7 port de la Pointe Rouge, in the 8th district of Marseille. This is the address given by Dune Marseille on its contact page, accessed on October 3, 2026. The center belongs to the Dune network, which also has a base in La Londe-les-Maures, facing Port-Cros.
Our previous listing mixed everything up. A price in Emirati dirhams, a course with a world freediving champion, groups “limited” to 40 divers per boat, and GPS coordinates that pointed right in the city center. We have redone everything based on the club’s official website, its listing at the Marseille tourist office, and the rules of the Calanques National Park.
What could not be verified has been removed. The rest is dated.
Is Dune Marseille open in 2026?
Yes. As of October 3, 2026, the center’s official website is online with its offers and prices. The Marseille tourist office listing, updated on July 23, 2026, indicates opening every day from April 1 to October 31, 2026, with hours varying according to weather and schedule.
The dates do not quite match from one page to another. On the page for its guided exploration diving, the club announces two dives per day, every day, from April to November. The tourist office stops at October 31. Impossible to decide from here. If you are aiming for a trip in November, call 04 28 70 89 26 or write to marseille@dune-world.com before booking your leave.
Our previous listing showed a center closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, which no current source confirms.
Regarding the framework, the club’s contact page mentions an FFESSM affiliation (SCA no. 1213041C), a PADI 5-star IDC center status, a sports establishment declaration, and professional liability insurance. The tourist office awards it the Qualité Tourisme label.
So, you know under what framework you are diving. The pontoon itself is indeed located at Pointe Rouge (coordinates published by the club: 43.2428, 5.3670), south of the Prado beaches.
What dives and prices does the center display?
The official website lists ten diving products, all with a price per person as of October 3, 2026. They range from a half-day introductory dive at €120 up to the PADI Open Water Diver over three days and six dives at €695. Full equipment is an additional €20 per dive on exploration outings.
| Displayed Offer | Announced Format | Displayed Price | To ask before booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introductory dive | Half day, 1 dive (about 20 min in the water), from 8 years old | €120 | Expected depth according to age, medical certificate |
| Initiation day | 1 day, 2 dives | €200 | Planned sites, break between the two dives |
| Level 1 Training (FFESSM or ANMP license) | 3 days, 5 dives announced, from 12 years old | €670 | Exact number of dives, plan B if weather blocks a day |
| PADI Open Water Diver | 3 days, 6 dives | €695 | Difference with Level 1, theory portion |
| Guided exploration 20 m | Half day, 1 dive, Level 1 or Open Water | €65 | Additional equipment, group size |
| Autonomous exploration | Half day, 1 dive, Level 2 or PA20 | €47 | Site of the day, logbook and certification required |
| Rehabilitation dive | Half day, 1 dive | €75 | Planned exercises, depth |
| PADI Deep Diver | 3 days, 4 dives | €405 | Prerequisites, targeted depths |
| Guided snorkeling outing | 3 h including 2 h at sea, from 8 years old | €45 | Number of guides in the water, vest provided |
| Freediving initiation | 3 h, 1 immersion | €65 | Supervision, maximum depth |
One detail is off on Level 1. The site’s map announces five dives, while the detailed training page speaks of six technical dives. The price includes certification, FFESSM or ANMP license, and the dive logbook, with sessions from Monday to Wednesday or Thursday to Saturday and a meeting at 8:05 am. Ask for the exact number in writing. One more or one fewer dive over three days changes the training pace.
An online price does not equal a quote.
Yet, it is often the weather that determines the formula. A three-day training course assumes three days of navigable sea, and the mistral can close sites overnight. The club specifies that the site is chosen in advance and then validated on the day itself by the dive director according to the conditions. Nothing is written about what happens to a canceled dive.
Our previous version mentioned snorkeling “from 179 AED,” a currency of the United Arab Emirates. An obvious copy error, so it was removed.
Snorkeling, freediving, children: what to check before booking?
The center offers a guided three-hour snorkeling outing, including two hours at sea, at €45 per person and open from age 8 according to its sheet. It takes place in a shallow cove of the Calanques National Park, in small groups, with state-certified guides. An autonomous version exists at €35.
On the freediving side, the site lists an introductory dive at €65 and a two-day PADI Freediver training at €360.
And world champion Morgan Bourc’his? Our previous sheet promised courses with him. His name is not found in the club’s freediving offers as of October 3, 2026. The promise has therefore disappeared, as has the “marine biology workshop” and the cited instructor without source.
