Page Contents
Travel the seabed to learn about the history of the most beautiful wrecks on the French coasts!
The seabed is full of shipwrecks, submarines, planes, and many more… Between abandonment, grounding, sinking, and fussing, the reasons for their presence are varied.
And to help you discover them, here are our top 10 of the most beautiful wrecks to see on the French coast!
The 10 Most Beautiful Wrecks To See on The French Coast
1. The Donator, Var
An Algerian ship engaged in the Second World War, and the Donator was responsible for transporting soldiers and equipment to the liberated areas. On November 10, on its trajectory between Marseille and Nice, the mistral forces it to follow the coast near Porquerolles.
That’s when disasters happen. It hits a drifting and dark mine at full speed…
2. Le Chariot, Bassin d’Arcachon
Between 1968 and 1971, underwater work was undertaken in the Arcachon Basin to create a pipeline and combat pollution.
Thus, it is not the wreckage of a boat, submarine, or airplane but the machine that buried and dug up the pipes.
The German company responsible for the work went bankrupt, so the Chariot was left behind.
People Also Read: The Complete France Travel Guide: All You Need To Know Visiting France
3. The B17, Corsica
Allied bomber aircraft left Italy, and it was on February 14, 1944, the B17 was attacked by the Germans, leaving it with no choice but to land.
2 of the 10 crew members died during the assault, and another remained trapped in the aircraft’s tail, whose location is still unknown.
4. Lebanon, Marseille
The liner made round trips between Marseille and Corsica, onboard passengers and couriers to and from the Metropolis. On June 7, 1903, Lebanon found itself face to face with another ship.
Following an error of incomprehension about the evasive manoeuvre, the two ships collided. Cut in half, the boat sank and took many passengers, trapped by the canvas supposed to protect them from the sun.
People Also Read: 6 Best Places To See Dolphins And Whales On The French Coast
5. Ruby, Var
The Ruby is the only survivor of the Sapphire submarine series of World War II. After dropping 683 mines and sinking about fifteen ships, she retired in 1946. She was finally scuttled on 31 July 1958 between Cavalaire and Saint-Tropez.
6. The U171, Brittany
It was in 1941 that this German submarine began its career. After his only mission in the Gulf of Mexico, he returned to Lorient.
On October 9, 1941, the ship hit a mine and sank in just a few minutes. While 30 sailors escaped unscathed, 22 others, unfortunately, remained prisoners.
7. L’Amoco Cadiz, Brittany
In March 1978, bar damage occurred while heading for Rotterdam with a cargo of 220,000 tons of crude oil on board. It then becomes impossible to steer the boat.
The Amoco Cadiz was then forced to ask for the assistance of tugs, but the sea was unleashed.
After several attempts, the ship finally hit rocks and ran aground, soiling the Breton coast. Fortunately, the crew was evacuated, but this shipwreck remains one of the most terrible oil spills in Breton history.
People Also Read: French Polynesia Vacation: An Exotic Journey With The Sweet Scent Of Tiaré Flower
8. Le Chaouen, Marseille
As the ship leaves Casablanca and heads toward Marseille, the holds full of citrus fruits crash into a rock, allowing water to enter and sink the vessel. Fortunately, the crew had enough time to evacuate the ship.
The front of the Chaouen sank after many different kinds of bad weather caused it to remain out of the water for a long time.
9. L’Alice-Robert, Occitanie
Initially used to transport bananas from the French colonies to France, the Alice-Robert was finally armed in 1939, then requisitioned by the Germans and transformed into an escort.
In June 1944, she was cut in two by an English submarine and sank off Port-Vendres on the Vermeille coast.
People Also Read: 6 Unusual Marine Animals To Discover In France
10. USS Susan B Anthony, Normandy
An American steam freighter assigned to the U.S. Navy, the USS Susan B Anthony was tasked with transporting troops and equipment to England.
In June 1944, following the captain’s decision to approach Omaha Beach, the ship struck a mine and sank. However, all the men on board (more than 2000) had time to evacuate the ship before it sank.
So, which of these wrecks on the French coast impresses you the most?
