Facing the citadel of Calvi, about 200 meters from the shore, a B-17 bomber rests between 25 and 27 meters deep, according to the Corsica Tourism Agency’s file. Many divers come to Balagne for it. The Diving Calvi A Piaghja club lists it among its sites.
So we double-checked everything. The previous version mixed verifiable information and promises that no one can verify from here (an associative partnership, very wide hours, a technical diving offer). Below you will find what the public files consulted on October 3, 2026, say, then the questions to ask the club before paying a deposit.
Is Diving Calvi A Piaghja still active?
Yes, according to public directories consulted on October 3, 2026. The club appears on the Corsica Tourism Agency website under the name “Diving Calvi – A Piaghja,” with an FFESSM affiliation, and in the SSI directory as a Training Center located on Route de la Pinède, in Calvi. Its official website, divingcalvi.fr, did not respond during our check.
This technical silence proves nothing.
But it forces us to confront two files that do not say exactly the same thing. The Tourism Agency indicates an opening from April 7 to November 2, without specifying the year. The SSI directory shows a season from April 25 to November 15, 2022, with closure on Sundays. Our old page announced from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week, and this range is not found anywhere else. In short, the 2026 season remains to be confirmed by phone.
| Information | Corsica Tourism Agency | SSI Directory |
|---|---|---|
| Address | Calvi Beach, 20260 Calvi | Route de la Pinède, 20260 Calvi |
| Displayed season | April 7 to November 2 (year not specified) | April 25 to November 15, 2022 |
| Affiliation | Club affiliated with FFESSM | SSI Training Center |
| Common contact | 06 81 29 99 46, divingcalvi@yahoo.fr | +33 6 81 29 99 46, divingcalvi@yahoo.fr |
The number 06 81 29 99 46 and the address divingcalvi@yahoo.fr appear on both files, making it the safest channel to verify dates before booking a flight or accommodation. The two time slots do not overlap.
What dives does the club offer in Calvi?
The public files describe a generalist center: introductory dives, training, explorations, and snorkeling outings, from the shore or by boat. The SSI directory mentions two semi-rigid boats of 7.5 m and 6.25 m, a compressor, equipment rental, and sites located about 15 minutes by boat, including the B-17 and the Revellata.
This dual FFESSM and SSI label has a practical interest for you. A club affiliated with both systems generally knows both certification scales, which simplifies the discussion if you arrive with an SSI or PADI card rather than a federal level. However, reading your certification remains the responsibility of the dive director on site. He sees your logbook. We do not.
Some promises from the old file have disappeared, due to lack of public trace: technical diving, partnership with Sea Shepherd, team first names, and minimum age for children’s introductory dives.
If part of the group prefers to stay on the surface, the snorkeling outing is listed on the Tourism Agency’s file. And to compare with other coasts, our selection of best snorkeling spots in France provides some benchmarks. Still ask the club what supervision they provide for less confident swimmers.
B-17 wreck in Calvi: what depth and for what level?
The Corsica Tourism Agency places the wreck between 25 and 27 meters, on a clear sandy bottom, about 200 meters from the shore, and indicates a level 2 required. Other published descriptions, such as that of Figaro Nautisme updated in January 2026, give 28 meters. Keep a range of 25 to 28 meters.
This figure changes the decision.
According to the FFESSM Level 2 Diver curriculum (February 2019 version), this certification allows exploration up to 20 meters autonomously and up to 40 meters with a dive guide. Level 1, called PE20, stops at 20 meters in supervised diving. The B-17 thus falls outside this framework. With a foreign card, it is the dive director who decides the equivalence after reviewing your logbook and recent dives. And the depth says nothing about the current on the day.
The history of the plane is documented by the nautical press. Figaro Nautisme reports that the bomber landed in the sea on February 14, 1944, returning from a mission over Verona, after an attack by German fighters that damaged several engines. Three of the ten crew members were killed. The body of one of them was never found.
This last point weighs on how you behave above the wreck, and it gives meaning to a legal rule often ignored. The Heritage Code (article L532-3) requires leaving in place any maritime cultural property discovered and declaring it within 48 hours, as recalled by the Ministry of Culture’s page dedicated to DRASSM. No DRASSM file specific to this wreck has been found, so its exact status remains impossible to determine from here. Thus, the rule of conduct does not change: do not touch anything, do not bring anything up, and keep your hands away from the metal sheets as you do with fixed fauna (we explain elsewhere why it is better never to touch marine life).
What do we know about the Revellata point?
The Revellata point closes the Calvi gulf to the west. It is part of the Natura 2000 site FR9400574 “Porto, Scandola, Revellata, Calvi, Calanches de Piana.” The French Biodiversity Office publishes marine habitat surveys conducted by diving and snorkeling within the CARTHAM mapping program, whose file was updated in July 2026.
No official source consulted, however, gives the depth of the diving sites at the point. The old file mentioned canyons, gorgonians, and corals. These descriptions came from commercial materials that we could not verify. The SSI directory also lists Punta Bianca and La Bibliothèque among the club’s sites, without profile details. We prefer to tell you rather than invent figures.
A photo of a gorgonian says nothing about the current underwater that day.
Scandola remains. The old page promised outings “around the Scandola reserve.” However, this is located several tens of kilometers southwest of Calvi, well beyond the 15 minutes of navigation announced for the club’s sites. Ask the question before counting on it.
What questions to ask the club before booking?
Five questions are enough to judge an outing in Calvi without having been there. They concern your level, the current, the boat trip, supervision, and the fallback plan if the weather closes the B-17. The answers weigh more than a photo of the wreck taken in bright sunshine.
- What certification do you require for the B-17, and how do you read an SSI, PADI, or foreign card?
- Is the current frequent at Revellata, and who decides to cancel?
- How many divers per group and per boat?
- What fallback site if the wind changes on the planned day?
- Does the rented equipment include a computer and a suit suitable for the season?
The current decides more than the photo.
If you resume diving after a long break, ask for a readaptation dive on a shallower site before the wreck. The dive director’s briefing remains the only reliable source on the day’s conditions. No online text replaces it. To compare with other Mediterranean wrecks, the Lavandou Diving and its Var wrecks file asks the same questions, as do other dive clubs in our directory. However, the cost of this caution remains concrete. An extra outing and half a day of stay, against a real margin at 25 meters.
Would you book it like this?
FAQ
What level is required to dive on Calvi’s B-17?
The Corsica Tourism Agency indicates a level 2 required, for a wreck lying between 25 and 27 meters. The FFESSM Level 1 limits supervised diving to 20 meters. The final decision rests with the dive director, who verifies your certification and recent experience.
Is the Diving Calvi A Piaghja club open all year?
No, public files describe seasonal activity, from April to November depending on sources, with dates varying from one file to another. Confirm the 2026 season at 06 81 29 99 46 before booking your transport.
What is the Calvi B-17?
It is an American World War II bomber, landed in the sea facing the citadel on February 14, 1944, according to Figaro Nautisme. Three crew members died during the attack preceding the water landing.
Is it allowed to bring up an object from the wreck?
No. The Heritage Code requires leaving any maritime cultural property in place and declaring a discovery within 48 hours. DRASSM, attached to the Ministry of Culture, manages these properties.
Sources
- Top 5 underwater dives, at the heart of Corsican history (Corsica Tourism Agency, consulted in 2026)
- Level 2 Diver Curriculum (FFESSM, National Technical Commission, 2019)
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