Etoile De Mer Senlisienne
9 Av. Georges Clemenceau, 60300 Senlis, France, Senlis, Oise, FRA
About the Center
L'Étoile De Mer Senlisienne, a dive center based in Senlis, France, offers a comprehensive range of courses for all levels, from Discover Scuba Diving to the Instructor Development Course (IDC). The center is SSI certified and also provides training in Freediving, Deep Diver, and FFESSM levels (Niveau 2, Niveau 3, and Niveau 4 Guide Palanquée).
Facilities at the center include lockers, a bar, and a swimming pool for training, along with equipment rental and air fills (including nitrox). The dive center is equipped to facilitate a variety of diving experiences, catering to both beginners and experienced divers looking to advance their skills or explore specific specialties.
The club demonstrates a strong commitment to inclusivity, having recently organized the first part of the EHN1 training (Instructor for Disabled People Level 1) to support individuals with moderate disabilities in their diving practice. This initiative allows instructors to acquire the necessary skills for safe and respectful accompaniment, fostering a more open and accessible diving experience for everyone.
L'Étoile De Mer Senlisienne also excels in the realm of freediving, as evidenced by the recent achievements of its freedivers at the Hauts-de-France Championships. Several titles were secured, including champions in static and dynamic apnea with a monofin, showcasing the club's high level of performance and the dedication of its members. One of their freedivers has even qualified for the French AIDA team and will be participating in the world championships.
Beyond its training offerings and competitive activities, the club fosters enjoyment and camaraderie. It provides opportunities for night dives and features a bar where members can relax and share their experiences. The language spoken at the center is Italian, which may be an advantage for some visitors.
Available Courses
2 cursosPréparation Niveau 1 (Plongeur Encadré 20 m)
The level 1 course at EDMS is the first formal FFESSM qualification, and the whole thing — theory and final exam — is handled within the club by diploma-holding instructors. Pool training takes place Thursday evenings from 21h00 to 22h00 at the covered municipal pool in Senlis. Once you have the level 1, you can dive to 20 metres accompanied by an instructor at any FFESSM-affiliated club in France. The practical component includes pool work and fosse sessions at the UCPA facility in Villeneuve-la-Garenne, where depths reach 7 to 20 metres. These are the conditions in which most of the skill assessments take place. You'll also do natural-environment dives, which are a required part of the certification process. The course covers equipment management, buoyancy basics, and the foundations of safe diving practice. There's no strong current, no cold water exposure, and no technical complexity — just solid fundamentals in a supervised setting. The club organises the final exam (both theory and practical) directly, so you don't need to coordinate with an external structure for level 1. Membership comes as a pack: FFESSM licence + club membership + training package, which includes fosse sessions, a dive logbook, the FFESSM passport, and a level card. A valid medical certificate or CACI is required before you start.
Préparation Niveau 2 (Plongeur Autonome 20 m / Encadré 40 m)
Level 2 at EDMS is a step up in both theory and water time. Wednesday evening sessions run from 20h30 to 22h00 at the Senlis pool, and the club handles both training and the final exam internally — same as level 1, no need to go through an external body. The qualification unlocks autonomous diving to 20 metres and supervised diving to 40 metres. The theory load here is noticeably heavier than level 1: dive tables, physiology, the main laws of physics relevant to diving. The club runs these theoretical courses at its own premises on Avenue Georges Clémenceau. Open-water dives in natural environments are mandatory for the validation, and the club organises these as part of the programme. Fosse sessions continue at Villeneuve-la-Garenne (7–20 m). Members who've taken this path have later gone on to validate level 3 through the CTD Oise — two recent examples, Antony and Julie, completed their level 3 at the CTD's annual stage in Boulouris after having done the theoretical preparation at the club. The membership pack for diving includes the FFESSM licence, club membership, and the full training package with fosse sessions, logbook, FFESSM passport, and level card.
Services
Facilities
Specialties
Brands they work with
Destinations & trips
Recommended dive sites
The spots this centre offers its students
Gallery(10)
Climate
Annual average
Monthly historical data to plan your dives
User Reviews
Frequently asked
What people ask before booking
The club is affiliated with the FFESSM (Fédération Française d'Etudes et de Sports Sous-Marins), number 09600511. All levels follow the FFESSM framework.
Level 1 and level 2 are both taught and examined within the club by qualified instructors. Levels 3 and 4 are validated through the CTD Oise (Commission Technique Départementale). Nitrox training is also offered.
Yes. Under current FFESSM regulations, a medical certificate or CACI is required for all three disciplines — scuba, freediving, and finswimming — before you can practise.
Yes. The club has trained five EHN1-certified instructors (Encadrant Handicap Niveau 1), the FFESSM qualification for supervising divers with moderate disabilities. Adapted sessions have already been run at the municipal pool.
Scuba level 1 training runs Thursday evenings 21h00–22h00. Higher scuba levels train Wednesday evenings 20h30–22h00. Freediving is Tuesday evenings 20h30–22h00. Finswimming is Monday evenings 20h30–22h00. All pool sessions are at the covered pool in Senlis, outside school holidays.
Yes. The club has run trips to Galéria in Corsica (where several members passed their level 1 and level 2 in open water), Giens on the Mediterranean (including Nitrox dives), and Marseille's Frioul archipelago. These trips are organised within the club for members.
Yes. The club runs separate sections for freediving (apnée) and finswimming (nage avec palmes), each with its own training sessions, membership pack, and FFESSM certification pathway. Finswimming is open from age 16.
The club premises are at 9 Avenue Georges Clémenceau, 60300 Senlis. You can drop by on Wednesdays from 20h00. Pool sessions are at the covered municipal pool in Senlis on Mondays and Wednesdays from 20h30.