Dive into the World of Silence at Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel
Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel, a rejuvenated 19th century architectural jewel on Nice's boardwalk, invites travellers to leave behind scuba tanks as they explore beneath the waves with the new ‘World of Silence’ experience. Led by Arthur Guérin-Boëri, the legendary French freediver, 5 time world champion, world record holder, and star of the documentary film ‘Sunny Boy’, this half-day freediving lesson is a different way to experience the French Riviera by escaping the noise, embracing the silence, and redefining one’s limits.
We had the opportunity to talk to Arthur about his career and learn more about his views and passion for freediving.
Q: Your career as a freediver has taken you to extraordinary depths and brought you numerous world records. Can you share a bit about what initially drew you to freediving and how this journey has shaped your life?
I discovered freediving as a child, watching The Big Blue, the famous movie by French filmmaker Luc Besson. The story is about Jacques Mayol, a legendary freediver. I really felt close to this character. At that time, I was enjoying freediving during my holidays in the south of France or in Corsica.
Later, at the age of 26, I was living in Paris after completing sound engineering school. I experienced what we call the “Spleen” in Paris—a kind of sadness and melancholy. Due to the very stressful Parisian life and my job at that time, I decided to change my situation by practising sports. It occurred to me that freediving has this image of “sport therapy,” so I decided to give it a try.
At a freediving club in Paris, it quickly became clear to me the huge impact the discipline could have on me—physically, physiologically, and mentally.
“I became a world champion for the first time two years later, in August 2013. Since then, I have become a five-time world champion and hold eight world records in different disciplines of freediving.”
Q: Freediving is often described as a meditative practice. How has mindfulness and meditation played a role in your career, and how do these practices influence your performance during record-setting dives?
It is true that freediving is very meditative. It elevates concentration to very high levels. This is directly correlated to breathing exercises and to the fact that we adapt to an environment that is not natural for us.
“As air-breathing mammals living on Earth, mastering freediving requires a high level of adaptation, relaxation, visualisation, and concentration.”
The state we achieve before diving, thanks to our preparation, is mandatory for a successful performance. It helps us manage relaxation, risk-taking, hydrostatic pressure, and overcoming the survival reflex to breathe. Everything in freediving is influenced by the meditative state we reach before we dive. The practice of freediving itself is meditative. I have never needed to practise meditation separately from my training.
Q: The French Riviera is known for its stunning coastline. How does the environment here enhance the freediving experience, and what do you hope participants will discover about themselves during the half-day lesson?
“Nice, and especially the nearby areas, is the ‘Mecca’ of freediving in France and one of the greatest places in the world to practise freediving.”
It has a long history of freediving. This is where modern freediving competitions began as they are today. Many champions live and train in Nice, and we also host the national depth championships every year.
The Bay of Villefranche—our playground—is perfect: it’s a large, almost enclosed bay that protects us from currents and waves. The water is clear and deep enough for practising freediving—essentially a big natural pool!
Participants will have the opportunity to experience this discipline in the best conditions, with personal coaching from an official freediving instructor and myself. We will guide them on a journey to discover their capabilities, experience new feelings, and explore a new world beneath the surface.
The experience starts with a complete briefing, followed by a breathing and relaxation workshop, inspired by my 12 years of competition but accessible to anyone. Finally, the best part: diving in the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea. My instructor and I will invite clients to experiment with deep diving, with appropriate coaching and safety measures, of course.
Q: Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel provides a unique backdrop on the French Riviera. How does your collaboration with the hotel through “The World of Silence” reflect your philosophy of freediving, particularly in relation to mindfulness and pushing beyond personal limits?
My wish in collaborating with the Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel is to give guests the unique opportunity to experience freediving in the best conditions. This includes a personal quest toward our limits, but never exceeding them.
The goal is to enjoy the process and feel the significant benefits of this discipline. The added value of this experience is being guided by a five-time world champion and an officially certified freediving instructor, ensuring the finest coaching.
Q: For those new to freediving, what advice would you give to help them overcome the initial fears and truly connect with the underwater world? What do you hope they take away from this experience?
The first piece of advice would be to forget about performance and focus on relaxation and mindfulness. Freediving is an inner journey.
As the greatest freediving champion of all time, Natalia Molchanova, said:
“Freediving is not a sport;
it’s a way to understand who we are.”
I hope that participants will come away with a better understanding of themselves, increased self-confidence, and perhaps a new passion.
The half-day “World of Silence” freediving experience starts from €1,400 per person, €1,700 for two people, with group dives available for up to four people. For more information, please visit https://www.anantara.com/en/plaza-nice.