formation niveau 1

Niveau 1 is the first full FFESSM certification, allowing the holder to dive under supervision down to 20 m. At URSRSA, the training begins in the pool at the Piscine Garibaldi during Wednesday evening sessions, covering the foundational skills before moving to open water for the qualification dives. The sea component typically takes place during one of the club's Mediterranean outings — Marseille, Cassis, Giens or Fréjus — or at the Chamagnieu freshwater site 30 minutes from Lyon.

The pool phase builds the core competencies: equipment handling, mask clearing, regulator recovery, buoyancy control and the emergency procedures required by FFESSM standards. The progression to open water lets candidates apply those skills in a real diving environment under the supervision of qualified instructors. The club has the technical director staff (Directeur Technique and Directeur Technique Adjoint) in place to run this training year-round.

Because URSRSA operates across pool, lake and Mediterranean environments, Niveau 1 candidates get exposure to different types of water before certification — a practical advantage over clubs that only run Mediterranean trips for their open-water phase. The Chamagnieu site in particular gives candidates a chance to log supervised dives in calm natural water close to Lyon without waiting for a weekend Mediterranean trip.

All instruction is conducted in French. No prior diving certification is required, though completing a baptême first is a natural way to confirm the activity is a good fit before committing to the full course.