But snorkeling in open sea remains a water activity, even in a cove. Wind, chop, and boat traffic matter as much as water clarity, and clear water does not protect from anything when the group drifts far from shore. Ask how many supervisors follow the group in the water. Who stays on board? Is a vest or buoy provided for less confident swimmers?
For an 8-year-old child, this question takes precedence over all others.
For comparison, our selection of the best snorkeling spots in France helps you place the Calanques in relation to the rest of the coastline. And before putting on the mask, our update on what science says about sunscreen and marine environments sorts out the labels.
What does the Calanques National Park change for your diving?
Its rules apply to you as well as to the club. According to the diving page of the Calanques National Park, two archaeological protection zones are forbidden to divers: the Cousteau triangle, off the islands of Riou and Plane, and the Pointe de la Voile, at Cap Morgiou. The collection of species and archaeological artifacts is strictly prohibited.
The Park also asks to remain stable in the water and to avoid any contact with the seabed. No fin kicks in the Posidonia meadows. It forbids feeding animals and asks to keep a distance from cetaceans, never pursuing them. On its marine regulations page, it specifies that 10% of its marine territory is classified as no-take zones, divided into seven sectors. These rules apply to every dive group, guided or autonomous.
Regarding boats, ecological mooring buoys prevent dropping anchors in the seagrass beds.
Yet their access is free, open, and primarily intended for diving, according to the Park. On a summer Sunday, several groups may target the same sector, and the dive director will then choose another site that you will discover at the briefing. Nothing unusual about that. Wind and swell decide more than the catalog photo.
Our article on the reasons to never touch marine life details what simple contact damages.
What level for which sites around Marseille?
The club mentions about sixty sites and names several: the Farillons near Maïre Island, the Moyades at Riou, the Grand Congloué, Tiboulen of Frioul, Planier Island, and the wrecks of the Liban, Chaouen, Dalton, and a Messerschmitt. Guided dives to 20 m require Level 1 or Open Water Diver certification.
For autonomous diving, the club’s sheet requires at least Level 2 or PA20, a CMAS two or three-star certification, or a Rescue Diver with at least 50 dives.
And what exactly does Level 2 allow? According to the FFESSM curriculum (2019 version), it permits diving up to 40 meters within a guided group, and up to 20 meters autonomously with one or two adult buddies. Autonomy is only exercised from age 18. The certification stops there. It says nothing about your last dive.
The name of a wreck says nothing about its depth.
The club does not publish the depth of each site on its sheets as of October 3, 2026. Ask for it for the wreck that interests you, along with the navigation time from Pointe Rouge. If your last dive was several months ago, the club itself recommends a refresher dive.
If you continue towards Var, our sheet on Dune La Londe and its outings around Port-Cros describes the sister base of the network, with its own national park rules. For another Mediterranean club listed on the same grid, see Diving Calvi at Piaghja, Corsica.
In short, if you doubt your ease, first book a guided exploration at 20 m, then autonomy another day of the week, when the site and the boat have become familiar to you. At the displayed rate, you pay €65 instead of €47, that is €18 for a guide and a real margin on top. Would you book it that way?
FAQ
Is Dune Marseille open all year round?
The tourism office sheet updated on July 23, 2026 indicates opening every day from April 1 to October 31, 2026. The club announces exploration dives from April to November. Call the center before planning an outing outside this period.
How much does a diving initiation at Dune Marseille cost?
The official site shows €120 per person as of October 3, 2026. The outing lasts about three hours, including about twenty minutes in the water, and it is open from age 8. Have the price and cancellation conditions confirmed when booking.
What level is required to dive autonomously with Dune Marseille?
The club requires at least Level 2 or PA20, a CMAS two or three-star certification, or a Rescue Diver with 50 dives. According to the FFESSM, Level 2 autonomy stops at 20 meters and is only exercised from age 18.
Can you dive everywhere in the Calanques National Park?
No. The Park prohibits diving in two archaeological protection zones, the Cousteau triangle near Riou and Plane and the Pointe de la Voile at cap Morgiou. Any removal of species or artifacts is forbidden there.
Sources
- Discover the marine bottoms of the Calanques (Calanques National Park, 2026)
- Diver Level 2 Curriculum: autonomous diver at 20 m, guided diver at 40 m (FFESSM, 2019)
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