Hey there! If you happen to be at the entrance of Callelongue cove, don't miss the chance to spot the remnants of an underwater cable car mechanism... Le Bonbon has done some digging to find out more!
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The incredible story of the Callelongue tele-scaphe
Let's go back in time to the 1960s when the enthusiasm for diving and underwater exploration exploded after the release of the film "The Silent World" by the famous Mr. Cousteau. Exploring the underwater world, yes, but without getting wet! To address this issue, inventors had a field day! It was James Couttet and engineer Denis Creissels who came up with the tele-scaphe, a mix between a cable car and a bathyscaphe.
20,000 eyes under the seas
© Callelongue's Telescaphe by Denis Creissels
Just imagine a cute little submarine! The glass cabins allowed visitors to explore the sea floor of the Calanques, going up to 10 meters deep and covering a distance of 500 meters! These small yellow bubbles could fit up to 4 people and were a huge hit, attracting nearly 30,000 visitors over 2 years. Unfortunately, this quirky attraction in Marseille had to close down due to high costs for operation and maintenance.
