From Paris to Paris · Northern Europe · 14 nights
The world’s first electric hybrid polar expedition ship, Le Commandant Charcot may be the most exciting addition yet to the Ponant fleet.
Jean-Baptiste Charcot was a true polar pioneer, and Ponant’s
icebreaker explores the parts of the Arctic and Antarctica that
other expedition vessels can’t reach. On board you can expect
Ponant’s customary French flair, and the ship is also designed to
have a minimal effect on the environment, with technological
innovations such as hybrid propulsion and an advanced waste water
treatment system.
Fly to Paris where you will enjoy an overnight stay at an airport hotel. The following day, continue your journey with a flight to Longyearbyen, the capital of Svalbard, where you will transfer to the pier and join Le Commandant Charcot for your expedition.
Longyearbyen is the largest settlement in Svalbard, remotely located in the high Norwegian Arctic, and originally built as a mining town. The locals continue to make the best of this hostile environment, and brightly painted wooden buildings line the main street. The surrounding area is breathtakingly beautiful.
Spitsbergen is the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago, a land of snowy peaks, frozen tundra and glassy seas. You’ll likely have no fixed itinerary here, due to the unpredictable nature of an Arctic expedition; be prepared to drop everything and rush up to the top deck for the chance of a polar bear sighting!
Few people can say that they have stood at the one earthly spot where every direction is south! Crushing through the ice, admiring soaring seabirds and the stunning Arctic scenery, your voyage will be an extraordinary experience indeed.
Ny Ålesund is one of the northernmost permanently inhabited settlements in the world, on the remote and inhospitable northwest coast of Spitsbergen. Once an important coal mining centre, this tiny town is now mostly home to scientists and researchers studying the Arctic.
Spitsbergen is the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago, a land of snowy peaks, frozen tundra and glassy seas. You’ll likely have no fixed itinerary here, due to the unpredictable nature of an Arctic expedition; be prepared to drop everything and rush up to the top deck for the chance of a polar bear sighting!
Longyearbyen is the largest settlement in Svalbard, remotely located in the high Norwegian Arctic, and originally built as a mining town. The locals continue to make the best of this hostile environment, and brightly painted wooden buildings line the main street. The surrounding area is breathtakingly beautiful.
Disembark in Longyearbyen and transfer to the airport for your flight to Paris. Here, enjoy an overnight stay at an airport hotel. The following day continue your journey with a flight back to the UK.