Overview
FLIGHT PARIS/TROMSO + TRANSFERS + FLIGHT LAKSELV/PARIS
With featured guest Ian Dawson, British Photo Ambassador.
The writer Jørn Riel described the polar night as a “a world apart, […] unique and fascinating, where nature reigns supreme and men keep a low profile.” When the northern winter approaches, the sun hardly rises over the horizon any more: experience an all-new PONANT journey and let yourself be guided towards a new temporality, the moment when a long dusk stretches out after the day. From the jagged coastlines of Norway to the ice-covered reliefs of Spitsbergen, dive into the heart of landscapes lit by powdered hues and set off in search of the exhilarating spectacle of the Northern Lights.
Aboard Le Commandant Charcot, a warm cocoon, savour the discreet and refined comfort of its spaces opening out onto the world. From the Blue Lagoon pool, the Observatory Lounge or the uninterrupted outside promenade deck, you will appreciate the splendour of the winter panoramas over the Arctic Circle.
You will set sail towards the shores of continental Norway at the edge of the Arctic Ocean: welcome to Lapland! Very close to the emblematic North Cape, the northernmost point of Europe, sovereign nature delivers geological marvels in the heart of a fjord – a preserved island, dolomites and rocky rises formed during the last glaciation. The Sami, reindeer farmers and one of the last European indigenous people, live between rugged shores and snow-capped peaks, remarkable coastal cities and large wild expanses, in the Lapland territory. During warm encounters, you will discover their cultural traditions and their way of life, in harmony with the elements. Immerse yourself in nature and, while the night overtakes the day, set off to chase the Northern Lights.
On this exclusive PONANT itinerary, your ship will continue on its path north, towards the coastlines of Spitsbergen. From this territory at the end of the world, you will explore majestic fjords and admire ancient glaciers and alpine peaks, at dusk. Here, the sun takes its leave, giving way to the long polar night, steeped in mystery and source of many Nordic myths.
Make the most of the rarity of daylight, experience close up the fleeting dusk and delight in the majestic landscapes before the long winter night.
Trip Highlights
- With featured guest Ian Dawson, British Photo Ambassador.
- The eye and the advice of our photo ambassador, a privileged opportunity to immortalise your trip with, in the programme: workshops, conferences and personalised advice to improve your photographic skills.
- An absolutely unprecedented PONANT journey above the Arctic Circle, from the northern coastlines of Norway in the dusk and in the fjords of Spitsbergen at the beginning of the long polar night, featuring mineral splendours and encounters with Nordic communities.
- Outings and shore visits in a Zodiac® dinghy (only in Spitsbergen) with a reinforced team of naturalist-guides.
- Aboard Le Commandant Charcot, a warm and refined cocoon opening to the exterior enjoy a unique experience in complete communion with the surrounding scenery.
- Bid farewell to the sun in the fjords of Spitsbergen, at the beginning of the long polar night.
- Reach the North Cape, an emblematic site and the northernmost point of Europe.
- Activities* during the unique winter season: kayaking, encounters and discovering Sami culture and communities, visiting a fishing village, chasing the Northern Lights, and more.
- The possibility of admiring the unique colours of the Northern Lights rippling across the sky.
- Varied landscapes, coastal panoramas, tundra, dolomite cliffs, majestic fjords and ancient glaciers.
