La Pilotine et Voilier - Marseille & Calanques

If you're diving in Marseille and looking for a wreck with a bit of a story, La Pilotine et Voilier should be high on your list. It's actually two wrecks, a small pilot boat and a sailboat, tangled together in a surprisingly photogenic embrace. We love that you can see both distinct vessels, their metal and wood slowly melding into one structure over time. There's something poignant about how they met their end, resting now on the seabed, each providing shelter for dusky groupers and schools of small bream. What we particularly enjoy here is the penetration opportunities, even for less experienced wreck divers. You can fin through the pilot boat's wheelhouse, imagining the last moments before it sank, and then explore the sailboat's broken hull, where light streams through gaps, illuminating the resident conger eels. Visibility tends to be excellent on calm days, often reaching 20 meters, making the descent feel like dropping into a forgotten diorama. It’s a site that rewards multiple visits; you’ll always spot a new detail, another piece of history being slowly reclaimed by the sea. Our tip: go mid-morning for the best light penetration into the wreck.

Location
Marseille & Calanques, France, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
43.164600, 5.624517
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
15-28m

Marine Protected Area: Baie de la Ciotat

Best Time to Dive in Marseille & Calanques

The warmest water temperatures in Marseille & Calanques occur in January, averaging 13.9°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 13.9°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 13.9°C (air: 8.8°C)
  • February: 13.9°C (air: 10.5°C)
  • March: 13.9°C (air: 11.6°C)
  • April: 13.9°C (air: 13.8°C)
  • May: 13.9°C (air: 17.8°C)
  • June: 13.9°C (air: 22.3°C)
  • July: 13.9°C (air: 24.9°C)
  • August: 13.9°C (air: 24.7°C)
  • September: 13.9°C (air: 21.3°C)
  • October: 13.9°C (air: 17.8°C)
  • November: 13.9°C (air: 13.2°C)
  • December: 13.9°C (air: 9.9°C)

Nearby Dive Sites in Marseille & Calanques

Nearest Dive Centres to La Pilotine et Voilier

Marine Life in Marseille & Calanques

Home to 163 recorded species including 101 reef fish, 17 sharks & rays, 10 whales & dolphins, 6 crabs & lobsters, 6 octopus & squid, 5 hard corals.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for La Pilotine et Voilier

Based on average water temperature of 13.9°C.

  • Wetsuit (5-7mm) - recommended for 14°C water
  • Hood & Gloves (3-5mm) - helps retain warmth
  • Mask - essential for every dive
  • Fins
  • BCD - buoyancy compensator
  • Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
  • Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
  • Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
  • Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
  • Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories