The Cannes Underwater Eco-Museum is a snorkeling site off Sainte-Marguerite Island (Île Sainte-Marguerite), one of the Lérins Islands near Cannes. Created by Jason deCaires Taylor, it features six large underwater face sculptures set about 84 to 132 meters from shore at a depth of roughly 3 to 5 meters.
The site is designed as both public art and an artificial reef, making it one of the most unusual things to do around Cannes if you are comfortable swimming with a mask and snorkel.
While Cannes is better-known for its world-renowned film festival, pristine beaches, and world-class hotels, it's not hard to see why many choose to take a boat ride to visit the underwater museum.
Visiting the underwater eco-museum in Cannes
The Cannes Underwater Museum (Écomusée Sous-Marin)
The museum consists of six large face sculptures by Jason deCaires Taylor. They sit about 84 to 132 meters from shore and roughly 3 to 5 meters below the surface, which makes the site well suited to snorkeling. Diving with an oxygen tank isn't permitted without a permit. The entire area around the Underwater Museum is protected from boat mooring, so it is safer for visitors and better for the ecosystem.
If you're visiting the island during a boat cruise, you can moor close enough for a short swim to the museum. You can also use a tender to get closer than the yacht is allowed.
The Faces
David Lisnard, Mayor of Cannes, commissioned the museum to attract visitors and encourage biodiversity.
The faces, made of pH-neutral materials, are designed to be eco-friendly. They have thoughtfully designed nooks and crannies for fish and other sea life to hide in. The rough surfaces also make it easy for algae and corals to use as anchors.
Over time, the faces are expected to become an artificial reef to help the local sea life flourish and revitalize an important part of the Mediterranean Sea.
The museum is a sight to behold and should be on the to-do list of anyone visiting Cannes. The faces or masks, as they are also known, stand at 2m tall and weigh roughly ten tons each.
Every face depicted is of a member of the local community. These include Maurice, an 80-year-old fisherman, and another of Anouk, a 9-year-old elementary school pupil. Jason deCaires Taylor made 40 castings to begin with and then narrowed them down to the final six in the museum.
The split in the masks is deliberate and symbolic. The outer part symbolizes the Man in the Iron Mask's imprisonment. In contrast, the inner part symbolizes the performing arts linked to Cannes.
The inner and outer masks also symbolize the two different sides of the ocean. One represents the strength and brutality the ocean often expresses, and the other reminds us of its fragile ecosystem due to human activity.
Where Is the Cannes Underwater Eco-Museum?
The museum is in the Mediterranean Sea about 1.8 miles (3 km) from the mainland coast of Cannes. It is around 84 meters from the southern shore of Île Sainte-Marguerite, the largest of the Lérins Islands, and about 700 meters from Île Saint-Honorat.
How to Visit the Cannes Underwater Eco-Museum
A ferry service is available from the old port in Cannes. The trip to the Lérins Islands takes less than 20 minutes, but it offers very limited flexibility. You'll have to consider the ferry schedule as you plan your trip.
A private boat or yacht gives you more flexibility, especially if you want to combine the museum with other stops around Cannes or the Lérins Islands.
Île Sainte-Marguerite
Île Sainte-Marguerite is the largest of the Lérins Islands and one of the easiest escapes from Cannes. Fort Royal, forest paths, coves, and clear water make it worth more than a quick stop, especially if you want to pair the underwater museum with time on the island.
Jason deCaires Taylor's Other Underwater Projects
Spectacular as it is, Écomusée Sous-Marin isn't the only one of its kind. Jason deCaires Taylor is responsible for several similar museums and underwater sculpture parks. These include the stunning Museo Subacuático de Arte in Mexico.
Situated between the coasts of Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc in Cancún, MUSA is home to over 500 life-size human sculptures.
Other sculpture collections by this skillful artist include Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park in Grenada, Ocean Atlas in the Bahamas and Museo Atlántico in Spain.
Learn more about our experience at Écomusée Sous-Marin:
The Underwater Eco-Museum Adventure in Cannes
Filming in Côte d'Azur Day 2 - Exploring Écomusée Sous-Marin
Frequently Asked Questions About the Cannes Underwater Eco-Museum
Where is the Cannes Underwater Eco-Museum?
The Cannes Underwater Eco-Museum is off the southern shore of Île Sainte-Marguerite, one of the Lérins Islands near Cannes. The sculptures are set close enough to shore for confident swimmers and snorkelers.
Can you snorkel at the Cannes Underwater Eco-Museum?
Yes. The museum is designed for snorkeling, with the sculptures placed in shallow water. Diving with oxygen is not allowed at the museum unless you have a permit. Visitors should still be comfortable swimming in open water and should pay attention to local conditions before entering.
How deep are the sculptures at the Cannes Underwater Eco-Museum?
The sculptures are roughly 3 to 5 meters deep, making them visible to snorkelers in clear conditions.
Do you need a boat to visit the Cannes Underwater Eco-Museum?
You do not need a private boat if you visit Île Sainte-Marguerite by ferry from Cannes and swim from the island. A private boat or yacht charter can make the trip more flexible, but boats cannot moor directly over the protected museum area.
Who created the Cannes Underwater Eco-Museum?
The museum was created by Jason deCaires Taylor, an artist known for underwater sculptures designed to become part of the marine environment over time.
