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Latitude 90° north and around 430 miles from the nearest landmass… Who amongst us hasn't at one time or another dreamt of one day travelling to the very end of the world? A theatre of dreams, myths and human and technological exploits, but also, and since ancient times, of tragedy, the North Pole has always fascinated and intrigued. How many are the explorers who've attempted to reach the Geographical North Pole? Credit must finally go to Jean-Louis Étienne, who in 1986 became the first person to reach the North Pole alone, on skis. Embark for a cruise to the North Pole and you too can live this extraordinary adventure.

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The Geographic North Pole & Scoresby Sound

Transarctic, the quest for the two North Poles

The Geographic North Pole

Transarctic, the Quest for the Two North Poles

Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability, and subject to change at any time. The category of stateroom to which this price applies may no longer be available.

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More destinations in The Arctic

Northwest passage, spitsbergen, canadian arctic, must-dos - north pole.

To embark on a North Pole cruise is to become one with the fabled history of polar exploration and live a sailing experience unlike anything else on the planet, pushing back the boundaries of the known world. As the ship makes its way slowly through the Arctic ice to reach this famous point, the immensity of the drifting ice pack reveals itself in all its glory: a luminous landscape of constantly changing shapes and reflections inhabited by an exceptional range of wildlife.

All about the North Pole

In the race to explore the planet, the North Pole for a long time remained unreachable, despite numerous attempts to get there. Though Amundsen was the first to reach the South Pole on foot in 1911, it would not be till 1925-1926 that he was able to even fly over the North Pole, in an airship! Reaching the legendary North Pole on foot or by boat were feats not achieved until much later… A look back at more than 400 years of history.

Explore North Pole

Heading for the geographic North Pole

Jean-Louis Étienne, extreme adventurer

Slowly progressing amidst the ice

Sailing beyond the Arctic Circle through the glacial Arctic Ocean means dealing with a fragile and constantly changing environment. Finding the perfect path, weaving through the naturally open channels in the ice, hugging the ice floes... Profound humility, respect and a constant search for the most energy-efficient and safest routes take precedence over everything else when faced with the forces of nature encountered when cruising the North Pole A fascinating navigation strategy to watch and share together with the captain and crew.

A rich range of wildlife to see and observe

Though the North Pole is considered an icy desert in climate terms due to its very low levels of precipitation, its ecosystem is home to an exceptional range of wildlife wholly dependent on the ice for its existence. Cruising from Spitsbergen to the North Pole offers wonderful opportunities to see and observe a whole range of these fascinating and emblematic species, such as polar bears , Arctic foxes, Svalbard reindeer, Arctic terns, seals, walruses and whales.

Kayaking amongst the ice floes and icebergs

Adopting the age-old ways of life of Arctic peoples in order to hear the beating heart of the immense northern expanse is the ultimate dream getaway experience. An ancient type of boat, the kayak was invented by the Inuit 4,000 years ago and offers the best way to fully immerse yourself in the astonishing and intoxicating silence of the North Pole, allowing you to gently glide amongst the ice floes on a mirror of indigo to get up close to a bearded seal or a shimmering, crystalline iceberg . Originally a way of hunting and fishing, kayaking in the Arctic is today synonymous with relaxed contemplation and a true sense of connection with the fascinating extreme north.

Helping to advance the boundaries of polar research

The Le Commandant Charcot , France's only PC2-rated polar class ship, is equipped with polar research laboratories for hosting scientists onboard, thus providing an unprecedented level of support for academic research . The thrill of discovering or broadening your knowledge about the polar environment by attending fascinating lectures, or participating in experiments (such as collecting data about the weather, the ice and the water) useful for advancing international research, takes the experience of a North Pole cruise to a whole new level of adventure..

Reaching the legendary Geographical North Pole

The ultimate goal of an Arctic odyssey: reaching the Geographic North Pole located at a latitude of 90° north. Though the pole exerts a strong power of attraction, the extreme polar conditions are an obstacle only the most humble and determined explorers have been able to overcome. Heading out onto the pristine ice cap and setting off in search of the exact position of this legendary point once you arrive at the heart of this ocean of ice is a singular and unique experience, and represents the Holy Grail of North Pole cruises .

