Diving in normandy france

[Oldbear]

Try these guys: Plongée sur épave (wreck page). The bay is sheltered and going to give you the best shot at something decent.

Very interesting site...

 

[Duglum]

@chrisch: Mhm.. strange. I believe the table you linked might be wrong... every other source i could find lists ISO 24801-3 / DIN EN 14153-3 (Dive Leader)
== PADI/SSI/NAUI DM
== CMAS ***
== FFESSM Niveau 3 or 4.
But who knows what those French are up to.

 

[chrisch]

@chrisch: Mhm.. strange. I believe the table you linked might be wrong... every other source i could find lists ISO 24801-3 / DIN EN 14153-3 (Dive Leader)
== PADI/SSI/NAUI DM
== CMAS ***
== FFESSM Niveau 3 or 4.
But who knows what those French are up to.

There are no definitive tables as we are talking about a pastime and not a professional qualification. I can absolutely assure you that without a recognised decompression certification you will be regarded as a Level 2 diver under the FFESSM system. PADI MSDT for example is still a 2 star diver. The Level 3 diver is autonomous under FFESSM rules and may conduct dives to 60m without supervision.

A lot of foreign PADI instructors get annoyed by the French rules, but it is simple enough to conduct a crossover certificate. This will not be an option for the visiting divers and they must be aware that they will require a guide if they do not have decompression certification.

When it comes to other US agencies that offer decompression certification (DSAT, IANTD etc) the picture gets even more problematical. Whilst IANTD have taken the step to obtain some CMAS recognition many others have not. For example IANTD Advanced Nitrox is recognised as Nitrox Confirmée and will be accepted by French centres. Trimix is also patchy with some recognition.

Most French divers are realistic about the matter, but any FFESSM affiliated centre must stick by the rules and their insurance will also expect the rules to be followed. I would estimate 90% of French outfits are FFESSM.

Dive leading certifications are for the assistance of instruction or the guiding of divers within an agency's parameters. A PADI DM cannot - for example - guide me on a 45m dive as s/he is not able to dive to that depth. The certification does not imply any real additional diving ability or skills beyond Rescue Diver. Likewise the PADI DM cannot enter into an overhead environment. This is true of pretty much all the dive leading certifications in all the agencies. In the British Sub Aqua Club for example the CMAS 3 star is Advanced Diver, the Dive Leader certification is 2 star the same as the Sport Diver.

 

[Bubblesong]

Bringing a medical certificate written in French might be required for older divers, so get a physical in France, or find a french speaking doctor at home. @chisch what is your experience with this?

 

[chrisch]

Bringing a medical certificate written in French might be required for older divers, so get a physical in France, or find a french speaking doctor at home. @chisch what is your experience with this?

All divers require a medical certificate of less than one year in age. You do not need a French speaking doctor or a French language certificate. I have always used the standard UK Sport Diver medical which is BSAC in origin. You can also use the PADI certificate if it is countersigned. It is quite cheap and easy to get a medical in France (if you speak French) but if you are going on holiday do you want to use your time for this purpose?

I have seen on the Internet that some French centres are a bit sloppy about this and it is possible to find a centre that doesn't require a medical. I have never come across this personally despite having dived in France for the last 10-15 years or so and lived there for three years. My local dive centre there doesn't ask for my medical but they did ask for it the first time we dived with them, so one can get away without a renewal.

If you are going on holiday a fresh medical and a DAN card will get you a welcome in any dive centre. You can change plans due to weather or circumstances. You can drop in on the off chance - or, if you are a large enough group, charter a boat. Therefore I recommend (assuming you are keen to dive) taking the precaution of having a medical in your wallet.

You can dive off the beach without any paperwork and centres will rent you a tank without sight of a C card. Normandie is not the place to shore dive unless you have a weird fascination for sand.

Strictly speaking the countersigning doctor should be a diving doctor, not your GP. Quite how strict the French are on this I don't know as the UK medical can only be done by a diving doc and so mine has always been correct in that respect. I am not familiar with the US system. Personally I would think if you have the PADI certificate countersigned most centres will accept that - they want the business after all

 

[afieldofblue]

@chrisch: Mhm.. strange. I believe the table you linked might be wrong... every other source i could find lists ISO 24801-3 / DIN EN 14153-3 (Dive Leader)
== PADI/SSI/NAUI DM
== CMAS ***
== FFESSM Niveau 3 or 4.
But who knows what those French are up to.

