Recently, thanks to our partner AG2R La Mondiale, the Pure Ocean team took an educational field trip to visit the SAGA, the “yellow submarine” invented by Jacques-Yves Cousteau. This technological wonder from the 80s is kept in L’Estaque and maintained by a local non-profit organisation: Les Compagnons du SAGA.

In 1966, Jacques-Yves Cousteau invented a submarine called the Argyronète: an innovative, autonomous and propelled underwater “house”. A first convention was signed for this project that same year, but it had to be abandoned for economic reasons. 

In the early 80s, the COMEX, world leader in deep-water intervention, decided to take over the project. They acquired the hull of the Argyronète, put the team back together and restarted the project, this time under the name SAGA. 

The submarine was baptised in 1987, but the project had to be abandoned in 1990 for financial, security and other reasons. Since then, it has been retrieved by the Compagnons du SAGA organisation and kept in the shed at L’Estaque that used to shelter the workshops during its construction. 

Numerous technologies were developed during the elaboration of this submarine, all important in the context of the progress of French technological know-how. For the Pure Ocean team, who believes in the potential of technology and innovation to foster progress, this visit was the opportunity to discover a technological wonder, and we came out impressed. 

We warmly thank the Compagnons du SAGA organisation for their hearty welcome and for having shared their passion and experience with us. They are very generous people.