A historical and international epic

1596 : Willem Barentsz and his Dutch expedition are the first to reach the record latitude of 79° 49' N. 1895 : sailing aboard Fram , a ship designed with a revolutionary hull able to withstand the pressure of the ice, the Norwegian Nansen becomes the first to approach the North Pole on foot and reach a latitude of 86° N. 1908-1909 : Americans Peary, Henson and Cook each claim to have reached the North Pole, feats disputed due to a lack of concrete evidence. 1925-1926 : Amundsen, Ellsworth and Nobile become the first to reach the North Pole in an airship. 1937 : the Soviet Papanin lands at the North Pole by plane. 1958 : American submarine the USS Nautilus becomes the first vessel of its kind to reach the North Pole. 1968-1969 : the North Pole is reached for the first time by snowmobile by American Ralph Plaisted in 1968 the reached again the following year on foot and using dog sleds by Briton Wally Herbert. 1977 : Arktika becomes the first Soviet icebreaker to reach the North Pole, during the Arctic summer. 1978 : Japanese adventurer Uemura becomes the first to reach the North Pole solo, supported by regular parachuted plane drops of food supplies. 1986 : Frenchman Jean-Louis Etienne reaches the North Pole solo for the first time travelling by skis and dog sled. American Ann Bancroft becomes the first woman to reach the pole without support the same year. 2021 : with the arrival of the Le Commandant Charcot , the only passenger ship with a PC2 class hull, PONANT becomes the first luxury cruise line able to offer expeditions to the North Pole.

The North Pole Facts and Figures

The ocean reaches a depth of 4,261 metres (13,980 ft) beneath the pole. The temperature at the North Pole ranges from -43°C to 0°C In winter, the temperature can range from -43°C to -26°C , while the average temperature in summer hovers around the freezing point, 0°C . The sun reaches its highest point on the summer solstice, rising to a maximum elevation of 23.4368° . Because there is no permanent human presence at the North Pole, the region has no officially assigned time zone, though the normal convention is to use UTC+0 .

• At sea aboard Le Commandant Charcot
• At sea along Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Exploration of Ittoqqortoormiit Region (Greenland)
• Exploring sea ice in Beaufort Sea
• Exploring the Blosseville Coast (Greenland)
• Geographic North Pole
• Hornsund (Norway)
• Isfjorden (Norway)
• Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Magnetic North Pole
• Navigating through the sea ice
• Nome, Alaska (United States)
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• Reykjavík (Iceland)
• Sailing in the Hinlopen Strait (Norway)
• Scoresby Sound (Greenland)
• Soraust-Svalbard Nature Reserve (Norway)
• Storoya, Svalbard (Svalbard)

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The most epic cruise ever? What it's like traveling to the North Pole on a luxury icebreaker

Editor's Note

Our luxurious French expedition ship, Le Commandant Charcot, shudders as it plows through a thick slab of snow-covered ice.

Down below, under the mighty vessel's specially sloped bow, a 6-feet-thick sheet of "glace," as our French captain likes to call it, is cracking and sliding to the side, creating an opening that lets us glide forward.

But from my perch in the ship's elegant observation lounge, five decks above, all I can see is the white of the snow all around. It feels as if we're bumping across the top of a cloud.

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Le Commandant Charcot, the toughest expedition cruise vessel ever built, is taking me somewhere few humans have ever gone: the North Pole. And despite a few shudders, it's doing it with relative ease.

Unveiled in 2021, the 245-passenger vessel — named after a famed French polar explorer — is made for the ice like no other.

It is a true icebreaker of the sort that only governments have built until now — a vessel capable of traveling to the most remote, ice-filled parts of the polar regions, including the North Pole.

But it's also a very upscale polar vessel, with all the trappings of luxury cruise ships that operate in warmer climes. As I sit in the warmth and safety of the cozy observation lounge, writing this, I am sipping a cafe latte from French-made Pillivuyt china and nibbling on handmade croissants. Really, it feels like a dream.

But then comes another shudder to shake me out of my stupor. This is no dream.

The North Pole is only 150 miles away.

A rare voyage

As recently as 1977, no human had arrived at the North Pole by surface ship. That was the year the Russian nuclear icebreaker Arktika, with a working crew, became the first vessel to reach the world's northernmost spot, a triumph at the time.

Since then, 18 more vessels, all icebreakers and almost all government-owned, have made the journey at least once, some multiple times.

But even today, a ship-based trip to the North Pole is a rare occurrence — particularly in cases where paying passengers are involved.

In recent decades, expedition travel companies have periodically chartered space on some of Russia's working icebreakers to take adventure-minded travelers to the top of the world. But only in small numbers. And never in the style of Le Commandant Charcot.

Operated by Ponant Cruises, a French company specializing in high-end expedition-style cruises, Le Commandant Charcot is the first purpose-built expedition cruise ship capable of reaching the North Pole.

In other words, it's the first vessel designed for the comfort of tourists that offers such trips.

