Padi Instructors, France

[Nautilus23]

Hi everyone,
I am a dive instructor based in France, which is a bit of an oxymoron if you are with PADI as France is the only country in the world where we cannot work! Anyone else in the same boat as me?
Happy diving!

 

[chrisch]

You can work in France. You just need to do the BEES and a deco certification (like N3). Without these you are not yet qualified to instruct, but once you are you can work there just the same as anywhere else.

 

[Nautilus23]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I know all about that, but the problem is to get a BEES, you need to go to Marseilles and spend about 2 years retraining all you already know, and it costs you 10,000 euros for the privilidge!

 

[Phil_C]

Welcome out of the SB shadows! (I see you actually signed up a couple of years ago ).

I always struggle to get my head around the 'French' take on things, I have CMAS 3* diver and CMAS 1* Instructor (OWI) certs, and I think that even that does not cover me to teach and guide in France because their law says something about the CMAS certs having to come from the French agency (but I might have that wrong).

Our BSAC club sometimes come across the channel to France on our club rhib and dive on the French side of the channel and I think that technically we are breaking the law because we should employ a local CMAS (minimum 3* diver) guide, because we are going off a boat.

Best - Phil.

 

[chrisch]

Unless it has changed the situation is easy enough. The French state requires a BEES which allows you to teach. That is a state exam and independent of Scuba agency training. PADI OWSI exempts you from a huge amount of the exam. Technically a PADI OWSI cannot dive to 20m+ without a guide as they do not have CMAS 3star.

A visiting boat follows it's own rules - but your club RIB needs a SSR to sail in overseas waters. There is no need for a local guide.

The rules are mainly from FFESSM and not law and the main issue is that French clubs and shops tend to use FFESSM insurance (AXA).

It is the BEES that is the hard bit as you really need to speak/read French quite well to get through it. There are plenty of PADI schools and instructors in France, most instructors also teach FFESSM as that is what the customers want.

 

[Nautilus23]

OK thanks, guys but I am even more confused now! ; )) I joined a french dive club last year just for pleasure, and they are all FFESSM and this system is benevolent, so they work their way up without getting paid. I have discussed with the club and the best "equivalence" they can offer me as a PADI OWSI is either level 3 or level 4. It is a bit like Divemaster as I can guide and train skills but not actually certify anyone. I speak and write fluent French so that is no issue. I had meetings in Paris with the political director of PADI and the head of FFESSM at the Salon du Plongée in 2014 and 2015. They were very kind and discussed my situation for 30 minutes. The outcome was this: "Forget about working in France, it is too much of a problem, go and work in Spain, it is not so far from where you live". What is the problem is the Brevet D'Etat, as to take this I have to pay 10,000 euros and spend a couple of years in Marseilles ,the only location that can certify me.

 

[Nautilus23]

Yup, guess that killed the conversation! lol

 

[chrisch]

.... What is the problem is the Brevet D'Etat, as to take this I have to pay 10,000 euros and spend a couple of years in Marseilles ,the only location that can certify me.

That certainly was not the case a while back. The BEES exam was about €200 I think. Also I think there are many venues in France to take it as some parts apply to swimming instructors as well as scuba.

Have a chat with these guys: college-cannes

When I looked into it the PADI OWSI gave significant exemptions from many parts of the BEES.

As a PADI OWSI you cannot undertake decompression diving so you cannot be granted "equivalence" at FFESSM N3. You need to undertake a decompression course. If you have the PADI Deep or another equivalent under the PADI system you can cross over to N3 with a short course.

More here - Conversion Rescue Diver PADI - Niveau 3 FFESSM avec Voyage-Plongée.com

Are you, by any chance female? Are the people you are speaking to by any chance male? Just a thought

 

[Reku]

Glad to see you stopped lurking! Welcome to ... uh .... posting on SB! This entire situation seems complicated. Good luck though!

 

[Nautilus23]

Welcome out of the SB shadows! (I see you actually signed up a couple of years ago ).

I always struggle to get my head around the 'French' take on things, I have CMAS 3* diver and CMAS 1* Instructor (OWI) certs, and I think that even that does not cover me to teach and guide in France because their law says something about the CMAS certs having to come from the French agency (but I might have that wrong).

Our BSAC club sometimes come across the channel to France on our club rhib and dive on the French side of the channel and I think that technically we are breaking the law because we should employ a local CMAS (minimum 3* diver) guide, because we are going off a boat.

Best - Phil.

Thanks, Phil!