French Authorities Confirm Camarat 4 As Deepest Shipwreck In French Waters At 2,567m

The single most important new development is the formal confirmation that Camarat 4 is the deepest shipwreck ever found in French territorial waters, resting at 2,567 meters off Ramatuelle, and mapped by the CEPHISMER/DRASSM team using an A6K autonomous underwater drone.

“Camarat 4: the deepest shipwreck ever found in France”

Science et vie

This unprecedented depth means the wreck escaped salvage and tourism disruption, preserving a Renaissance Ligurian cargo in near-pristine condition and offering an unusually intact snapshot of long-distance Mediterranean trade.

Science et vie

The initial description from French authorities frames Camarat 4 as the deepest known shipwreck in French waters, a distinction reinforced by abyssal-mapping technology to image a 30-meter hull and its cargo.

The discovery is repeatedly highlighted as a landmark for deep-sea archaeology, with researchers emphasizing the depth as central to its preservation and scientific value.

Archaeologists confirm the wreck is a 16th-century Ligurian merchant vessel carrying around 200 faience jars and roughly 100 yellow plates.

The monograms IHS on some ceramics point to religious connections and Savona/Albisola workshop production.

Stile Arte

Six cannons remain on the hull along with a large anchor and two bronze cauldrons; the cargo seems to have been targeted for North Africa or Levantine markets.

The wreck's Ligurian origin is reinforced by cargo layout and ceramics that originated in Savona/Albisola workshops.

Depth explains why it's the deepest shipwreck found in French waters, preserving details that shallower wrecks lose.

“For a while, it looked like just another anomaly on a sonar screen”

The Daily Galaxy

The water temperature and oxygen absence preserve wood and ceramics.

One clue: stern appears unusually empty, raising the possibility of cargo distribution or leakage.

This combination makes Camarat 4 a rare, time-capsule snapshot of Renaissance Mediterranean trade.

DRASSM and CEPHISMER plan multi-year investigations including 3D photogrammetric mapping, structural analysis, ceramics study, and limited object recovery for conservation.

Objects recovered will be restored and either returned to sea or displayed in museums.

The Times of India

The objective is to protect while expanding understanding without exhausting the site.

This work is part of a broader national strategy to master deep-sea heritage.

The cargo’s composition offers a cross-check of Ligurian port networks and privateers.

“Camarat 4: the deepest shipwreck ever found in France”

Science et vie

The discovery underscores the value of deep-sea preservation for archaeology and the risk of contamination.

Science et vie

Non-Western and local sources emphasize the time-capsule nature and call for continued protection.

The find provides tangible evidence of Renaissance trade routes between Liguria and the Maghreb.