The journey north

Our sailing to the North Pole, just the eighth that Le Commandant Charcot has operated with paying passengers, begins in Longyearbyen, the northernmost settlement of any size in the world.

Located on the western end of the Norway-controlled Svalbard archipelago, high above the Arctic Circle, the town of 2,500 people is also one of the northernmost points in the world reachable by airplane — in our case, a chartered flight from Paris organized by Ponant — and an Arctic destination in its own right. It's famous for its northern lights and polar bears.

Alas, we don't stay long in Longyearbyen. After a quick buffet lunch in the town's banquet hall and a visit to its small museum, the 199 tourists who have signed up for this trip — an international contingent that skews heavily to wealthy Chinese and Taiwanese travelers but also includes 45 Americans, Brits and Australians — are herded to tender boats for a quick transfer to Le Commandant Charcot, which is waiting for us just offshore. Within hours, we are on our way north.

Just 819 miles from the North Pole, Longyearbyen is not far from the polar ice cap that covers the top of the planet. Twenty-four hours after departing the town, we leave open water behind and begin pushing into it.

When I was young, looking at maps of the world, I would see the giant white mass at the top representing the north polar ice cap and assume it was just like it looked on the map: One big solid sheet of ice. You were either on it or you weren't.

But it turns out that's not the way the north polar ice cap works. There is no defined edge.

As we discover on our way north, the massive sheet of ice that covers a wide swath of the Arctic Ocean isn't one big sheet at all, but a countless number of floating sheets of ice of all shapes and sizes jammed up together — tightly in some places, more loosely in others.

As our captain, Patrick Marchesseau, explains in a briefing for passengers, winds and currents constantly move the ice around, driving it into a thick pack in some areas and loosening it in others.

In many areas across the polar ice cap, these winds and currents create "leads," open lines of water through which vessels such as Le Commandant Charcot can pass without having to break ice. There are also bigger pockets of open water called polynyas.

Marchesseau aims for such water openings, not because Le Commandant Charcot can't handle plowing straight through hard ice, but because it's faster and more energy efficient to avoid doing so.

"The best way to travel through the ice is to avoid the ice," he and his officers often quip to passengers.

As a result of Marchesseau's search for leads, our journey to the North Pole isn't a straight line north from Svalbard — the most direct route as the bird flies. Instead, we head northeastward from the archipelago, cutting at an angle through an area of the ice cap where satellite images show more openings.

The roundabout route takes us eastward above Russia's Franz Josef Land before we turn true north toward the pole.

Experiencing the ice

For three days, we plow our way northward across what increasingly resembles a Rothko painting made with variations of white and gray. While the sun appears at times, the skies are mostly densely cloud-covered, resulting in a grayish-white field that fills the top of the horizon all the way down to a whiter field of snow-topped ice — the latter in turn punctured by darker gray channels of open water.

To my surprise, the ice never gets completely solid, even deep into the polar ice cap. The officers on the ship's bridge (which is open to passengers) talk about it in terms of ratios. The ice today is an "8 out of 10," they'll say, or a "9 out of 10," meaning that about 80% or 90% of the surface of the water is covered by ice.

Even as we near the North Pole, we rarely come across stretches of ice that are a "10 out of 10."

As we learn during lectures given by climate scientists and other experts on board, this is partly due to the increasing melting of the Arctic ice cap during the warmer summer months caused by the planet's warming in recent decades. Average temperatures in the Arctic have risen significantly — and thus made journeys like this easier.

But channels of open water, or leads, have long been found across the polar ice cap in the warmest months when the ice melts back. Early Arctic explorers, we learn, would use them to navigate the polar regions. They would look for "water sky" as they traveled north — the dark reflection of open water on the clouds in the distance.

They would also look for "ice blink" — a glow on the horizon caused by the reflection of snow-topped ice on the clouds.

The idea for those in ships was to strike out toward the first and avoid the latter to make a polar passage easier.

Despite all the modern equipment on the bridge of Le Commandant Charcot, Marchesseau tells me that he and his officers still read the clouds ahead to find the best path forward through the ice.

Traveling through the Arctic, particularly on a journey as far north as the North Pole, still is as much art as science.

It's also mesmerizing. For three days, Le Commandant Charcot's passengers spend hours gazing out over the ever-changing floes of ice, which stretch as far as the eye can see in every direction.

It is an otherwordly landscape, both magnificent and terrifying in its emptiness — a part of the world so removed from our normal experience that it might as well be the moon.

