Scandola Marine Reserve
Corsica · France
France's first UNESCO World Heritage marine reserve, Scandola is a cathedral of volcanic red cliffs plunging into posidonia meadows thick with life. Dusky grouper patrol the rocky overhangs with remarkable fearlessness, while moray eels weave through sea fans and crimson gorgonians. The reserve's strict no-take status since 1975 has produced one of the Mediterranean's most intact ecosystems — every dive feels like stepping back centuries.
Conditions
Depth
5 to 40 m
Advanced depths
Current
Usually still
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
15 to 30 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
13 to 28°C
3mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 21 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 20 | 17 | 14 |
| Vis (m) | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 15 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Still | Still | Still | Still | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Tyrrhenian Wall Lizard
Last confirmed Jul 3, 2026 · 65 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Dusky Grouper
Last confirmed Oct 31, 2025 · 10 records
Very likely
Most dives
Mediterranean Moray
Last confirmed Jul 6, 2025 · 1 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Red Coral
Last confirmed Sep 18, 2025 · 1 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Osprey
Last confirmed Jun 8, 2026 · 6 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Saddled Seabream
Last confirmed May 30, 2026 · 13 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
European Pond Turtle
Last confirmed Jun 5, 2026 · 13 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
European Barracuda
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear