École Internationale d'Apnée ( stage d'apnée, stage chasse sous-marine, randonnée palmée, boutique apnée et chasse)
Rte du Port du Niel, 83400 Hyères, France, Hyères, Var, FRA
About the Center
The École Internationale d'Apnée, located in Hyères, France, is a center offering a comprehensive range of courses in freediving, spearfishing, and snorkeling. Certified by PADI, SSI, and CMAS/FFESSM, it provides training such as Advanced Open Water, Instructor Development Course, Freediving, Snorkeling, and FFESSM Levels 1, 3, and 4 (Guide Palanquée). The facility's amenities include lockers, WiFi, a restaurant, a bar, equipment rental, a dive shop, air fills (nitrox), and night diving. Airport transfers are also available.
The school is distinguished by its tailored approach, offering customized and personalized training for each student. This includes beginner freediving courses as well as specializations like AIDA freediving, PADI Freediver, and FFESSM. Furthermore, they provide spearfishing courses, a mermaid school, and first aid training (RIFA & EFR).
The École Internationale d'Apnée is more than just a training facility; it's a hub for underwater enthusiasts. They operate a dedicated shop for freediving and spearfishing, stocking specialized equipment. The school operates year-round, open seven days a week, ensuring that enthusiasts can enjoy freediving safely and professionally.
With a focus on safety and personalized experience, the school invites individuals to explore the underwater world through freediving and other aquatic activities. Its location in Hyères, France, coupled with its multilingual capabilities (though French is the primary language spoken), makes it an appealing choice for both domestic and international divers.
Available Courses
5 cursosPADI e-learning training with certification included (online theoretical training)
Cours théoriques PADI en ligne avec certification incluse, combinant manuel et vidéos.
Snorkeling
Excursion de snorkeling à Hyères, dirigée par un moniteur certifié, adaptée aux groupes à partir de 8 ans.
Advanced Mermaid PADI niveau 3
Level 3 is the top tier of the PADI mermaid programme, and Jean-Luc Casares is one of the few instructors in France holding the PADI Mermaid Instructor Trainer rating — meaning he can validate both the certification and the instructor pathway. At this level the technical and artistic components of mermaiding are developed together: breath control tied to apnea technique, monofin performance, figure work and safety protocols specific to mermaid diving. Sessions take place in the sea around the Presqu'île de Giens, where the protected coves and clear Mediterranean water provide good conditions for this kind of work. The school has been running mermaid training since 2015, making it one of the earliest structured programmes of this kind in the world. Students who have trained here include the 2017 Miss Mermaid France (Marie Potosniak, known as Galathée la Sirène) and the 1st runner-up at Miss Mermaid International 2017. That context matters: the techniques taught at niveau 3 are the same ones used by professionals performing at aquariums and events. Marie Potosniak is active within the school and participates in mermaid sessions. Reaching niveau 3 requires prior completion of the PADI Mermaid and Advanced Mermaid prerequisites. The programme at Hyères combines pool work and open-water sessions at the Presqu'île de Giens. Equipment used at this level typically includes silicone monofins; students have trained here with tails from Magictail, FinFun, Mertailor and custom silicone makers, depending on what they bring. The school also carries Magictail products for sale and rental. The course price is 150€ and covers the PADI Advanced Mermaid niveau 3 certification. Certification fees and equipment rental are listed separately in the school's booking system. PADI e-learning for the theoretical component is available at 50 to 80€ and can be completed before arriving.
