Life
Ambassadors of Luxury at Sea
France's only luxury cruise company, PONANT, has a certain je ne sais quoi that is beyond compare.
As one of the great nations of world history, France is nigh-synonymous with high culture. From its art and literature to its much-admired culinary heritage and the innate luxury of brands like Louis Vuitton and Chanel, France has enchanted and inspired generations of people the world over for centuries.
It’s a legacy that extends across the water also, with the nation’s rich history of maritime exploration an enduring source of pride. This pride is embodied in France’s only luxury cruise company, PONANT. Founded by a small group of professional sailors in 1988, the PONANT ethos is one dedicated to perfecting the art of sea exploration in inimitable style.
This ethos found singular expression when PONANT’s Le Commandant Charcot – the world’s first and only luxury icebreaker, named after the famed French polar scientist and explorer Jean-Baptiste Charcot – reached the Geographic North Pole in 2022, cementing PONANT’s status as a truly unique operator on the waters of the world.
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VIVE LE LUXURY
Across its fleet of 13 small vessels, PONANT introduces its guests to a wealth of destinations guaranteed to stir the soul of even the most experienced traveller. From exploration to historic ports, each elegantly appointed ship invites you to experience the sights of the world in a manner that will stay with you all your days.
The adept adventurer will be drawn to PONANT’s six Explorer Ships. Each named after pioneering French explorers, these innovative, environmentally-friendly vessels consist of just 92 staterooms and suites, and are designed to enhance the expedition experience with largely open-air lounges for truly immersive travel.
Set sail from London to Lisbon via medieval towns, citadels and UNESCO World Heritage sites aboard Le Lapérouse, or discover the Caribbean Sea and the stunning waters of Fort de France on the western coast of Martinique with Le Champlain – you may even have the pleasure of sailing with Guest of Honour, Chef Gillies Dudognon, who earned his first Michelin star at just 24 leading the kitchens at Chapelle Saint Martin in France.
Naturally, the expeditionary status of these ships offers no compromise on luxury: one of their onboard restaurants, Le Nautilus, is a gastronomic experience that includes a wine cellar with sommelier service, while the wellness areas – in partnership with Sothys Paris – will make you feel you’re in an authentic French spa. Indeed, true Francophiles will appreciate PONANT’s 2024 & 2025 season and its distinctive itineraries.
Take the French Polynesia experience offered to passengers of MS Paul Gauguin. Named for the esteemed French Post-Impressionist artist laid to rest on the Marquesan Island of Hiva Oa, the ship has been specially designed for navigating the shallow waters of this beautiful part of the world. Its draft enables it to approach lagoons and islands that would otherwise be inaccessible, granting extended stopover times. Each day, MS Paul Gauguin’s chef cultivates menus with all the hallmarks of grand French dining, with L’Étoile restaurant offering gastronomic delights of the highest standards.
Or, experience the epitome of world class wine and food aboard explorer ship Le Bellot. From October 2025, this fine vessel departs from the wine capital of the world, Bordeaux, to Lisbon with an itinerary focused on gastronomy, vineyards, and Grand Crus, featuring several visits to some of the world’s finest wineries along the way in the Saint-Estèphe, Margaux and Pauillac appellations: a tour that will no doubt long endure in memory.
Cruise along the French coast in luxury style with PONANT (image credit: Emmy Apoux).
Enjoy luxury service, food and wine aboard a PONANT cruise ship (image credit Christophe Dugied).
A FEAST FOR ALL SENSES
This commitment to foregrounding the finest elements of French culture finds its truest expression in the day-to-day dining across PONANT’s fleet. The company’s partnership with Alain Ducasse Conseil, by award-winning chef Alain Ducasse, ensures highly trained chefs are at the helm of each ship’s kitchen to satisfy the gustatory demands of each and every traveller.
The result? Speciality breads and organic produce inspired by contemporary French brasseries, Pierre Hermé Paris macarons… mouth-watering morsels, accompanied of course by a selection of complimentary Champagne such as Veuve Cliquot and Charles Heidseick as part of the inclusive open bar service on board. And there is perhaps no better way to experience it in full than aboard Le Ponant, the iconic three-masted yacht that is the founding ship of the PONANT fleet.
Lovingly refurbished in 2022, Relais & Châteaux accredited super yacht Le Ponant is the ultimate in uncrowded luxury, with just 16 ultra-premium staterooms and suites, delivering an authentic sailing experience that is unparalleled upon the waters. Its onboard restaurant, Le Diamant, is the pinnacle of French dining at sea, and guaranteed to sate the senses as it carries you through the Mediterranean and Caribbean on its 2024 & 2025 itineraries.
As the cliché goes, the world is your oyster. But with PONANT, it’s your oyster, your personal chef and sommelier, your partner in authentic adventure and luxury, and your invitation to experience the ultimate in travel. As the French might say, ‘Il faut croquer la vie à pleines dents’… live life to the fullest, with PONANT.
View PONANT’s 2024-2025 itineraries today at ponant.com