Where Should I Do My Divemaster? Seeking Location Recommendations!

[chrisch]

Wait… Just looking up scuba in France as I’m going next week - does this mean I (as a PADI DM) need a French Dive Leader to escort me…?

Yes. You are CMAS 2 star as you are not certified for deco. The post above covers it. I think it is more about insurance than red tape, but the facts of it are correct. If you dive on your own off the beach you can do anything you want and do not need any certification at all.

You will require a medical certificate of less than a year old and signed by a diving doctor (ie not your GP).

You can convert a PADI Rescue or greater with a Deep Diver speciality (PADI or better) to FFESSM Level 3 with the correct deco training at a French dive school. Or gain equivalence through a CMAS recognised deco course.

Passerelle Advanced Rescue PADI / Niveau 3 FFESSM | FFESSM

Je suis titulaire du brevet PADI « Rescue », titulaire de la spécialité PADI « plongée profonde », âgé de 18 ans au moins et je souhaite suivre une formation en vue de l’obtention du brevet de plongeur Niveau 3 de la FFESSM

ffessm.fr

 

[Leatherboot69]

FWIW, it’s worth pointing out in terms of equivalency that both CMAS 3* and PADI Divemaster comply with the equivalent standard for ISO 24801-3 Diver level 3, Autonomous Dive Leader; CMAS exceeds it with the deco requirement. So equivalent qualifications but not reciprocal/interchangeable.

The dive school said as we are only doing one day of diving they’d prefer a doctor’s sign off but legally the minimum required to dive with them is the standard PADI medical self signed form. (I have an in date commercial diving medical, this is for my buddy)

 

[chrisch]

FWIW, it’s worth pointing out in terms of equivalency that both CMAS 3* and PADI Divemaster comply with the equivalent standard for ISO 24801-3 Diver level 3, Autonomous Dive Leader; CMAS exceeds it with the deco requirement. So equivalent qualifications but not reciprocal/interchangeable.

The dive school said as we are only doing one day of diving they’d prefer a doctor’s sign off but legally the minimum required to dive with them is the standard PADI medical self signed form. (I have an in date commercial diving medical, this is for my buddy)

FFESSM are a law unto themselves and the interpretation varies between dive centres. I think it is mainly the insurance and the dive store's understanding of it. There is no "law" that I know of other than the state requirement for instructors to have a BEES qualification.

I did a crossover (to FFESSM N3) many years ago and things do seem a bit more relaxed now. The big tourist areas will sometimes turn a blind eye to the medical because they want the revenue. Oddly the most difficult place we found was a PADI centre. The crossover has changed as well FFESSM took out the buddy breathing lift from 30m (I didn't enjoy that )

Hope you have a great trip, there is some good diving in France. We really enjoyed the wrecks in the Med.

 

[Centrals]

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[chrisch]

Komodo needs no introduction in scuba diving.

Probably doesn't need the spam post either then?

 

[elgringoperdido]

FFESSM are a law unto themselves and the interpretation varies between dive centres. I think it is mainly the insurance and the dive store's understanding of it. There is no "law" that I know of other than the state requirement for instructors to have a BEES qualification.

I did a crossover (to FFESSM N3) many years ago and things do seem a bit more relaxed now. The big tourist areas will sometimes turn a blind eye to the medical because they want the revenue. Oddly the most difficult place we found was a PADI centre. The crossover has changed as well FFESSM took out the buddy breathing lift from 30m (I didn't enjoy that )

Hope you have a great trip, there is some good diving in France. We really enjoyed the wrecks in the Med.

I also have not been asked for a physician's involvement to dive in French waters, neither in the Med nor in the outre-mer islands of the antilles. Same for Spanish dive shops. However, I was asked to show proof of diving insurance, both in France and Spain. They accepted my DAN card for that.

 

[Centrals]

Probably doesn't need the spam post either then?

"spam post"?
Training in one of the world top diving area.