France




TOP DIVE SITES – BRITTANY


Amoco Cadiz
Berwind
Kleber
Lake Portage
Le Meuse
Penhir
Swansea Vale
Trane


Amoco Cadiz – the wreck of Liberian supertanker lies at a depth of 30 m. The ship hit the bottom, broke in two and sank in 1978 and polluted almost 400 km of Brittany’s coast with tons of oil. The crew was rescued. 330 m long Amoco Cadiz is the biggest shipwreck in the world.
Location: Men Goulven Rocks
Type of dive: boat dive
Sea bed: rocky
Requirements: BSAC Ocean Diver, PADI Open Water


Berwind – the wreck of British cargo ship lies at a depth of 40 m. The ship was torpedoed and sank in 1918. The parts of this shipwreck were initially thought to be from the Lake Portage which was part of the same convoy. However, when the divers discovered the remains of a gun it was clear that it couldn’t have been Lake Portage which didn’t have any guns.
Location: near Brest
Type of dive: boat/shore dive
Sea bed: sand
Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water


Kleber – the wreck of French armoured cruiser lies upside down at a depth of 45 m. The ship hit a mine and sank in 1917. The wreck is complete with guns and turrets.
Location: Brest
Type of dive: boat dive
Sea bed: reef
Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water


Lake Portage – the wreck of the ship lies at a depth of about 50 m. The ship, which was part of the same convoy as Berwind, was attacked with a torpedo and sank in 1918.
Location: near Brest
Type of dive: boat dive
Sea bed: sand
Requirements: BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water


Le Meuse – the wreck lies upside down at a depth of 30 m. The currents are low and the visibility is quite good. The only danger may be caused by boat traffic.
Location: Douarnenez Bay
Type of dive: boat dive
Requirements: CMAS 3 stars, BSAC Advanced Diver


Penhir – the wreck of small steamship lies at a depth of 20 m. The ship was on her way from Brest to Nantes when she hit the rocks at the bottom and sank in 1935.
Location: near Brest
Type of dive: boat dive
Sea bed: sandy
Requirements: BSAC Ocean Diver, PADI Open Water


Swansea Vale – the wreck of British freighter lies at a depth of 30 m. The ship hit the rocks and sank in 1917. The wreck is almost intact and serves as home to conger eels and other marine life.
Location: near Brest
Type of dive: boat dive
Requirements: BSAC Ocean Diver, PADI Open Water


Trane – the wreck of Norwegian steamship lies at a depth of 26 m. The ship was carrying iron ore from Bilbao to Middlesbrough when she sank in 1924. This is a spectacular dive with good visibility and profuse marine life.
Location: near Brest
Type of dive: boat dive
Sea bed: sandy
Requirements: BSAC Ocean Diver, PADI Open Water