Port-Cros National Park
Europe’s 1st Marine Park
Le Lavandou (French Riviera, Var) is a small fishermen's village located by the Mediterranean Sea in between Hyères and Saint-Tropez.
Its harbor has an ideal geographical situation, just in front of the islands of Hyères and notably the Port-Cros National Park that is just 6 nautical miles away. Therefore, Le Lavandou is the perfect base to access this island that has become, with time, one of Europe’s scuba diving hotspots.
Port-Cros is both a land and maritime park in the shape of islands, also known as Europe’s 1st Marine Park. It includes Port-Cros island, Bagaud island, Gabinière and Rascas islets, as well as a 600 m marine area. A code of conduct has been set up in 1994 in order to ensure the Park’s preservation, and LAVANDOU PLONGÉE has been a signatory of this charter since the beginning.
Thanks to this protection, the underwater life proliferates! The shallow waters, rocks and dramatic drop-offs of Port-Cros shelter a rich and diverse fauna and flora: groupers, barracudas, dentis, moonfishes, sea breams, conger eels, moray eels, nacres, gorgonians, sponges, not to mention ... the girelles!
Port-Cros is located in the middle of the Pelagos Sanctuary, which is a protected area for marine mammals that stretches from Italy to Sardinia to Giens peninsula (France, Var). The National Park of Port-Cros coordinates this area. Thanks to the Sanctuary, you might have the chance to encounter some dolphins while going to Port-Cros!
Would you like to discover Port-Cros? Here are a few dive sites!
Gabinière Islet - East drop-off
Depth: 10-45 m (32-147 feet)
Geographical location: South of Port-Cros
Dive type: Drop-off
Diving level: CMAS 1*
One of Port-Cros most famous dives. A lot of fishes with some nice specimens! Groupers, shoals of barracudas, basses, mullets, dentis, moonfishes, rays.
Distinctive feature: Careful, the current might be strong!
Gabinière islet - The shallows
Depth: 12-45 m (39-147 feet)
Geographical location: South of Port-Cros
Dive type: Shallows
Diving level: CMAS 3*
Extraordinary dive located on the extreme South of the islet. Plentiful of fauna and flora thanks to the regular strong currents in the area. Barracudas, yellowtails, porgies, groupers, gorgonians.
Distinctive feature: Careful, the current might be strong!
Cape Montremian
Depth: 0-33 m (0-108 feet)
Geographical location: North of Port-Cros, Bagaud islet
Dive type: Rocks - Sand - Seagrass bed
Diving level: CMAS 1*
Beautiful rocky ridges, varied fauna.
Distinctive feature: its “ski slope”, a sandy underwater slope that drops from the shore towards the depths.
Cape La Galère
Depth: 0-35 m (0-115 feet)
Geographical location: North of Port-Cros, Port-Man
Dive type: Rocks - Sand - Seagrass bed
Diving level: CMAS 1*
Very nice spot with a bright East side. Lots of fish, especially conger and moray eels.
Les Dalles de Bagaud (Bagaud slabs)
Depth: 12 m (39 feet)
Geographical location: North of Port-Cros, Bagaud islet
Dive type: Rocks - Sand - Seagrass bed
Diving level: CMAS 1*
Pleasant stroll, as well for beginners or experienced divers. Big marine slabs with varied fauna.
Distinctive feature: the “eye of Bagaud”, an opening in the rocks from where you can see the surface.
Cape Le Vaisseau
Depth: 15-38 m (49-124 feet)
Geographical location: South-East of Port-Cros
Dive type: Rocks - Sand - Seagrass bed
Diving level: CMAS 1*
Une grande arrête rocheuse qui se prolonge sous la mer avec de nombreux mérous.
Particularité : le tombant de coralligène. Attention, à ne pas trop s'approcher pour le garder intact !
Cape La Croix
Depth: 5-30 m (16-98 feet)
Geographical location: South-East of Port-Cros
Dive type: Rocks - Sand - Seagrass bed
Diving level: CMAS 1*
A dive with very varied landscapes and rocky screes. Groupers, moray eels, schools of sarpa salpas, forkbeards. Large stretches of white gorgonians.
Special feature: the nearby herbaria are real nurseries, exploding with life.
Distinctive feature: the nearby seagrass bed is a true vibrant fish nursery.
La Tourelle de la Dame (The Dame Turret)
Depth: 0-20 m (0-66 feet)
Geographical location: North-East of Port-Cros
Dive type: Rocks - Sand - Seagrass bed
Diving level: CMAS 1*
Right in the middle of the “Cave Pass”, in between the Levant and Port-Cros islands and at the East cardinal buoy, there are three rocky ridges with screes.
Rich in fauna with sea breams, moray eels, groupers, barracudas.
La Fourmigue islet
Depth: 0-28 m (0-92 feet)
Geographical location: Lavandou Bay - Adjacent area of Port-Cros National Park
Dive type: Rocks - Sand - Seagrass bed
Diving level: CMAS 1*
This isolated rock in the bay of Le Lavandou is located about 3 km from the shore. On top of the islet stands a lighthouse, to avoid boats ending in the same way as the Spahis, which ran aground there (see wrecks)! Its nickname is "the small Gabinière", it is a nice dive with juvenile groupers and small barracudas.
