New Finds from 17th-Century French Warship La Lune Revealed in Toulon Excavation

From July 6-10, 2026, an underwater excavation revealed artifacts from La Lune, a French warship that sank near Toulon in 1664. This operation, spearheaded by DRASSM in collaboration with the Maritime Prefecture of the Mediterranean and the French Navy, employed deep diving techniques and underwater robotics. Six divers from CEPHISMER worked alongside two remotely operated vehicles, Hilarion and Deep Trekker, to document the site. CEPHISMER also trialed new electronic rebreathers for dives reaching depths of 120 meters. La Lune, which was constructed during the reign of Louis XIII, went down on November 6, 1664, with more than 900 people on board. Recent discoveries include a bronze cannon, plates, a glass flask, and additional artifacts, some of which are now housed at the Musée national de la Marine in Paris.