All article tags: Ponant

Discover the North Pole aboard the Commander Charcot

Inaugurated just a month ago, Commander Charcot is the first expedition ship to explore the polar lands. Running on liquefied natural gas, it meets Ponant's ecological commitments to the letter ... Zoom in on this unique, completely revolutionary vessel. - Commander Charcot: the first ship to explore the polar lands On September 30, Commander Charcot - named after the famous French explorer - joined the fleet of PONANT, leader in luxury cruises. The fruit of 6 years of work, the flagship of the French pavilion has traveled 1200 kilometers in the North Pole. A precious region full of breathtaking landscapes… At its helm, we find Commander Etienne Garcia. Passionate about the polar environment for 20 years, this ice expert has participated in the location and mapping of original routes such as the first crossing of the Northwest Passage. He is accompanied by Patrick Marchesseau, commander for PONANT since 2004, and since 2010 on polar expedition cruises. On the footbridge of Commander Charcot, the eternal adventurers ...

Embark on a luxury cruise with Ponant!

For more than 30 years, the crew of experienced professionals, the impeccable service and the high gastronomy served on board have made Ponant the ultimate benchmark for luxury cruises and expeditions around the world. The history of Ponant in a few key dates… A young officer in the Merchant Navy and passionate about travel, Jean-Emmanuel SAUVEE decided to launch an innovative concept: promoting the art of sea travel in the greatest French tradition. We are then in 1986 and the project is still called “The French way of Sea”. Two years later, La Compagnie des îles du Ponant was born, initiated by 14 young shareholders, freshly graduated from the Merchant Navy. The adventure really began when the project for the ship Le Ponant – which means west in Latin – was launched in 1989. This mythical sailboat was ready two years later at the shipyards of Villeneuve-La-Garenne and in May 1991 , he cast off and made his first cruise, heading for the mythical Caribbean archipelago. The year 2007 represents a new important turning point for the house …