Bonjour from France!

[Fat old english bloke]

Actually I was just on the phone with Cave to Be in the Lot to learn about their training! I'm thinking of doing the cavern training there. What are the caves close to Paris?

I was going to pop back and suggest giving Olivier a prod re. training - great guy, and I’d be surprised if he isn’t an excellent instructor.

There are some super caves in the Meuse/Haute-Marne departments, amongst others.

Best focus initially though would be the Lot - if it takes your interest, then you can build from there.

Be careful though, it’s a slippery slope!

 

[claire_underwater]

Hi Claire,

Although clubs can be peculiar in their ways, I know of no reason which would prevent you to dive with them without a cross over excepted the wanting to keep things in a familiar setup... and even then the cross over should not be long (Passerelle Advanced Open Water Diver PADI / Niveau 2 FFESSM | FFESSM, Reconnaissance de niveaux | Plongée | ANMP / Guide de la Mer) and an association shouldn't make that much more expensive than needed for the logistic of the dives. Perhaps someone more familiar than me will comment.

Mediterranean live is not as flashy as tropical one, but I wouldn't call it's biodiversity poor. Abundance depend of the sites, and natural reserves like the Medes in Spain and Port-Cros in France are the surest best for that aspect. Around Port-Cros there are also some known wrecks, but you'll need trimix or a CMAS*** for the most famous one.

If you come around Fréjus, you can sent me a message. I can recommend you some shops depending on what you are looking for, and perhaps dive together.

Hi JMarc, I'll DM you directly, planning to come near Marseille this month! I've heard good things about diving in South of France.

Regarding the crossover (Passerelle), I'll wait until September when the parisian clubs re-open. I had found the crossover costing 400-500eur just for AOW > N2 at some dive shops (not associations).

 

[JMarc]

had found the crossover costing 400-500eur just for AOW > N2 at some dive shops (not associations).

That is indeed excessive. I just looked at the price list on the web site of the shop where I'll dive tomorrow: 530€ for the N2, ie 10 dives, the cross over is not quoted there.

 

[Sascha314]

Maybe its easier to cross to some other cmas agency? Or do they really specifically want FFESSM only?

I know its a hazzle to dive recreationally in france, if you do not have a cmas card. But it does not matter if its german oder french or whatever cmas certification.

 

[claire_underwater]

Thanks for this answer!

I am also interested in cave/mine and wrecks. Well but I need to save some money right now for all the equipment and courses.

For cave you can go to south france, very famous for it.
In northern croatia or Malta/Gozo you find many wrecks, some also in tec depth. I will go to croatia in october, but as we are a group its not pure wrecks.

For flooded mines actually close to my place of living in Germany you find several, varying complexity. But you need a dry suit, around 8°C water temperature. This is food for me, as I could go there without big expenses.

As for bio diversity I am not an expert, as I mainly dive locally. My partner is not diving as well. Obviously egypt is considered to be the closest for colorfull fish and corals if you start from europe.

Same here.
I'm keeping the Malta/Gozo wrecks trip for next year so I'll have more training and equipment (photography). I heard croatia is a great place to dive, I'll check it out. Any recommendations for flooded mines in Germany? I'll have to wait until I get the proper training.
So you know what it is to travel with a non-diving partner Red sea is on my top bucket list destinations but my partner does not want to go to Egypt this year (he has been).

Regarding the crossover, I've seen dive shops in Marseille accept PADI/SSI/TDI. But for clubs/associations (at least the ones I've seen), they want the FFESSM card and you have to go see a FFESSM-accredited medical doctor (good luck with appointments). I'm not sure about CMAS but FFESSM is one of the founders of CMAS so I guess they can be used. You just need to pay the annual FFESSM adhesion fee.

 

[JMarc]

you have to go see a FFESSM-accredited medical doctor (good luck with appointments).

That requirement doesn't come from the FFESSM. Annual doctor visit, yes. But it can be done by any doctor excepted for a few cases (hypoxic trimix, after a diving accident, free diving competition): Le certificat médical | FFESSM. My médecin traitant (GP) used to fill mine until his retirement.

I'm not sure about CMAS but FFESSM is one of the founders of CMAS so I guess they can be used.

My club gave me FFESSM cards for N3 and RIFAP just by showing my belgian CMAS*** and first aid certifications.

