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Islands and cities of the Mediterranean

Kid Explorers Club in partnership with MAUD FONTENOY FOUNDATION and with featured guest Maud Fontenoy, sailor and ambassador to the Ministry of National Education and Youth for education at sea and sea classes.

Starting in Athens, step aboard Le Bougainville for an 8-day cruise between Greece and the majestic Maltese coast.

LeBougainville will then head towards Paros. Nestling in the heart of the Cyclades archipelago, this island reputed for its sublime white marble offers a real concentration of Greek beauty, from whitewashed houses to olive groves to ancient monuments.

This cruise will also enable you to discover Hydra, a small island of old-worldly charm where motorised traffic is banned.

You will then sail south for the charming Monemvasia. A romantic haven for the Athenians, this magnificent peninsula conserves treasures of Venetian and Byzantine architecture in the small vaulted streets of its fortified medieval village, which feature thousands of shades of ochre.

At the crossroads of the Agean and Ionian seas and Crete, a lost paradise called Kythira will transport you into a universe whose watchwords are wonderment and tranquillity. The island, the birthplace of Aphrodite in mythology, has inspired poets like Baudelaire and painters like Watteau with its enchanting landscapes.

When the ship calls at Pylos, you will explore the ruins of the Palace of Nestor, one of the heroes of the Trojan War.

You will take the sea to discover Taormina, overlooking Etna's blanket of snow. Its streets will lead you to its famed ancient Greek theatre, where the quality of the acoustics is exceptional.

Your cruise will come to an end in Valletta, capital of the island of Malta and former stronghold of the Knights of the Order of Malta. 

At the heart of the Greek islands

Kid Explorers Club in partnership with MAUD FONTENOY FOUNDATION.

The Greek Islands, from the Peloponnese to the Cyclades via the Dodecanese, are enchanting, bewitching and captivating. From the sheer coastlines bordered by paradisiacal turquoise waters to the archaeological sites that are as emblematic as they are monumental, let yourself fall under the spell of these jewels of the Aegean Sea. From Athens, set sail aboard L'Austral for an 8-day cruise in the heart of the most beautiful Greek islands.

In the Dodecanese archipelago, where St. John is said to have written the Apocalypse, the island of Patmos, known as "the Jerusalem of the Aegean Sea", reveals itself to offer you a moment suspended between unique landscapes of white-sand beaches and rocky bays.

Planted with forests of cypress trees and olive groves, Symi is bewitching. The shimmering colours of its dwellings and surrounding nature make it a real paradise for those seeking tranquillity and serenity.

You will now head towards the most easterly part of the Cyclades. Amorgos, or the island in the Big Blue film, as it is nicknamed, is a rough gem. Fall under the spell of its volcanic and mountainous landscapes diving into the bordering crystal-clear waters and its paved small streets edged by traditional whitewashed houses.

After an unforgettable cruise in Santorini's captivating caldera, where high cliffs surround the majestic ancient crater engulfed by water in the 2nd millennium BC, you will set sail north west. On Milos, the limestone cliffs and small hidden coves are yours to discover in a soothing atmosphere.

The birthplace of Artemis and Apollo, Delos is rich in archaeological ruins, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, illustrating its prestigious history. The Terrace of the Lions, the Sanctuary of Zeus and Athena, the Temple of the Athenians... journey back in time almost 2,000 years, between millennia-old heritage and sumptuous panoramas.

L'Austral will then head towards Paros. Nestling in the heart of the Cyclades archipelago, this island reputed for its sublime white marble offers a real concentration of Greek beauty, from whitewashed houses to olive groves to ancient monuments.

You will now sail towards the east of the Peloponnese, to reach your final port of call. Here, a gem named Hydra reveals its old-world charm in a stunning setting. With its hidden coves and its mountains topped with monasteries, this jewel of the Saronic Islands completely devoid of cars offers a total change of scenery against the spellbinding blue of the Aegean Sea.

Athens, the mythical city dominated by the Acropolis and its monuments, which form the most extraordinary architectural and artistic ensemble bequeathed to the world by Ancient Greece, will mark the end of this exceptional odyssey.

The Geographic North Pole & Scoresby Sound

In partnership with Le Cercle Polaire, as part of the Women at the Poles operation with featured guest Laurent Mayet, president and founder of the Cercle Polaire think tank and renowned female adventurers, including Switzerland's Daisy Gilardini and France's Emmanuelle Périé-Bardout.

With featured guest Sue Flood, British Photo Ambassador.

Push the boundaries of navigation and set sail for 90 degrees North! During this exceptional polar exploration, you will go in search of the mythical Geographic North Pole. Head slowly up through the desert landscapes of the constantly changing ice floe. Your odyssey will continue as you travel down along Greenland, amidst the ice of the Transpolar Drift. Between majestic fjords and encounters with the Inuit culture, the region of Ittoqqortoormiit is rich in rare treasures holding inestimable value.

