Diving and snorkeling at the Sanguinaires Islands

The seabed around the Sanguinaires, a Natura 2000 site, alternates between seagrass meadows, rocks and ledges of coralline algae just at the waterline. For scuba diving, the Grand Site points to three Ajaccio clubs: E Ragnole, Isula Plongée and Voce Mare. For snorkeling, you swim during the stop on Mezzu Mare or on trips with a swim stop (from €60). Without getting wet, a hydrofoil with an underwater bubble leaves Ajaccio (from €40, 4.5 out of 5 from 157 reviews).

The options

Prices checked on 9 November 2026 with Nave Va and GetYourGuide.

What lies beneath

The Grand Site describes three habitats:

• Posidonia seagrass, a flowering plant that forms meadows down to 40 m. It grows about 1 cm a year, shelters young fish and slows the waves. Its dead leaves, piled up on beaches, protect the sand.
• Coralline algae (Lithophyllum), fully calcified pink or purple algae that form a ledge where water meets air. They are among the first threatened by rising seas.
• Porphyry rocks, the underwater continuation of the islands.

Diving with a club

The Grand Site refers visitors to three Ajaccio clubs: E Ragnole, Isula Plongée and Voce Mare. They run try dives and explorations around the archipelago; ask them which sites are diveable given the weather and your level.

Good practice

Do not drop anchor in seagrass, do not walk on the coralline ledges, take nothing. The archipelago is a Natura 2000 site (Habitats directive and a special protection area for birds). To explore on the surface, see kayak and paddle; for the island stop, Mezzu Mare.