Arriving at the North Pole

All around Le Commandant Charcot are digital screens that show the vessel's latitude and other live data from the bridge. As the number gets closer to 90 degrees north — the top of the world — the excitement on the ship grows.

Each degree of latitude represents 60 nautical miles, and as we plow through the last degree of distance, Marchesseau begins counting down the gap in regular updates from the bridge: 30 miles to go, 20, 10, 5.

For the last couple of miles, he calls everyone to the bow of the ship, where the moody theme song from "Interstellar" blasts from loudspeakers — a nod to the great distance we have come. From there, we can see him up in the bridge, maneuvering us forward at a crawl as he watches his instruments.

At first, he overshoots the pole by a few hundred feet, tipping over the top of the world toward Siberia. Then he reverses and overshoots again, this time by just dozens of feet. Pushing forward again, he finally hits it on the nose. He blows the ship's ear-splitting horn, and a cheer echoes across the ice.

We are there. The North Pole. The point where all longitude lines in the world converge. A place where even time is indeterminate, as it's in every time zone at once.

What follows is a decktop celebration with a level of French flair that only could be done on Le Commandant Charcot. It includes Champagne and caviar arriving via the giant lift typically reserved for the ship's helicopter, which is stored one deck below.

Marchesseau then drives the ship firmly into the ice, and within a couple of hours, after a quick dinner, we are disembarking through a side door to take our first steps off the vessel.

We giddily take pictures next to a sign labeled "North Pole" that our expedition guides have brought along for the occasion. We walk a perimeter marked off around the vessel, protected by rifle-carrying lookouts scanning the horizon for polar bears. (The rifles are only to be used as a last resort.) We make snow angels in the ground and sip hot chocolate at a warming station the crew sets up on the ice.

But, amazingly enough, it's just an appetizer for what proves for many to be the day's biggest excitement: the spotting of a polar bear.

It happens just minutes after we return to the ship, and the bear saunters right up to the vessel, clearly curious.

Two hundred cameras fire in unison.

A day at the North Pole

The next day is set aside for a longer exploration of our surroundings.

Emerging from Le Commandant Charcot in the morning, we discover that the ship's expedition guides have laid out snowshoes, cross-country skis and sleds near the ship's door for romping around the ice.

A mailbox also has appeared, from which we can "mail" letters marked to say they came from the North Pole. Plus, the North Pole sign is back, drawing a never-ending stream of selfie-takers, along with two more signs marking the distance to various points around the world.

At one level, it's like a North Pole-themed carnival attraction. It's a little cheesy, for sure. But maybe it's just right for this Instagram age; even on an epic, perhaps life-changing trip, you must come back with photos, or it doesn't count.

Like many of the passengers on board, I give the snowshoes a try, strapping them on and playing polar explorer in a "hike" around a relatively narrow perimeter line that our expedition guides have set up around the ship — really just a short walk.

Related: I just snowshoed at the North Pole — here's how you can, too

The sighting of the polar bear the night before, coupled with low visibility, has the guides skittish about letting us wander too far from the vessel. But our playing field is large enough to give me a taste of this icy and barren outpost far from anything.

And, yes, I get the selfie.

But I also try to soak it all in, the enormity of what I am experiencing.

As I walk, I push myself to take in the scene with all my senses: the sound of the snow crunching under my feet, the sting of the Arctic air on my face, the white-on-white vista where the clouds meet the snow.

That I am here at all seems impossible. When I was born in 1969, this spot on the map was still considered the exclusive realm of only the most adventurous explorers. In fact, the first confirmed arrival at the North Pole by an expedition team on foot — the British Trans-Arctic Expedition team — didn't take place until the year I was born.

In contrast to the handful of days it takes us to reach the North Pole and return to civilization, it took that expedition, led by Sir Wally Herbert, 476 days to get to the pole and back.

Yet here I was, a tourist with no explorer bonafides, tromping around the North Pole, having arrived in warmth and comfort in mere days on a modern and luxurious cruise vessel— albeit a tough one.

Around the world

Our visit to the North Pole is, alas, over almost as soon as it begins. We spend just one night lodged in the ice at the top of the world. Twenty-four hours after we arrive, we are gliding back south.

That is, only after our mischievous captain, Marchesseau, takes us on one final adventure — a "trip around the world."

Returning the ship to the exact spot of the North Pole (which has moved several miles during the day, as polar ice is always drifting), he drives us in a large circle, hitting every latitude line and time zone in just shy of 12 minutes.

It is, he jokes, the fastest trip around the world ever.

Luxury in the Arctic

As we return south through the ice toward Svalbard, passengers settle back into our luxurious surroundings aboard Le Commandant Charcot.