Aboard Le Commandant Charcot, the only cruise ship able to rise to this challenge, you will make your way towards the North Pole, which is inaccessible to traditional ships. A slow and humble journey awaits you in the heart of a silent world frozen by the extreme cold. You will sail among different states and forms of ice and will be able to admire, from the reassuring cocoon of the ship, the endless show of the light as it reflects on the opalescent landscapes. Following in the wake of Frederick Cook, Robert Edwin Peary or Roald Amundsen, who were among the many to fight to achieve this elusive goal, you will be part of the few chosen ones to dare the adventure, 700 km (435 miles) from any land. And in their footsteps, you will attempt to reach the Holy Grail of all polar explorers: the North Pole!

Sailing back down from the Pole, your odyssey will follow the ice floes alongGreenland. You will reach the region of Ittoqqortoormiit, on the East coast. The eponymous village is located at the entrance to Scoresby Sound, the world's largest network of fjords. You will discover the village customs during privileged exchanges mixed with joyful and authentic moments. Inuit hospitality is no myth, it is given in the warmth of a look or an exchanged smile.

Amidst these extreme and isolated panoramas, the polar adventure reserves unsuspected emotions for the humble and patient explorer, one who is conscious of their privilege.

Find out more about the world of Le Commandant Charcot here!

We are privileged guests in these extreme lands where we are at the mercy of weather and ice conditions. Our navigation, mainly in the fjords, will be determined by the type of ice we come across; as the coastal ice must be preserved, we will take this into account from day to day in our itineraries. The sailing programme, outings, activities and observation of fauna cannot be guaranteed and are subject to weather and ice conditions. The experiences are unique and vary from day to day and for each departure. The Captain and the Expedition Leader will make every effort to ensure that your experience is as rich as possible, while respecting safety instructions and regulations imposed by the AECO.

Icelandic mosaic

Discover the most beautiful landscapes on the Icelandic west coast during an 8-day PONANT cruise.  

On the edge of the Arctic, between vast glaciers, vertiginous fjords, volcanoes and boiling geysers, Iceland offers a kaleidoscope of wild and romantic landscapes.

You will board the ship in Reykjavík, the world's northernmost capital city. With its houses with colourful roofs and its lake that is home to countless ducks, the city offers a picture-postcard setting. It also boasts numerous cultural treasures, particularly in the field of contemporary art, with the Reykjavík Art Museum.

The first port of call on your cruise: the bay of Grundarfjordur, right near Kirkjufell. This stunning cone-shaped mountain possesses a unique charm and this will be an opportunity to take some beautiful photos.

Your ship will then reach Grimsey, a small, hard-to-reach island where, in certain places, the volcanic rock forms magnificent basalt columns. Seabirds reign here.

Finally, you will discover Heimaey. This is the only inhabited island in the Westman archipelago. It is an exceptional place composed of volcanoes and almost-desert landscapes, where fishing is the main food source. 

Tahiti & the Society Islands

From Papeete, PAUL GAUGUIN Cruises invites you to embark on an 8-day cruise to discover Tahiti and the Society Islands. Set sail on board Le Paul Gauguin for an unforgettable journey to discover idyllic islands and atolls.

The perfect introduction to the picture-perfect charms of the South Pacific, this wonderful cruise whisks you away to destinations that played muse for authors James A. Michener, Herman Melville, painters Paul Gauguin and Henri Matisse, and many more.

You will be dazzled by the incomparable beauty of Huahine, by the turquoise waters of the motu Mahana, our private vanilla-scented paradise, by the sumptuous lagoon of Bora Bora, with its distinctly recognisable volcanic silhouette, and by Moorea, with its hillside pineapple plantations and its verdant peaks overlooking the island.

Between pearl farms and white sandy beaches, French Polynesia will reveal its many mysteries to you. Surrounded by superb lagoons of translucent waters edged by exceptional coral reefs, the islands of Polynesia are undoubtedly some of the most beautiful in the world and home to an astonishing and rich wildlife. 

Discover our excursions without further delay - click here!

Norwegian fjords

This is where nature has shaped its most majestic masterpieces... Majestic fjords bordered by monumental cliffs cutting into the coastline of the North Sea, legendary lands featuring fascinating fauna, vertiginous waterfalls tumbling from immense rock walls. Norway will open its doors to you for a unique 8-day journey fromOslo to Bergen, through these ancestral lands, home to myths, conquest and geological wonders.

The Norwegian capital grows distant. Its ochre brick buildings disappear, giving way to the spellbinding setting of Oslfjorden, featuring lush green islands scattered with hundred-year-old oaks, herbaceous shorelines and red wooden houses.

