Advice for a diver based in Paris?

[alwayssummer]

I'm based in Paris now and the urge to get underwater has returned, but where to begin? I'm primarily looking for inexpensive dive options, but I'm open to travel or local and long (up to a couple of weeks) and short trips.

Are there viable weekend trips for someone with no car? Would it be better to book a whole week? Can diving in France be done on a tight budget?

Based on my reading so far it seems like Carry Le Rouet and Port Cros are good destinations.

(I am a PADI DM + DSAT Tech Deep. I realize I may require some local training for equivalency purposes.)

 

[scubadada]

Red Sea

 

[George Ivanov]

Port Cros is very good. There are several dive op's Hyeres based. Daily diving. Budget friendly.

 

[JMBL]

Port Cros is just wonderful. Carry le Rouet and the coast and islands around Marseille is very nice also, except when the damned Mistral is blowing. Problem, that's rather far from Paris.

Closest to Paris would be Bretagne or Normandy is your keen on wrecks. But there, diving conditions are rougher : cold water, currents, dark, long navigation.

All depends on your level of expertise and the kind of dive you enjoy.

Besides, France (my homeland) tends to be PADI shy or even PADI sceptic. Sorry.

 

[alwayssummer]

I wonder if anyone around here has experience with the French dive clubs. There are a fair number of FFESSM clubs in the area. Of course I can easily recognize the benefits of knowing some local divers and making some pool dives on a regular basis just to keep my skills up. However, the club fees at the one I found are roughly 275 per year, which for me is nothing to sneeze at. That includes FFESSM membership and the insurance that comes with it. Is this typical?

I know they also do training, which would potentially allow me to to have French certifications and not worry about whether or not my PADI stuff will be honored. What I have not figured out so far is what it costs to be trained by one of these clubs. Does anyone have thoughts on club training vs commercial?

 

[JMBL]

In France, a club should mean a non profit association, under the tutelage of FFESSM. So, a fee to join the club + FFESSM membership + insurance (you've got 3 different levels of insurance) is indeed typical and also compulsory.

Concerning training, it all depends on the club you'll be diving with : some just ask you to pay for the dives at sea, others ask for a specific fee for the level you're training for.

I'm French, been trained there, and through the years I've used the services of both non profit associations and of professional (commercial) instructors : you've got great guys and sorry SOB in both kind of facilities...

 

[xmass-Eve]

There is also a good lake around Arras: Le Lac Vert. If you join a club, maybe you can ride with those guys...

 

[chrisch]

From Paris on the TGV the south coast is not too hard. Also there is good diving in the North West from La Rochelle and through to the Cherbourg area. You really need a drysuit for the latter area though. With your certification I recommend doing a passerelle to N3. That will solve a lot of problems.

If you don't want to take heavy equipment on the train the south is better - it is more geared up for tourists and everywhere will rent you the equipment. We dive mostly round the Marseille area and I can recommend Patrick at Carry (Plongée Passion Carry-le-Rouet Marseille) Their N3 dives are early mornings and often the wrecks off Planier - these are superb dives. There are some reasonable priced hotels in Carry and lots of nice places to eat.

 

[Paul Blundell]

I'm based in Paris now and the urge to get underwater has returned, but where to begin? I'm primarily looking for inexpensive dive options, but I'm open to travel or local and long (up to a couple of weeks) and short trips.

Are there viable weekend trips for someone with no car? Would it be better to book a whole week? Can diving in France be done on a tight budget?

Based on my reading so far it seems like Carry Le Rouet and Port Cros are good destinations.

(I am a PADI DM + DSAT Tech Deep. I realize I may require some local training for equivalency purposes.)

Hi alwayssummer
We are from Helitak Firefighting Equipment in Australia and will be attending and displaying at the Aerial Firefighting conference in Nimes on Monday and Tuesday 16-17th October. We need to hire a scuba tank and regulator for display on the stand but cannot contact Black Bunny Dive shop in Nimes (emails bounce back). Are you aware of anywhere else we could obtain Scuba gear in Nimes??

 

[chrisch]

Have you tried the firefighters' dive club and see if they will lend you kit?

Ecole-Club de Plongée Nîmes CSPG & Aquanature