Tiboulen de Maire
Also known as: Les Pharillons
Best time to dive
June; September; July to August
What you might see
- BarracudaLikely
- NudibranchLikely
Sightings are seasonal probabilities, not promises - even in peak season nature does its own thing.
Certification & difficulty
Advanced Open Water - advanced conditions (currents/depth); dive within your training.
Snorkelling
Not a snorkel site - Limited - possible over the sheltered shallow cove and tunnel mouth (6-8m) on calm days, but the main attraction (arches, 45m drop-off) is scuba-only
Safety notes
45m drop-off carries real depth/narcosis/deco risk and requires Level 3 certification; boat traffic in the Calanques park in summer; landing on Île Maire/Tiboulen itself is prohibited; nearby archaeological protection zones (Cousteau triangle off Riou/Plane, Pointe de la Voile at Cap Morgiou) are fully closed to diving (adjacent area, not this exact site)
Permits & fees
No individual dive permit required, but the site sits inside Parc National des Calanques waters: wild anchoring is banned (mooring buoys/rings only), removal of any wildlife or archaeological remains is strictly forbidden, and a voluntary 2014 diving environmental charter applies to operators
Permits and operators change - confirm before booking.
Location
Nearest hub: Marseille
This profile is desk research, compiled from public sources - not a first-hand dive report. Coordinates are approximate.