Unlike any other vessel that has traveled across the polar ice cap, it has all the elements of the most elegant hotels on land: spacious suites, stylish lounges, fine dining and a spa.

Le Commandant's main restaurant, Nuna, notably has a menu designed by Alain Ducasse, the famed French chef.

There also are more crew members on the vessel (201) than passengers, something that is almost unheard of in the world of cruising. As a result, the service is high-level.

As you might expect for such a high-end vessel, Le Commandant Charcot also has a price point that might shock some.

Fifteen-night sailings to the North Pole on the ship start at a sky-high $46,450 per person, based on double occupancy. (That is, it'll cost you $92,900 or more per couple for a cabin.)

While a princely sum, for sure, such a fare is not all that unusual for an icebreaker trip to the North Pole. Even the expedition travel companies that chartered spartan Russian icebreakers for such voyages in the past charged $35,000 per person or more.

Icebreakers, it turns out, are extremely expensive to build, and Ponant needs to recoup its cost. Part of what you're paying for is where this ship can get you.

Among the indulgences of Le Commandant Charcot is a contingent of 18 expedition guides, or nearly one for every 10 passengers. They are experts in ornithology, geology, biology and more; some are kayak and hiking guides. As we sail through the ice, they offer daily lectures on what we see around us, from the polar bear to the cracking ice.

It turns out that Le Commandant Charcot isn't just a floating luxury hotel for the Arctic; it's a continuing education classroom at sea, too.

This is, for sure, all a bit incongruous: luxury and learning in one of the world's harshest places.

As one of the lecturers points out, not many years ago, people were dying trying to reach this place where we now travel with such comfort and ease.

A final taste of the ice

After departing the North Pole, Le Commandant Charcot spends nearly three days working its way back south through the ice to Svalbard. But the trip isn't over.

Ponant had built a large number of days into its initial North Pole sailings as it wasn't sure just how fast Le Commandant Charcot would be able to travel through the ice. It turned out to be more days than needed.

With days to spare, Marchesseau points the vessel toward some of the most remote parts of glacier-covered Svalbard for exploring, including far-flung Kvitoya island, where passengers ogle polar bears along the shore from the safety of Zodiac boats, and the northeastern coast of Spitsbergen, where they land by Zodiac to walk the edge of the giant Vaigatbreen glacier.

Three days of impromptu Svalbard exploring also brings walrus spotting at ice-covered Wahlbergoya island and an epic morning of kayaking and zodiac cruising along calving Lilliehookbreen glacier on Spitsbergen's west coast. After a day sailing westward across the Greenland Sea, there's also an afternoon stop for hiking and kayaking along the mountainous and glacier-covered coast of Greenland before the trip ends in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Together, the visits to Svalbard and Greenland offer an ice experience different from our days weaving through the north polar ice cap.

Still, for me and the other passengers on board, it's all secondary. On this trip, we stood at the top of the world — and nothing else could ever compare.

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Kangerlussuaq, Grundarfjörður, Longyearbyen, Kivitoo… If there are any town and village names that truly evoke the Far North , it's those of Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Canada.

The scenery in this part of the world is simply spectacular. Icebergs, sea ice and volcanic mountain landscapes extend as far as the eye can see. And amidst it all roams the polar bear, king of the Arctic, in complete peace and tranquillity. To take an Arctic cruise is to allow yourself to be transported to a world where man is simply a spectator and nature reigns supreme.

All about cruises The Arctic Our other destinations

In the ice of the Arctic, from Greenland to Svalbard

• Last staterooms

Fjords and glaciers of Spitsbergen

Emblematic Alaska

Baffin Bay Secrets

Expedition to the Thule Region

The Geographic North Pole & Scoresby Sound

Majestic Alaska

Shetland, Faroe, Iceland: wild islands & lands of legends

Icelandic mosaic

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Our cruises The Arctic

Northwest passage, spitsbergen, canadian arctic, reasons to discover the arctic.

It is said to be mythical, or at least as much as its opposite, the Antarctic. Only rarely do we get to know its most isolated regions. That is what makes it so appealing And yet, the Arctic includes eight countries (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, the United States, Canada, Denmark and Iceland) and many more marvels to discover. Here are three reasons to go to the Arctic.

Must-dos — the Arctic

A cruise in the Arctic is a golden opportunity to combine a dream of adventure with unique encounters, in a grandiose setting. From Greenland to Spitsbergen, from the Arctic Canada to Iceland, these are the must-dos in the Far North.

Explore the Arctic

The facts and the fiction about the Arctic

Where should I go in the Arctic?

