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Scuba diver in wetsuit collecting a sea urchin from a boat in the ocean.
📷 Kindel Media · Pexels

Abalone

3.8 — based on 23 community signals
4.1 12 species 17 contributors

Year-round diving at Abalone in France's Baie de Mzouazia, featuring healthy coral and diverse marine life.

⭐ Best for beginners.

updated 4 months ago
Difficulty
Beginner
Shore entryFamily-friendlyHealthyReef

At a glance

Activity
dive
Difficulty
beginner
Best months
Year-round
Marine life
Green sea turtle

Top operators here

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Map

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Abalone location map © Google · Map data © Google, contributors
Open in Google Maps

Conditions today

Conditions

Open-Meteo
Wind
0.4 kn
Wave
1.06 m
Water
27.5°C
N E S W
Wind direction (7d)
Primary: SE (26%)
Now: W (270°)
Tide (7 days)
range: 3.73m

Next: Low at 22:00 (-1.21m)

+2.5 m0 m-1.2 m
▼ 22:00 · -1.21m ▲ 04:00 · +2.44m ▼ 10:00 · -1.22m ▲ 17:00 · +2.38m Now +1.0m
Fri 11Sat 12Sun 13Mon 14Tue 15Wed 16Thu 17
UV8.6 · very high Air PM2.511 · good 05:56 17:55
Day Wind Wave UV Rain
09-11 11.2 1.34 9 0mm
09-12 7.1 0.98 9 0mm
09-13 8.4 0.84 9 1mm
09-14 5.4 0.88 8 0mm
09-15 6.5 1.32 8 3mm
09-16 11.3 1.34 9 1mm
09-17 5.9 1.1 9 2mm

About this spot

Abalone sits in the Baie de Mzouazia, a sheltered bight on France's coast offering accessible diving throughout the year. The site maintains healthy coral conditions with no bleaching stress, making it a reliable destination for divers seeking stable underwater ecosystems. Twelve documented species observations confirm solid biodiversity at the location. The site draws divers year-round, suggesting consistent conditions across seasons. Community video content—three available—provides real-world perspective on what to expect underwater. While specific depth and difficulty ratings aren't published, the year-round accessibility indicates manageable conditions for most diving levels. Abalone remains outside marine protected areas, which keeps access straightforward. The presence of species observation data and community-generated video content reflects active diver interest and regular visits. This combination of healthy coral, documented marine life, and accessible year-round diving makes Abalone a solid choice for France-based divers.

📖 Guide: Diving in France: 220 Sites From Alpine Lakes to Tropical Reefs

Best months

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Marine life

Green sea turtle

Dive types

ReefShore

Trip essentials

Everything you need before you pack — checklist, sun, logistics.

Trip checklist

  • 🛂 Visa-free or visa-on-arrival
  • 📜 C-card + dive insurance (DAN)
  • 📔 Dive logbook
  • 🧴 Reef-safe sunscreen SPF 50+
  • 🔌 Plug type C/E/F · 230V adapter
  • 💊 Seasickness meds + ear drops
  • 📱 Offline maps + emergency contact

Quick facts

  • 🌑 Moon New moon · 0%
  • GPS
Sustainability disclosures
🌍 CO2 footprint LHR ↔ 8397km · ~1931kg · €35

FAQ

When is the best time to dive Abalone?

Abalone is diveable year-round, with consistent conditions throughout the seasons. No seasonal closures or significant weather windows are documented.

What's the depth and difficulty level?

Specific depth and difficulty ratings are not published for this site. Check with local dive operators or community videos for current conditions before your visit.

What marine life will I see?

Twelve species have been documented at Abalone, and the site shows no coral bleaching stress. Community videos provide visual reference for expected marine encounters.

Do I need permits or is this in a protected area?

Abalone is not located inside a marine protected area, so standard diving access applies. Check local French diving regulations before your trip.

Operators near this spot

Dive centres, kite & surf schools within 10 km, sourced from OpenStreetMap.

Recently spotted by divers

iNaturalist →

Verified marine species observations

5 records · 5 species · sources: OBIS, GBIF

Grapsus fourmanoiri

Malacostraca · Grapsidae
GBIF
Last seen:
14 Feb 2026
×1records

Gelasimus tetragonon

Malacostraca · Ocypodidae
GBIF
Last seen:
1 Feb 2026
×1records

Elisolimax comorensis

Gastropoda · Urocyclidae
GBIF
Last seen:
23 Jan 2026
×1records

Ophiocoma scolopendrina

Ophiuroidea · Ophiocomidae
GBIF
Last seen:
19 Jan 2026
×1records

Tropidophora xanthocheila

Gastropoda · Pomatiidae
GBIF
Last seen:
7 Jan 2026
×1records

Data: 187,991 observations from OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System) and GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility). CC-BY 4.0.

See this spot in action

YouTube videos — click to play.

HYB Vlog#19 | Freediving Girl's Abalone Diving | Abandoned Baby Abalone Pools | Wild Abalone Dish

FiDive Freediving
💬 2 top comments
  • Love this chan. So cool

    @dereklavington6629 · 👍 0
  • ~❤ 💟 💓 💗

    @taeyeonsnsd9891 · 👍 0

Shelling & Diving in Tikehau, French Polynesia - Shells Everywhere!

Ellie's Sea Gems
💬 3 top comments
  • You have one of the best shelling channels on YT. The colors and clarity of the underwater videos is beautiful, thanks!

    @whiteschnauzerkayla8311 · 👍 8
  • Great educational video! And I’m so happy to see you retiring them back each time. 💚

    @jackalacka7 · 👍 1
  • You do the best shell hunting video's on the internet.

    @jasondelgatty3583 · 👍 6

The Most DANGEROUS Dive Site on Earth | Diving Gone Wrong

Scary Interesting
💬 3 top comments
  • To anyone wondering, that wheezing sound is just his regulator squeaking. They do that sometimes. He wasn't struggling or panicking or wheezing until he looked at his gauge and saw how deep he was. When you're in deep water like that, you can't tell how fast you're sinking at all. It can feel like you're sitting still, but you could be plummeting. Always keep track of your depth.

    @factorem9327 · 👍 17000
  • The moment the camera shifts from Yuri’s struggle to suddenly being on the surface is one of the eeriest things I have ever seen.

    @cruelseason · 👍 2900
  • Underwater photographer here. The cap Yuri puts on his camera is a colour filter that helps offset the intense blue of underwater shots. The warmth of his filter is usually only for very deep filming - suggesting he always intended to go deep.

    @emit5586 · 👍 1600
wind peaks Jul-Jun-May, calmest Sep-Nov-Dec, dry Mar-Dec.

5-year monthly climate

60 samples
0 5 10 15 20 25 JFMAMJJASOND
p25–p75 range Median Wind (kn) Air (°C)

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