=They are based in the Port at Bormes les Mimosas. This is near Le Lavandou which is the other side of St Tropez from Nice, nearer Toulon. This places it well for the whole area including the islands of Porquerolles and Port Cros and a great selection of wrecks.
:=
:=There are a number of good dive centres in this area, including those in Cavalaire.
:=
:=Mike

There is a couple of Dive denters in Frejus in the new marina, they usually dive in the mornings. Good vis and I beleive they have access to some wrecks. They are all CMAS butI have dived with them for a couple of years, La Palanquee.

And ask for Danny.

Good luck
Alan J

[Jimmy Cooke]

Def worth diving the rubis.
See link below.

We didnt manage to find anywhere doing nitrox fills so if anyone knows of anywhere please let me know.

Jimmy

[DB]

A bit late to reply but maybe I can help clarify the french rules
Diving in france is regulated since June 1998 by a law "Arr?t? du 22 juin 1998 relatif aux r?gles techniques et de s?curit? dans les ?tablissements organisant la pratique et l'enseignement des activit?s sportives et de loisir en plong?e autonome ? l'air"
i.e. this is a national law as opposed to any particular organisation's rules, and applies to any diving organisation.

the rules are, for CMAS equivalent levels
CMAS 1* diving allowed to 20m, with instructor
CMAS 2* 20m with 1 or 2 (2*) buddies
40m with instructor
CMAS 3* 60m with 1 or 2 (3*) buddies
obviously a mix of 2* and 3* divers together are limited as 2*
the 20m and 40m limits with an instructor can be extended by 5m in good conditions
hope this helps, I can send the full text of the law to anyone interested