Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
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Last updated on June 7, 2021
With its islets and black rocks jagged by the waves, Cap des Mèdes is one of the wildest sites in Porquerolles. Located at the northern tip of the island, more than 5km from the village, it is unspoiled and seldom frequented. On the shallow rocky bottoms and in Posidonia meadows, snorkelers can spot a multitude of red starfish and a diversity of local fish.
Cap des Mèdes is located at the northern tip of the island of Porquerolles, 5km from the village. From the village, you can reach the site by bike (about 50 minutes) or on foot (about 1:40). About twenty meters before the fort, a small path descends towards the cove on the left.
Get in the water from the small gravel beach.
The Cap des Mèdes site is very extensive. It is advisable to stay in the shallow area between the small beach and the western side of the cape, about 150m apart (the area indicated on the map above).
Very experienced snorkelers and freedivers can consider swimming around the cape. The eastern flank of the cape is prohibited to any form of fishing. You can also reach the Rochers des Deux Frères, which is famous for their superb drop-offs popular with scuba divers.
Swimming to the islets should be considered only in perfectly calm seas, and with a buoy.
In the main area, you can explore shallow rocky beds and extensive Posidonia meadows (↕1-12ft/0.5-4m). Near the cape, pretty drop offs plunge into the blue (↕+20ft/6m).
Throughout the location, including in shallow areas, there are many red starfish. Common two-banded seabream, European seabass, salema (abundant above seagrass), East-Atlantic peacock wrasse and striped red mullet are commonly seen on this spot.
The Cap des Mèdes is a natural site, where there is neither water nor food. The closest restaurants and mini markets are gathered in the village, 5km away.
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