Hi - I'm both a Padi DM and FFESSM N3 (CMAS ***)

CMAS*** is a leadership level (ie "dive guide") pretty much everywhere except in France, where the FFESSM (and other French agencies) have a specific dive-guide level called level 4 (N4), for (non-professionnal) dive guides.

A CMAS*** cannot guide divers in France, but can guide in other countries.
N4 is specific to France (and implies using an independent double first-stage setup while guiding for instance), and not equivalent to the honorary CMAS**** level that exists in other federations.
Both French N3 and N4 are actually CMAS*** divers, with the same depth cert (autonomous to 60 meters), hence the confusing table.

There's a partial equivalence between Padi Rescue and French N3, which needs to be completed by theoretical and practical training (notably standard assisted ascents/rescue techniques using the BCD, 40 to 60 m depth training, handling autonomy, MN90 table use and deco procedures, legislation etc).


You'll find that most centers tend to be quite conservative (both with unknown FFESSM/CMAS divers or divers from other agencies such as PADI), and have and actually use the right to decide max depth ranges for divers on specific dives, regardless of their actual certifications (DP "dive manager" system, it's legal and expected of them to do so, so arguing won't help).

And also that PADI divers will generally not be considered "autonomous" according to French standards, so will have to dive with a dive guide.

A Padi DM for instance, will usually be considered non-autonomous (dive-guide required, ironic isn't it?), with a depth rating equivalent to that of an N2 at best (PE 40, ie guided to 40 m max with the "Padi Deep Dive Specialty"), and N1 at the worst (PE20m, guided to 20 m max). This is mostly due to differences in rescue training, approaches to autonomy and deco procedures

Non-metropolitan France (French Polynesia or New-Caledonia for instance) dive hotspots have specific (ie slightly more flexible...) regulations adapted to local conditions and international dive tourism.

cheers
ben

 

[Freewillow]

oppo's description is pretty accurate.

The major diferenec between PADI DM and FFESSM 3*** is that a PADI DM has never been trained to do deco dives.

I am personally a PADI DM and went through IANTD advanced deco in order to learn how to do deco dives safelly.

 

[Zef]

I wonder if all this is why there are huge numbers of divers from everywhere north of Paris cluttering up the local dive spots in Belgium every weekend during the bulk of the season. Last year I asked a French diver why they had come so far for what is really a mediocre dive site and they responded that there is no place to dive back home. I wonder if the "no place" was synonymous with too restrictive to be worth their while.

-Z

 

[afieldofblue]

I wonder if all this is why there are huge numbers of divers from everywhere north of Paris cluttering up the local dive spots in Belgium every weekend during the bulk of the season. Last year I asked a French diver why they had come so far for what is really a mediocre dive site and they responded that there is no place to dive back home. I wonder if the "no place" was synonymous with too restrictive to be worth their while.

-Z

Could very well be the case, especially if they're not French Fed. certified. Some centers might be too restrictive with Padi certified divers, it's changing slowly - there are plenty of dive sites in Normandy and Brittany (mostly WW2 wrecks with rather challenging dive conditions - cold, tidal currents, low viz...), otherwise you have deep (50 m) quarries near Paris (Bécon les Granits...).

While the north and west of France has its enthusiasts, most people agree that some of the best diving (conditions /marine life / wrecks) in the country is on the Mediterranean (Hyeres or Marseille...), with national marine reserves. One of the reasons the French fed. keeps depths certs to 60m on air is to dive wrecks at 51 meters such as the Donator they way they've always done it...

 

[chrisch]

Could very well be the case, especially if they're not French Fed. certified. Some centers might be too restrictive with Padi certified divers, ...

The crossover is the answer to all the issues - PADI Rescue, Deep and do a few exercises. We did ours in Belgium (Rochefontaine).

Generally about €300 and a couple of weekends diving.

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