After a port of call in the charming historic Swedish city of Göteborg, you will set sail again for the historic and wild southern tip of Norway.  In Arendal, once known as the Venice of the North because of its many canals, you may take the time to contemplate this intact and preserved immense space, composed of conifer forests and long pebble beaches ; these bear testimony to the retreat of a huge glacier, around 12,000 years ago, which left an enormous amount of rock behind. Then, in Sandnes, plunge into the fantastic universe of the legendary and emblematic Vikings, who were explorers and traders but also pirates. Here, an immersion into the Iron Age awaits; you will discover the ancestral traditions of these larger-than-life characters as you visit a reconstructed traditional village or emblematic sites.

The fjords region, the highlight of your odyssey, is approaching. Beneath a misty sky, you will see the imposing dark rock walls of these natural wonders, whose calm waters were explored by Viking drakkars almost ten centuries ago. These geological treasures will immerse you in a universe that is as inhospitable as it is captivating. Olden and its closeness to the Jostedalsbreen National Park, which is home to the Briksdal Glacier, one of the last ice caps in Europe; Geiranger and its legendary fjord, the only one to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Hellesylt and its impressive cliffs with their vertiginous waterfalls: these all offer a unique, stunning and unforgettable experience.    

During a final port of call, you will be able to visit Alesund. Fall in love with the Art Nouveau architecture of this historic city, which is surrounded by a ring of rocky islets, enchanting fjord inlets and majestic mountains. It lies anchored opposite Giske, the home island of Rollo, the great Viking chieftain renowned for his many Nordic expeditions to Normandy.

As a grand finale, this enchanting interlude will come to an end in Bergen, founded by the Vikings almost a thousand years ago and famous for its seven mountains overlooking the city centre and its Hanseatic wharf, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Majestic Alaska

Endless forests overlooked by snow-covered mountains, deep bays in which the most magnificent marine mammals frolic, local communities gracefully perpetuating their millennial traditions: set off to discover Alaska with PONANT. Board Le Soléal for a 11-day cruise.

In the heart of this extraordinary and grandiose nature, the history of the populations of Alaska is written in the present tense. In Elfin Cove, only accessible by sea or air, you will immerse yourself in the local life, which is intrinsically linked to fishing. Hidden within the boreal forest, the island's small village, perfumed with a scent of cedar wood, will guarantee you a unique experience. In Petersburg, fishing is also at the heart of local life and this former Norwegian colony treasures the story of its origins. A mosaic of peoples and history, Alaska also allows you to encounter the Kwakwaka'wakw and Tlingit indigenous communities, in Alert Bay and Kake. This is an opportunity to learn more about these fascinating cultures, especially famous for their totem poles. 

The various landscapes will unfold, and change, throughout your journey. The high summits blend with immense coniferous forests, deep bays follow on from the hemmed-in fjords, and, everywhere, power merges with fragile beauty. In the Inside Passage, a series of labyrinths made of islands and straits, the nuances of the water, at times emerald, at times turquoise, hide rich marine life. 

At sea, have fun spotting the humpback whales as they blow on the horizon. On land, black bears and grizzly bears are the focus of most attention and observations, while the majestic bald eagle, the symbol of the Unites States, soars above in the sky. The crucial notions of this cruise involve searching and keeping an eye out; the unexpected and the uncertainty are what make these singular encounters even more spectacular.

We are privileged guests in these extreme lands where we are at the mercy of weather and ice conditions. The itinerary, landings on certain sites and the observation of certain wildlife cannot be guaranteed. They vary from day to day, making each PONANT cruise a unique experience.The Captain will make every effort to ensure that your experience is as rich as possible.

Island hopping aboard Le Ponant, from Athens to Dubrovnik

Le Ponant, the first Relais & Châteaux sailing yacht, like the finest travel address on the waters of the world.

"Eternity. It is the sea mingled with the sun", according to a poem by Rimbaud. Whether you are a lover of the sea or a curious traveller, experience once again the indescribable joy of navigating under sail, bathed by the wind and sea spray, surrounded by the elements. Take your place aboard Le Ponant, a majestic three-mast yacht with elegant lines and an interior design created by the Jean-Philippe Nuel studio to be a warm and intimate setting with a very distinctive personality. As if you were on your very own yacht, match your inner tempo to the boat's subtle oscillations and savour the freedom of living in the moment, being fully present for your trip.

Throughout your journey, you will benefit from an excursion included per person per port of call, to choose from a selection offered by PONANT. During this cruise, dive into the history of the Peloponnese from Pylos, with the discovery of the Palace of Nestor and Methoni Castle, explore the charming Fiskardo thanks to a guided walking tour, and enjoy a cooking class at Klinci Village Resort departing from Tivat. The diversity of experiences on offer promises you intense and varied moments (to discover the full range of excursions, go to the itinerary tab).