But some clubs seem to be even more parochial than the FFESSM.

 

[bardass]

Actually I was just on the phone with Cave to Be in the Lot to learn about their training! I'm thinking of doing the cavern training there. What are the caves close to Paris?

Good choice !
Olivier is a great guy and a top cave instructor
you will be in good hands

 

[Sascha314]

Same here.
I'm keeping the Malta/Gozo wrecks trip for next year so I'll have more training and equipment (photography). I heard croatia is a great place to dive, I'll check it out. Any recommendations for flooded mines in Germany? I'll have to wait until I get the proper training.
So you know what it is to travel with a non-diving partner Red sea is on my top bucket list destinations but my partner does not want to go to Egypt this year (he has been).

Regarding the crossover, I've seen dive shops in Marseille accept PADI/SSI/TDI. But for clubs/associations (at least the ones I've seen), they want the FFESSM card and you have to go see a FFESSM-accredited medical doctor (good luck with appointments). I'm not sure about CMAS but FFESSM is one of the founders of CMAS so I guess they can be used. You just need to pay the annual FFESSM adhesion fee.

Yeah i know how its to travel. So actually mostly non diving or just a couple, but Inhabe a weekly diving buddy and club.
Last egypt vacation I could not dive due to pneumonia, planned 10 dives...

So for mines, my buddy actually is already cave certified and in the club are technical divers and instructors. So judt hearsaying...

But actually there are four mines close to each other with different difficulty levels. Please be aware that you need to buy a day ticket in advance (planning not too many people), and depending on your certification you need to do a quick 5 to 10min checkup dive during the first dive then you are good to go. (I do not want to discuss those rules nore am I involved).

Thats Nuttlar

Bergwerktauchen in Nuttlar

Bergwerktauchen im Schieferbergwerk Nuttlar. Ihr taucht dort durch lange Gänge gesäumt von kunstvoll gestapelten Bergemauern und durchquert Abbauten, die so groß sind, dass sie wie Kathedralen anmuten

www.bergwerktauchen.de

Felicitas

Home

Entdecke das einzigartige FELICITAS Bergwerk ! Erlebe eine faszinierende Unterwasserwelt in einem gefluteten Schiefer Bergwerk. Der ideale Ort für zertifizierte Höhlen- und Bergwerktaucher oder jene die es werden wollen. Wir bieten auch geführte Tauchgänge im Bergwerk und Höhlentauchkurse an.

www.bergwerktauchen-felicitas.de

Schwalefeld and Christine

Scapehander – Bergwerktauchen

www.scapehander.de

Its roughly like 50 to 60 euros per day. Nice and not too expensive hotels around, also other activities are possible.

Unfortunately I believe its only open weekdays, so its not like a 10 day round trip and visit all 4 at once.

There is also a nice cold water lake with depth up to 45m and very clear. But not much marine life.

See im Berg – Messinghausen – by Tauchcenter Bielefeld

www.see-im-berg.de

Not sure if you can dive there during the week wirh a daily ticket
Some further lakes are within like 30 to 45min that are free or cheaper.

 

[Thibaut27]

Same here.
I'm keeping the Malta/Gozo wrecks trip for next year so I'll have more training and equipment (photography). I heard croatia is a great place to dive, I'll check it out. Any recommendations for flooded mines in Germany? I'll have to wait until I get the proper training.
So you know what it is to travel with a non-diving partner Red sea is on my top bucket list destinations but my partner does not want to go to Egypt this year (he has been).

Regarding the crossover, I've seen dive shops in Marseille accept PADI/SSI/TDI. But for clubs/associations (at least the ones I've seen), they want the FFESSM card and you have to go see a FFESSM-accredited medical doctor (good luck with appointments). I'm not sure about CMAS but FFESSM is one of the founders of CMAS so I guess they can be used. You just need to pay the annual FFESSM adhesion fee.

Welcome to SB ! Also Paris based and looking to get into tek - trying to head out to Malta this summer to log some more training.

If you find a good dive club in Paris would love to hear about it ! Also feel free to hit me up for recommendations on Red Sea, did a liveaboard in March there and was overall a great experience though there wasn't much macro to see on the route I opted for.

Cenotes / Palau - seems like you have a good agenda ahead