France – Atlantic & Channel
France's Atlantic and English Channel coast is cold-water diving shaped by the tide. Around Saint-Malo the tidal range is among the largest in Europe, so dives are planned around slack water; further west, the Iroise Sea off Brest, Molène and Ouessant has kelp forests, strong currents, a small grey-seal colony and dozens of modern wrecks inside France's first marine natural park. South Brittany (Glénan, Groix, Quiberon, Belle-Île) is gentler, with granite reefs and many World War wrecks in 18–40 m, while the Vendée islands and the Basque coast near Hendaye add offshore wrecks and rocky walls exposed to Atlantic swell. Off Normandy and Cherbourg lie Second World War wrecks, several of them protected memorials. Expect 13–18 °C water, variable visibility and a drysuit or a thick wetsuit.
Dive sites
- Amoco Cadiz
- Arcachon blockhaus
- Basse du Lys
- Battleship France
- Bizeux
- Canyon (Hendaye)
- Chicharvel
- Elektra
- Elisabethville
- Fetlar
- Fort de la Conchée
- Frémur
- Hilda
- Illarguita
- John G. McCullough
- Kléber
- L'Angers
- L'Hanan
- La Catis
- La Meuse
- La Truie
- Laos
- Laplace
- Le Morutier (Cruz Segundo)
- Le Squéouel
- Les Esclaves
- Louis David
- Léopoldville
- Marco Polo
- Morgat
- Ours des Vieilles
- Peter Sif
- Pointe de Pen Men
- Pointe de Pen-Hir & Tas de Pois
- Pors Kamor (La Cale de Ploumanac'h)
- Sequana
- Sperrbrecher 134
- Sunniva
- Swansea Vale
- T-29 torpedo boat
- Thüringen
- Tombant du Belge
- Triagoz lighthouse
- U-171
- USS Susan B. Anthony
- Yusenquashia Maru (Le Japonais)