Apnee Decouverte

Located in Saint Mandrier/Mer, Apnée Découverte serves as a gateway to the underwater landscapes of the Var. The centre is part of the Apnéemotion school, which maintains a presence in both the Mediterranean and the tropical waters of Martinique.

The school is structured around leisure diving and apnea, providing a foundation for those looking to explore the local reefs and coastal environments. By maintaining operations in two distinct maritime regions, the team brings a diverse perspective to their instruction and dive planning.

The centre offers a range of diving programmes designed to take you from your first encounter with the water through to more advanced exploration. Their curriculum covers various levels of training to suit your progression in the sport.

The Mediterranean seabed around the Var is a complex habitat, rich with fixed life that provides structure for the local ecosystem. You will encounter various sponges (Porifera), red gorgonians, and sea fans (Gorgoniidae) clinging to the rocks. Yellow encrusting anemones and other encrusting anemones add vibrant colour to the reef flat and rocky outcrops.

In the rocky crevices and under ledges, the macro life is particularly rewarding for observant divers. You can find various species of octopus, moray eels (Muraenidae), and scorpionfish hiding from the current. The area is also home to several types of wrasses, including the painted comber (Serranus scriba), and various species of nudibranchs that move slowly across the substrate.

Pelagic and reef species are common throughout the water column. You may see schools of sea bream (Sparidae), bogue (Boops boops), and saddled seabream (Oblada melanura) cruising the currents. Larger predators such as common dentex (Dentex dentex), amberjack (Seriola), and even occasional sightings of dogfish sharks add to the excitement of a dive.