Apnée niveau 3 — Advanced Freediver
This is the level 3 freediving course, validated across AIDA, PADI and FFESSM/CMAS depending on the certification pathway chosen. Jean-Luc Casares holds Maître Instructeur status with AIDA and is a PADI Instructor Trainer for freediving, which means both certifications can be issued here without going through a third party. At niveau 3 / Advanced Freediver, training moves into deeper constant-weight dives, extended static apnea, and more refined dynamic technique. The sea around the Presqu'île de Giens provides the open-water component, with sessions at sites including Pointe des Chevaliers and, for students ready for it, the wreck of the Cimentier offshore. Student accounts from the guest book give a concrete sense of the progression here. One student went from 6 metres depth and 1 minute 10 seconds of static apnea to 27 metres and 4 minutes 20 seconds over four to five months of sessions. Another completed AIDA 4 at this school after a progression that started at beginner level. The methodology Jean-Luc uses combines technical instruction (descent and ascent mechanics, equalization, finning technique) with diet and naturopathy, for which he holds certifications from Shaw Academy. That combination of sport and wellbeing runs through the curriculum across all levels. Static apnea work is done both on dry land and in water. Dry sessions are available separately at 20€ per session, including training table configuration — useful for students working on their static times between course days. Pool sessions use a heated pool at a partner facility. The open-water component is conducted in the Mediterranean, where conditions in summer run consistently calm in the protected bays around Giens. The 150€ price covers the niveau 3 course itself. Certification fees are handled separately through the relevant federation (AIDA, PADI or FFESSM). Equipment rental at 5 to 20€ covers fins, mask, wetsuit and weights for students who don't bring their own. A FFESSM licence is not required for the freediving certification pathway but is needed for the spearfishing track.
RIFA Apnée — Réaction d'Intervention face aux Accidents d'Apnée
The RIFA Apnée course covers emergency response specific to freediving accidents — the protocols, recognition and intervention techniques for syncope, hypoxia and other apnea-related incidents. Jean-Luc Casares is an EFR Instructor Trainer (Emergency First Response, PADI) and holds the FFESSM Antéor designation, RIFAA and RIFA PSM qualifications among others. That combination means the first aid instruction at this school goes several layers deeper than a basic rescue course. The guest book documents a participant from La Ciotat who completed the RIFA course and singled out Jean-Luc's pedagogical approach — the ability to share complex emergency protocols in a way that sticks. The course is required for anyone pursuing instructor ratings in freediving or spearfishing under FFESSM, and is recommended for anyone leading groups in the water. Sessions combine theory with practical intervention scenarios. Pricing and scheduling are confirmed directly with the school.
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What people ask before booking
Jean-Luc Casares is an Instructor Trainer for both AIDA (levels 1–4 plus monopalme) and PADI (freediving levels 1–4 and instructor rating, mermaid levels 1–3 and instructor rating). He also validates FFESSM/CMAS levels for freediving and spearfishing up through the instructor pathway. You can go from a first-timer to instructor within the same school.
The school's primary language of instruction is French. The listed international clientele includes participants from the United States, England and Germany, so some English and German communication is part of the school's normal operation. The guest book includes a student who trained through gesture-based communication when there was a language barrier.
Rental is listed as a separate line item. It covers fins, mask, snorkel, wetsuit, weight belt and weights, sanitized between sessions. The cost is 5 to 20€ depending on the items needed. For spearfishing sessions, a speargun can be rented at 20€ if the student doesn't own one; students under 16 receive a foene (pole spear) instead.
Snorkeling outings (randonnée palmée) are open from age 8 with no stated upper age limit. For spearfishing courses, spearguns are restricted to students 16 and older by regulation. Freediving and mermaid course age requirements are not specified beyond what the relevant federation mandates.
No prior experience is required to begin. Level 1 courses across AIDA, PADI and FFESSM are designed for complete beginners. The school has trained students who had never freedived before and brought them to advanced certification, as documented in the guest book. A standalone theory-plus-prevention-plus-static-apnea session at 50€ is also available for those who want an introductory session before committing to a full course.
Sessions take place in the sea around the Presqu'île de Giens, 50 metres from the school. Named sites include Pointe des Chevaliers and the wreck of the Cimentier offshore. Underwater caves in the area are also used. The exact sites depend on conditions and the level of the group.
A FFESSM licence is required for spearfishing certification and provides civil liability coverage for underwater hunting activities. The school offers FFESSM licences at 60 to 160€ depending on category. The relevant page at ffessm.fr is referenced for insurance details.
Yes. The mermaid programme starts at level 1 and does not require prior freediving certification. Jean-Luc is a PADI Mermaid Instructor Trainer, which means he can certify students up to level 3 and validate mermaid instructor ratings. Marie Potosniak (Galathée la Sirène), a professional mermaid and former Miss Mermaid France 2017, is associated with the school and co-facilitates mermaid sessions.