Port-Cros National Park Mirko Ronsmans, co-manager, diving instructor Bormes Plongée – Bormes-les-Mimosas

Born and raised in Belgium, Mirko Ronsmans arrived in France in 1996. His first contact with the water, with a tank on his back,

was in the swimming pool with my father, who was passionate about diving.

After a short two-year course at medical school,

I realized that this wasn't what I wanted to do, so I turned to diving and enrolled in a training course that was quite innovative at the time, called "Agent polyvalent des métiers de la plongée". Scheduled to last a year in Argelès, it included several qualifications: a state diving diploma, courses in English, accountancy, mechanics, a lifeguard's certificate and training as a marine biology initiator.

There he met a teacher who ran a nautical base in Bormes-les-Mimosas with his future partner, Stéphane Besset. Mirko landed a summer internship with him at the "Alizée aventure" club, and became a partner at the end of the 98 season. He completed his training with a diploma as a swimming sports educator (BEESAN) and a federal^2nd degree diving diploma (MF2). The "Bormes plongée" adventure began four years later.

We were frustrated by the fact that we only offered diving courses on the beach, and we wanted to go to Port-Cros. So, when we met a professional who had a boat and needed support, we teamed up.

Mirko and Stéphane worked with both entities until 2009, before concentrating on Bormes Plongée. Their first collaboration with the National Park dates back to 2004

when we took part in the campaign to eradicate Caulerpa taxifolia in Port-Cros. We then became partners of the establishment through the diving charter.

The structure has grown

with the desire to offer quality services, and to remain on a human scale: not to become a factory for divers... In fact, our slogan in 2000 was already " A shared passion, a different spirit.

In 2012, Bormes Plongée, a partner of the local tourist office, became the first diving club in France to be awarded the "Qualité tourisme France" label.

This reinforced our desire to go even further in the quality of our welcome.

The club was also awarded the "Blue Ocean" label for its commitment to eco-responsibility (SSI certification), and joined François Sarrano's "Longitude 181" association to speak up for marine animals. The Esprit Parc National brand?

We quickly realized that it corresponded not only to our personal convictions, but also to our desire to promote our strong point, which is offering dives in the waters of the National Park. So, as we had hoped, it will give us a further boost. And it also reinforces our determination to defend the diving regulations, because we're well aware that this environment is our livelihood: the more the regulations are respected, the more our business will survive. I joined the Conseil Économique Social et Culturel du Parc national de Port-Cros in 2022 as rapporteur for the nautical commission, which strengthens our ties with the Park, and we're very happy to forge new ones through the brand with other local players.