Between the Aegean Sea and the Ionian Sea, begin your trip by discovering the Peloponnese, the epitome of a mythical land. With your senses awakened, the scent of jasmine that embalms the island of Spetses - the favourite holiday spot of Athenians - will delight you, the picturesque beauty of the small port of Pylos, tucked against the green hills of Messenia, will captivate you, and the Italian influences of the charming Fiskardo, where visitors can savour the delicious Greek specialities called kreatopita, will enchant you. Like nowhere else on earth, Greece combines a fascinating history with the raw and spellbinding beauty of the Mediterranean shores. Impelled by the wind, a little further on you will discover the Ionian island of Paxos, where the Venetian architecture coexists alongside a natural environment featuring mountains and vast stretches of land planted with cypress and olive trees.

Sailing in the Bay of Kotor aboard Le Ponant and, while you are there, contemplating the last peaks of the Dinaric Alps encircling the fjord and then spotting Our Lady of the Rocks on the horizon is, without a doubt, one of the highlights of this cruise. The old town of Kotor awaits you to reveal its mysteries before you depart for Dubrovnik, where your Mediterranean cruise under Le Ponant's sails will draw to an end.

At your own pace, immerse yourself in wild and stunning panoramas, away from the crowds, and enjoy moments spent in harmony with nature: glass-bottom kayaking, snorkelling, paddle-boarding*.

The activities, designed for you and with you, create possibilities for returning to what is essential, in a setting conducive to contemplation.

*The activities on offer will be confirmed on board by the captain according to the weather conditions, the itinerary and the cruise plan.

Malta, Italian shores and Isle of Beauty

Kid Explorers Club in partnership with MAUD FONTENOY FOUNDATION.

From the splendid Maltese capital to the pearl of the French Riviera, set sail on a brand-new 11-day cruise in the Mediterranean Sea. Aboard LeBougainville, discover the Isle of Beauty, the Italian shores and Malta during an unforgettable trip.

From Valletta, you will head for Gozo, an unspoiled island that is home to a megalithic site listed with UNESCO. On foot, kayak or bike, explore the island and its spectacular scenery, from the endless turquoise sea to the dreamlike decor of the salt marshes. Do not miss your chance to taste the local wines.

You will then arrive on Malta's smallest island, the idyllic Comino, whose blue lagoon, renowned for its turquoise waters, rivals the finest beaches of the Seychelles! Then, you will sail in front of Stromboli, an active volcano whose crater regularly erupts with lava flows.

A little further north, you will discover the Aeolian islands. Lipari is the capital of the Aeolian volcanic archipelago and is renowned for its many natural and architectural gems.

Your ship will stop at Porto Ercole, a charming Tuscan village with colourful houses, on the Monte Argentario peninsula. Here, you will have the possibility of meeting fisherman from the Orbetello Lagoon as well as local producers. The peninsula's rolling and lush landscapes will also provide you with opportunities for magnificent outings.

After a port of call on the Tuscan island of Giglio, you will visit Portofino. Built in a natural harbour protected by a pine forest, it is a picturesque and lively port that has successfully retained its authenticity and traditions.

You will finally set sail for Calvi in the heart of the Balagne region. Between steep peaks and sublime beaches with turquoise waters, you will experience a wild and authentic Corsica.

Your cruise will end in Nice, capital of the French Riviera.

Australia's Iconic Kimberley

This cruise is intended for English-speaking passengers. All lectures, comments by naturalists during the outings and visits as well as the announcements and services on board will be in English.

Set sail for the wild and grandiose landscapes of Kimberley, following this exceptional PONANT itinerary.  

From Broome to Darwin, embark for an 11-day expedition cruise.

On the Lacepede Islands, take the time to admire the abundance of nesting birds as well as the large population of turtles residing in the lagoon.

In one of the most picturesque parts of the region, the Hunter River, you will see wild mangrove forests where saltwater crocodiles live along with many species of birds.

During your cruise, the magnificent bays of Vansittart and Swift will offer you exceptional panoramas, between islands, secret inlets, caves and rocky overhangs.

The highpoint of this cruise will undoubtedly be the discovery of the King George River and the majestic Twin Falls, the highest falls in Western Australia.

You will also visit Collier Bay, where you will be able to admire the Montgomery Reef, home to vast expanses of lagoons and immense coral reefs.

Your ship will take you along one of the most spectacular coasts in the entire region.

With their falls, abrupt gorges, savannah, calm waters and desolate mountain chains, the wild lands of Kimberley are the promise of an exceptional adventure.

This itinerary is given as an indication only. Based on tide times and weather conditions, the Captain and the Expedition Leader may need to switch the order of certain ports of call around to ensure guests have the best possible experience.