The Arctic, a ocean of ice, pristine and unsullied

3 reasons to discover the Arctic

To meet the local communities

Spread over Greenland, Alaska and Canada, the Inuit have been perpetuating their traditions for more than 4,000 years. In the frozen vastness of the Far North, their ancestral way of life deserves our greatest respect. Their lives are organised around the level of the tides and the condition of the ice floe while their activities are focused on hunting and fishing. They are skilled craftsmen producing veritable works of art by sculpting walrus or narwhal tusks and working the furs and skins of marine mammals. Mindful of passing on their heritage, the Inuit welcome travellers with kindness, happily sharing their customs, traditional dancing and music.

To discover grandiose nature

In the heart of the ice of the Far North and the primary forests of Alaska, the Arctic unveils its majestic landscapes. Colossal icebergs drift in deafening silence, glaciers alternate with the ice floe, impressive geysers and volcanos reach towards the sky, and the lakes, rivers and conifer forests stretch as far as the eye can see… All are home to exceptional fauna. In the waters of Spitsbergen or Baffin Bay, humpback whales, finbacks, narwhals, orcas and seals put on a breathtaking show. On land, we observe polar bears, walruses, musk oxen, Arctic foxes and Svalbard reindeer with emotion. In the air, countless bird species, including Arctic terns, puffins, sea eagles, gannets and bald eagles share the horizon.

To follow in the footsteps of the great explorers

Historically, the Arctic has attracted intrepid explorers in search of adventure. From the territory of Ultima Thule, the mythical kingdom of the Vikings, to the North Pole, men have surpassed themselves. They defied the elements and pushed all the boundaries. We still talk today of the exploits of James Cook, who sailed the coasts of Alaska in 1778, Roald Amundsen, the first man to traverse the Northwest Passage in 1905, and Paul-Emile Victor. The latter set off for the first time in 1934 with the famous Jean-Baptiste Charcot, heading for Greenland. In 1936, he crossed it from the west to the east, on dog sleds! He then spent 14 months alone with an Inuit family in Kangerlussuaq. His account served to bring to light these populations and their traditions, little-known in Europe until then.

Watching whales in Greenland

While its name comes from the Icelandic, Groenland, meaning “green land”, it is above all an island at “the end of the world” , where grandiose nature offers up unique shows. Among these, the dance of the marine mammals in the icy waters procures a rare emotion. Eight species of whales can be found here at various periods of the year. Humpback whales, blue whales and other finbacks share this wild habitat with orcas, seals and narwhals.

Following the tracks of the polar bears in Spitsbergen

Above the 78th parallel north, Spitsbergen also appears like a land at the end of the world. The last island before the North Pole , Spitsbergen unveils craggy coastlines that melt into a sea of ice. In the heart of these white landscapes and these preserved places, the polar bear is known as a great predator and reigns supreme over the ice floe . The population of polar bears in the Arctic is estimated at 20,000 animals. The reindeer and the Arctic fox are the only two other land mammals to share its territory.

Admiring the Kirkjufell Volcano in Iceland

The Snæfellsnes Peninsula is on the west coast of Iceland, around 170 km from Reykjavik. It is home to the small town of Grundarfjörður in a panorama dominated by the Kirkjufell Volcano . Surrounded by water, it is a perfect representation of the Icelandic landscape. Streams criss-cross the landscape while waterfalls give it a touch of mystery. The lava flow accumulated at its summit, dating back several million years, lends the site an almost surreal aura .

Visiting the Aleutian Islands

These islands form a string of volcanic confetti over almost 2,000 kilometres, between the United States and Russia. Located south-west of Alaska, the Aleutian Islands symbolize an extraordinary end of the world: they represent the emerged part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Here, every island is a volcano crowned with ice; the landscapes composed of tundra, and carpeted with wild flowers and lichens, stretch as far as the eye can see. In these preserved surroundings, the wild fauna is exceptionally varied: it is common to observe whales and orcas, while more than 200 bird species have been recorded there.

Traversing the Northwest Passage like a real explorer

The hypothesis of a waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, via the north of Canada, was formulated as early as 1497. A number of sailors sent from Europe or North America attempted to find this passage… After many tragedies and exploits, the Norwegian Roald Amundsen was ultimately the first to succeed in 1906. Set off to follow the footsteps of these explorers, well beyond the polar circle , for a truly unique experience. The passage is only accessible during the short Arctic summer. For the rest of the year, ice prevents any navigation.

