Place de l’Hélice, on the port of La Londe-les-Maures, in the Var. This is the address given by Dune La Londe on its official website, accessed on October 3, 2026. The center is part of the Dune network, founded in 1997, which also includes a base in Marseille and one in the Esterel.
Our previous profile promised a lot. Three boats, state-certified guides, wrecks galore, giant groupers. We have reviewed everything based on the club’s public information, its profile on the regional tourism portal, and the rules of the Port-Cros National Park.
What could not be verified has been removed. The rest is dated.
Is Dune La Londe still open in 2026?
Yes. As of October 3, 2026, the center’s official website is online, with its training courses, snorkeling outing, and an article about the Rubis wreck published on April 14, 2026. The intercommunal tourism office’s profile, updated August 5, 2026, indicates year-round opening in 2026.
The sources do not all say the same thing about the season. On the PADI directory, the center’s profile shows a period from April to November and hours from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The regional profile mentions daily opening throughout 2026. Impossible to decide from here. The difference matters if you aim for a winter outing, and a call to 06 09 21 20 35 settles the question in two minutes.
Regarding status, the club declares itself as an FFESSM center and PADI Dive Center on its contact page, with a sports establishment registration number and professional liability insurance.
So, at least you know under which framework you dive.
If you stay around Marseille, our profile on the Dune Marseille center and its outings in the calanques describes the sister base of the network.
What dives and training does the center offer?
The official site lists five diving products: a two-dive initiation (Discover Scuba Diving PADI), Level 1 in three days and five dives, Level 3 in ten dives, a half-day Nitrox dive, and a three-day advanced Nitrox course. No prices appear online as of October 3, 2026.
| Displayed Offer | Announced Format | To ask before booking |
|---|---|---|
| Initiation 2 dives (PADI) | 1 day, 2 dives | Minimum age, medical certificate, group sizes |
| Level 1 | 3 days, 5 dives | FFESSM or PADI certification, backup plan if weather blocks a day |
| Level 3 | 10 dives | Prerequisites, scheduling over the week, planned sites |
| Nitrox | Half-day, 1 dive | Analyzer provided, card issued |
| Advanced Nitrox | 3 days, 4 dives | Required level, targeted depths |
| Snorkeling | 3 hours, 1 outing | Supervision, wetsuit provided, minimum age |
Our previous version also mentioned the ANMP and a five-day wrecks course. They are not found on the club’s website at this date, nor in its profile on the regional tourism portal. They have therefore been removed.
The price remains the big unknown.
Yet, it is often the deciding factor for the package. A three-day training assumes the weather holds for three days, and mistral or an easterly wind can cancel an outing overnight on this coast. Ask what happens if a dive is canceled. Rescheduled, refunded, lost? The answer weighs more than the brochure’s color.
The regional profile also mentions night and twilight dives, days with meals, and baptisms from age 8.
What does the Port-Cros National Park change for your diving?
A lot. Around Port-Cros island, scuba diving is prohibited except with authorization, according to the 2025 National Park leaflet. On authorized sites, the limit is 40 divers at the same time per site, anchoring is prohibited within a 100-meter radius, and any contact with the bottom or species is forbidden.
For you, a club client, the authorization depends on the structure taking you. The diver going out with their own boat must register online and obtain a sticker from the Park. Diving buoys accommodate a maximum of three boats at once according to the same leaflet.
Now this limit of 40 divers changes the day. On an August Sunday, two or three clubs may aim for the same buoy. The center will then have to wait its turn, change site, or shorten the rotation, and you will only know at the briefing. Nothing unusual about that. It’s the price of a protected site, and a good reason to ask which fallback site is planned.
The regulations also forbid feeding fish and turning over stones.
We remind you because the temptation exists on a rich drop-off, and our article on the reasons why you should never touch marine life explains what simple contact damages. The same logic applies to sunscreen: our update on what science says about sunscreen and marine environments sorts it out.
Rubis, Gabinière, wrecks: what level for which sites?
The club cites two flagship sites on its blog: the Gabinière drop-off, an islet south of Port-Cros, and the Rubis submarine wreck. For the Rubis, it requires a minimum Level 2 and schedules these outings on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, weather permitting.
Locating the Rubis avoids an error in our previous profile. According to the club’s article, the wreck lies off Cap Camarat, in the commune of Ramatuelle, much further east than La Londe. The mine-laying submarine was deliberately sunk by the French Navy in 1958. The club also warns that entering inside the wreck can be dangerous without specific training. So count on a real navigation, and ask about travel time.
And Level 2, what exactly does it allow?
According to the FFESSM curriculum (2019 version), Level 2 allows diving up to 40 meters within a group supervised by a guide, and up to 20 meters autonomously with one or two adult buddies. Autonomy prerogatives apply only from age 18. The certification stops there. Your last deep dive was two seasons ago? Mention it when booking.
The Donator, the Grec, the Hellcat, and the Wildcat were in our previous version. They are not mentioned on the club’s site as of October 3, 2026, so we do not present them as an offer. Interested in one of these wrecks? Ask the center. They will tell you if it is on the program, for which level, and how often.
In short, the name of a wreck says nothing about its depth.
Snorkeling and companions: what to check before booking?
The center offers a three-hour snorkeling outing in a small group, in the Port-Cros and Porquerolles National Park. The page does not specify minimum age or price as of October 3, 2026. The regional profile indicates a capacity of 34 people and a defibrillator on site, without detailing surface supervision.
However, snorkeling in open sea remains a water activity. Surface currents, wind, and boat traffic matter as much as water clarity. Clear water does not protect from anything when the wind rises and pushes the group far from the boat. Ask how many supervisors follow the group and who stays on board. Also ask if a buoy or vest is offered to less confident swimmers, including children, and from what age the outing is open.
For a child, the age question comes before everything else.
If you compare with other parts of mainland France, our selection of the best snorkeling spots in France places Port-Cros among the flagship sites. On the same coast, the MiO Palmo club around Hyères and Port-Cros operates on the same islands from Hyères and Cavalaire.
One last detail. No one can promise you a grouper, a school of barracudas, or a ray underwater that day, and an offer that does so says more about its marketing than the site. If you doubt your comfort, book snorkeling first, then initiation another day. You lose half a day and the price of one outing, you gain real margin. Would you book it that way?
FAQ
Is Dune La Londe open year-round?
The tourism office’s profile updated August 5, 2026, indicates year-round opening in 2026. The PADI directory shows a season from April to November. Call the center before planning a winter outing.
What level is required to dive on the Rubis wreck with Dune?
The club requires a minimum Level 2. According to FFESSM, this certification allows diving up to 40 meters supervised by a dive guide. The wreck is located off Cap Camarat, plan for travel time.
Can you dive alone at Port-Cros without a club?
According to the 2025 National Park leaflet, scuba diving around Port-Cros is prohibited without authorization. A diver on their own boat must register online and obtain a sticker from the Park.
What are the rates of Dune La Londe?
No rates are displayed on the official site as of October 3, 2026. Request the price in writing, with conditions in case of cancellation due to weather.
Sources
- Navigation, fishing, diving around Port-Cros island and port access (Port-Cros National Park, 2025)
- Diver Level 2 Curriculum: autonomous diver at 20 m, guided diver at 40 m (FFESSM, 2019)
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