Neptune, total immersion

in the Mediterranean seabed

Bordered by our beautiful Mediterranean sea, the Région Sud has so many underwater wonders to explore. Neptune offers a regional submarine exploration, discovery and innovation itinerary over 5 sites from Marseille to Nice!

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Une publication partagée par Cosquer Méditerranée (@cosquermediterranee)

5 sites, and the same urge: to discover and explore the seabed

Marseille : Cosquer Méditerranée

Start your itinerary with a stop in Marseille. Not far from the famous Vieux-Port, near the majestic Mucem, the Villa Méditerranée has become an archaeological interpretation centre. Discover the replica of the Grotte Cosquer, a major site of cave art in this modern-looking building.

Underwater activities in the vicinity: Go for a flipper, google and snorkel dive at Le Frioul or dive with one of the many diving centres in Marseille to discover the Le Riou archipelago and L’ile du Planier.

La Seyne sur Mer : Fort Balaguier

For the second stage, stop off in La Seyne-sur-Mer. Take the Corniche Bonaparte which goes along the bay: it will take you straight to Fort Balaguier where you’ll be able to discover the history of diving and the French Navy. You’ll love the military structure facing the sea.

Underwater activities in the vicinity: remarkable diving sites such as the La Verne submarine trail or the wreck of the Arroyo. And the lovely walk along the Promenade de Tamaris will be an added bonus!

Hyères-les-Palmiers : Fort du Pradeau

Leave Hyères behind and head for the Presqu’île de Giens. From the Salins des Pesquiers, through Capte, drive straight on until you reach the jetty for the Iles d’Or. Park the car, and you’ll see the Fort du Pradeau, better known as La Tour Fondue, proudly standing on the edge of the clear water. Managed by the Port-Cros National Park, it’s a wealth of natural and cultural heritage!

Underwater activities in the vicinity: Set off snorkelling style on the 3 submarine trails in Hyères – Olbia, la Tour Fondue, Pointe du Bouver – or put on your wetsuit and go on a dive to discover the wrecks of the Donator and the Grec (Sagona).

La Londe les Maures : Aiming and subaquatic centre

Coming through Londe-les-Maures? Stop off at the Pôle nautique to discover how subaquatic tourism works in the Région Sud. This building in the shape of a boat is the former harbourmaster’s house which now houses an interactive museum on the submarine world.

Underwater activities in the vicinity: At Plage de l’Argentière go on a dive to discover a widely diverse submarine ecosystem as you follow the numbered buoys! Or take a seat in a club boat which will take you off to dive just opposite the Iles d’Or

Nice : Watersports centre

To finish – or start your itinerary nicely, head for the Côte d’Azur. After a wander around the Vieux Nice – try a piece of socca – it’s off to the Centre Nautique in Nice. In this building by the water, you’ll learn more about the seabed and the importance of protecting it and more! It’s a good opportunity to find out more about submarine archaeology.

Underwater activities in the vicinity: Discover skin diving on the Nicois diving sites such as the Grotte à Corail or the Tombant des Américains and why not visit the prehistory museum of Terra Amata to combine archaeology on the land and under the sea!

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Une publication partagée par veronique (@verodusud)

Dive into the submarine odyssey of the Mediterranean Version 2.0

You’ve got it, Neptune is an expedition on 5 sites from Marseille to Nice. On each of the sites, an audiovisual device sweeps you off into a unique immersion experience: enjoy virtual access to the underwater world and get an eyeful! On top of finding out what is hidden below the surface of the water, here the challenge is to become aware of the natural and cultural underwater heritage. Take time to see the film « Je suis Méditerranée » and cover with an interactive terminal everything there is to know about the subaquatic world: texts, films and photos give you a good selection of the as-yet little-known submarine wonders. For a larger-than-life experience, a virtual reality headset plunges you into the exploration of wrecks and all the biodiversity that has developed there.

Exhibitions are already available on 3 of the 5 Neptune sites. Get an exclusive exhibition on the site of La Londe-les-Maures by the animal photographer Greg Lecœur, who specializes in undersea environments. In La Seyne-sur-Mer, at the Musée Balaguier, discover unique items made available by the French Navy and IFREMER which trace the history of diving and an exhibition on the wreck of the Magenta. In Marseille, Cosquer-Méditerranée takes you back several thousand years! Near the sites, diving is allowed, which offers beginners and seasoned divers the opportunity to take the plunge. To be inaugurated in July, these sites will amaze young and old and raise their awareness of the importance of protecting the Mediterranean.