Discovering the Sea of Okhotsk

Nicknamed “the hunters’ sea”, the Sea of Okhotsk is considered to have the most abundant fish population in the world, and was highly prized by whalers from the United States in the 19th century. Sailors didn’t hesitate to embark on three-year voyages via Cape Horn in the hope of capturing precious whales to sell their oil to the highest bidder. Today, grey whales prosper peacefully, just like the rest of the rich fauna to be found here: ribbon seals, numerous bird species, Steller’s sea eagles, brown bears, sea lions, seals have wonderful surprises in store for you in this remote part of the Russian Far East.

Sailing in Baffin Bay

Between the western coast of Greenland and the east of Arctic Canada, Baffin Bay is one of the most secret seas on the planet. The North Magnetic Pole is found here, between expanses of icy waters, icebergs, glaciers and gigantic fjords. As if to add to the magic of this fabulous setting, the wild fauna offers a grandiose show. Humpback whales, polar bears, walruses and migratory birds have taken up residence here. To sail Baffin Bay is to find an original beauty that very few places on earth have conserved.

ports of call in the arctic

Some of the names of the ports will immediately transport you to the Far North: Kangerlussuaq, Grundarfjördur, Longyearbyen, Ittoqqortoormiit... From the ice of north-east Greenland to the remote lands of Svalbard, discover the jewels of the Arctic as you cruise beyond the Arctic Circle, the polar bear sanctuary.

View Ports of Call

• 14th July Glacier, Spitsbergen (Svalbard)
• Aappilattoq (Augpilatok) (Greenland)
• Akpatok Island, Nunavut (Canada)
• Akulleq (Greenland)
• Akureyri (Iceland)
• Alert Bay (Canada)
• Alesund (Norway)
• Ammassalik Region (Greenland)
• Arctic Bay, Nunavut (Canada)
• At sea aboard Le Commandant Charcot
• At sea along Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Baffin Bay exploration
• Battle Harbour (Canada)
• Beechey Island, Nunavut (Canada)
• Belfast, Northern Ireland (United Kingdom)
• Bellot Strait (Canada)
• Bellsund, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Bergen (Norway)
• Blosseville Coast (Greenland)
• Bronnoysund (Norway)
• Callanish, Outer Hebrides (United Kingdom)
• Cap-aux-Meules, Magdalen Islands (Canada)
• Cape Farvel Passage (Greenland)
• Cape York (Greenland)
• College Fjord, Alaska
• Coningham Bay, Nunavut (Canada)
• Corner Brook (Canada)
• Croker Bay, Nunavut
• Crossing Belle Isle Strait (Canada)
• Devon Island, Nunavut (Canada)
• Disko Bay (Greenland)
• Djúpivogur (Iceland)
• Dundas Harbour, Nunavut (Canada)
• EastFjords (Iceland)
• Edinburgh Island, Nunavut (Canada)
• Elfin Cove, Alaska (United States)
• Endicott Arm, Alaska (United States)
• Evighedsfjorden (Greenland)
• Exploration of Ammassalik Region (Greenland)
• Exploration of Ittoqqortoormiit Region (Greenland)
• Exploration of North-East Greenland (Greenland)
• Exploring sea ice in Beaufort Sea
• Exploring sea ice of Northwest Passage
• Exploring the Blosseville Coast (Greenland)
• Eysturoy Island, Faroe Islands (Faroe Islands)
• Fort Ross, Nunavut (Canada)
• Fort William (United Kingdom)
• Fury Beach, Nunavut (Canada)
• Gaspé (Canada)
• Geographic North Pole
• Gjesvaer (Norway)
• Gjoa Haven, Nunavut (Canada)
• Glasgow, Scotland (United Kingdom)
• Gnalodden, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Grinnell Glacier, Nunavut (Canada)
• Grundarfjördur (Iceland)
• Grímsey (Iceland)
• Haines, Alaska (United States)
• Heimaey, Vestmannaeyjar (Iceland)
• Holman (Ulukhaktok)  (Canada)
• Hornsund (Norway)
• Hornvika (Norway)
• Hvalso (Greenland)
• Icy Arm Fjord (Canada)
• Igaliku (Greenland)
• Ikka Fjord (Greenland)
• Inside passage
• Iona, Hebrides (United Kingdom)
• Isafjördur (Iceland)
• Isbukta, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Isfjorden (Norway)
• Isle of Noss, Shetland Islands (United Kingdom)
• Itilleq (Greenland)
• Ittoqqortoormiit Region (Greenland)
• Jan Mayen Island, Svalbard (Norway)
• Jesse Harbour (Canada)
• Kake, Alaska (United States)
• Kangerlussuaq (Greenland)
• King Frederick VI Coast (Greenland)
• King Island, Alaska (United States)
• Kirkwall, Orkney (United Kingdom)
• Kitsissuarsuit (Dog's Island) (Greenland)
• Kongsfjorden (King Bay), Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Kujalleq Glacier (Greenland)
• Kullorsuaq (Greenland)
• L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland (Canada)
• La Baie (Saguenay) (Canada)
• Lakselv (Norway)
• Lerwick, Shetland Islands (United Kingdom)
• Liefdefjorden (Norway)
• Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Magnetic North Pole
• Melville Bay (Greenland)
• Mercy Bay, Banks Island (Canada)
• Metlakatla, Alaska (United States)
• Miquelon Island, Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France)
• Misty Fjords, Alaska (United States)
• Monaco Glacier, Spitsbergen (Svalbard)
• Montreal (Canada)
• Mousa Broch, Shetland Islands (United Kingdom)
• Nachvak Fjord, Torngat Mountains National Park (Canada)
• Nain (Canada)
• Nanortalik (Greenland)
• Narsalik (Greenland)
• Narsaq (Greenland)
• Narsaq Fjord (Greenland)
• Navigating through the sea ice
• Newfoundland (Canada)
• Nome, Alaska (United States)
• Nordaust-Svalbard Nature Reserve (Norway)
• Nordvest-Spitsbergen National Park (Norway)
• North Arm fjord, Nunavut (Canada)
• Nuuk (Greenland)
• Ny-Alesund, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Oban, Scotland (United Kingdom)
• Orpit (Greenland)
• Paul-Émile Victor Base Camp, Eqi Glacier (Greenland)
• Petersburg, Alaska (United States)
• Point Adolphus, Alaska (United States)
• Pond Inlet, Nunavut (Canada)
• Port Leopold, Nunavut (Canada)
• Prescott Island, Nunavut (Canada)
• Prins Christian Sund (Greenland)
• Qaqortoq (Greenland)
• Qeqertarsuaq (Greenland)
• Qikiqtarjuaq, Nunavut (Canada)
• Queen Harbour, Nunavut (Canada)
• Québec (Canada)
• Raudfjorden, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Reine, Lofoten (Norway)
• Reykjavík (Iceland)
• Rigolet (Canada)
• Sachs Harbour (Canada)
• Sailing River Saint Lawrence and going through its locks (Canada)
• Sailing Saguenay River (Canada)
• Sailing Saint Lawrence Gulf (Canada)
• Sailing along Bjornoya (Bear Island) (Norway)
• Sailing along Faroe Islands Coasts
• Sailing around Surtsey Island (Iceland)
• Sailing in Beaufort Sea
• Sailing in Porsangerfjorden (Norway)
• Sailing in Trollfjorden (Norway)
• Sailing in the Geiranger Fjord (Norway)
• Sailing in the Hardangerfjord (Norway)
• Sailing in the Hinlopen Strait (Norway)
• Sailing in the Johnstone Strait
• Sailing in the Lancaster Sound (Canada)
• Sailing in the Prince William Sound
• Sailing on Loch Linnhe (United Kingdom)
• Sailing through the Denmark Strait
• Sailing toward the ice floes
• Saint Pierre Island, Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France)
• Saint-John's, Newfoundland (Canada)
• Sam Ford Fjord, Nunavut (Canada)
• Savissivik (Greenland)
• Scoresby Sound (Greenland)
• Sept-Îles (Canada)
• Sermilik Fjord (Greenland)
• Seward, Alaska (United States)
• Signehamna, Spitsbergen (Svalbard)
• Sisimiut (Greenland)
• Sitka, Alaska (United States)
• Skagway, Alaska (United States)
• Skarsvag (Norway)
• Skjoldungen (Greenland)
• Smeerenburg, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Smoking Hills (Canada)
• Smola (Norway)
• Soraust-Svalbard Nature Reserve (Norway)
• Stornoway, Hebrides (United Kingdom)
• Storoya, Svalbard (Svalbard)
• Streymoy Island, Faroe Islands (Faroe Islands)
• Suduroy Island, Faroe Islands (Faroe Islands)
• Tadoussac (Canada)
• Tasermiut Fjord (Greenland)
• Tasiilaq (Greenland)
• Texas Bar, Liefdefjorden (Norway)
• Thule Region (Greenland)
• Toronto (Canada)
• Tromso (Norway)
• Tsaa Fjord, Icy Bay, Alaska (United States)
• Uummannaq (Greenland)
• Vancouver (Canada)

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