Overview

FLIGHT PARIS/LONGYEARBYEN + TRANSFERS + FLIGHT KANGERLUSSUAQ/PARIS

Set sail with PONANT on an itinerary discovering the unexplored shores of the eastern coast of Greenland. During this 15-day expedition cruise, you will follow in the footsteps of the great French explorers who pushed the boundaries of polar navigation from the 19th century onwards.

From Longyearbyen in Spitsbergen, Le Boréal will make its way to Jan Mayen Island, which was very dear to Captain Jean-Baptiste Charcot. Located on the threshold of the Arctic and North Atlantic oceans, this isolated and uninhabited volcanic island was a whale hunting centre and is home to large bird colonies.

Your ship will then sail on toward the West coast of Greenland, known for its wild natural environments, its alpine landscapes, and its sea ice carried along the Transpolar Drift.

In the immensity of this legendary island, you will discover the Ittoqqortoormiit region, one of our planet’s most remote inhabited places, where the last hunters of the poles live and maintain their ancestral traditions. In the largest fjord system in the world, you will be captivated by the exceptional scenery tinged red by the iron cliffs.

Le Boréal will take you along the Blosseville Coast, named after the French captain who saw it for the first time in 1833. Here, the ice sheet meets the sea. In the wake of Captain Charcot’s famous ship, the Pourquoi Pas?, you will sail to the Ammassalik region, where you will enjoy an encounter with the Inuit community and have the opportunity to observe the wildlife.

During the last part of your cruise, you will sail up the West coast of Greenland. Along the way, admire the stunning fjords of the Prince Christian Sound and the blue-tinged icebergs of Narsaq before reaching Kangerlussuaq, where this unforgettable cruise will end.

Trip Highlights

Outings and shore visits in zodiac inflatables with a team of experienced naturalist guides.
Hiking opportunity.
Exploring the East coast of Greenland and its pristine territories once trodden by the first French explorers Jules de Blosseville, Jean-Baptiste Charcot and Paul-Emile Victor.
The Ittoqqortoormiit region, at the mouth of the largest fjord network in the world, Scoresby Sound.
Visiting traditional villages and meeting the Inuit people.
Landscapes: fjords, rugged mountains, glaciers, icebergs, wild tundra, sheer cliffs, polar ice cap, ice floes.
Wildlife: Arctic terns, musk oxen, Arctic foxes and hares, whales, seals and orcas.
Sail along the Prins Christian Sund, a narrow, 100-km long passage that winds its way through cliffs and glaciers.

Day 1 :

LONGYEARBYEN, SPITSBERGEN

Longyearbyen is the capital of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago, located on Svalbard’s main island, and is the northernmost territorial capital on the planet. With winter temperatures dropping to below 40°C, the landscapes of this mining town are simply breathtaking. The glaciers, the mountains stretching as far as the eye can see and the untouched nature, make you feel like you’re in completely unexplored territory.

Day 2 :

HORNSUND

Nestling between millennial glaciers and carved mountains, and considered to be “the crown of Arctic Norway”, Spitsbergen is a place that never sees the night. Your ship will take you closer to this fascinating archipelago and, more particularly, the Hornsund fjord. Considered to be Svalbard’s southernmost fjord, it is especially reputed to be its most stunning: at the end of its vast bay, 8 great glaciers slowly make their way down to the sea before giving way to the many icebergs elegantly drifting along its cold and mysterious waters.

Day 3 :

AT SEA

During your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

Day 4 :

JAN MAYEN ISLAND, SVALBARD

The island of Jan Mayen, belonging to Norway, lies hidden off Greenland’s coastlines, lost between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean. This small piece of land is inhabited by only a handful of Norwegian meteorologists. Tongues of ice descend from its volcanic summit, which culminates at 2,227 metres and is covered with a thick glacial coat. These tongues join the sea, between ranges of black volcanic rocks at times tinged with red. If the sky is clement, you will have the chance to glimpse the summit, decked out in magnificent light. The visit of a small fin whale will perhaps enable you to complete this memorable picture.

Day 5 :

AT SEA

Day 6 :

ITTOQQORTOORMIIT REGION

On the East coast of Greenland, in the Ittoqqortoormiit region, you will have the rare opportunity of immersing yourself in the heart of isolated scenery and exploring the beauty of its landscapes. The high alpine mountains stand out in the sky, revealing dark rock edges. The region is home to the longest fjord system in the world, Scoresby Sound. On the edge of the fjord, the eponymous village is considered one of the most remote inhabited places in the world. The colourful houses, so typical of Greenland, dot the landscape with small red, yellow and blue patches that stand out against the surrounding arid landscape. Immersing yourself in this region will allow you to discover the ancestral way of life of the last hunters of the polar region. This will be a veritable deep-dive into the lives of the Arctic’s inhabitants.

Day 7 :

ITTOQQORTOORMIIT REGION

Day 8 :

BLOSSEVILLE COAST

Aboard your ship, follow in the footsteps of Jules Poret de Blosseville, a French explorer and sailor. In 1833, aboard La Lilloise, he set off to discover this isolated and unexplored part of eastern Greenland and gave French names to various sites on the coast. The adventure probably has an unfortunate outcome, since the crew was never found. This uninhabited territory, which now bears his name, lies to the south of Scoresby Sund. Surrounded by ice, icebergs and pieces of pack ice, Blosseville Coast is one of these wild and hard-to-reach places that very few people are lucky enough to explore.

Day 9 :

AMMASSALIK REGION

Still almost unknown just a century ago, the east coast of Greenland remains the most authentic and majestic region. Here, the alpine mountains merge intimately with the sea, while the fjords are adorned with high snow-capped peaks and drifting icebergs. Follow in the wake of Captain Jean-Baptiste Charcot’s famous ship, the Pourquoi Pas?, which set off with its crew to discover Ammassalik, a small island of primitive and wild beauty where the Inuit people chose to live. The name of this island is a reference to the capelin, a small flamboyant silver coloured fish, whose presence in the thousands announces to inhabitants the return of spring. A surprising discovery in a spectacular setting.

Day 10 :

AMMASSALIK REGION

Day 11 :

AT SEA

Day 12 :

PRINS CHRISTIAN SUND and AAPPILATTOQ (AUGPILATOK)

Your ship glides silently towards the Greenland coast, in a setting punctuated by pointed peaks and majestic glaciers… You are on the verge of crossing the Prins Christian Sund, a narrow channel that stretches out and zigzags over some one hundred kilometres between Greenland’s south-east and south-west. Fall under the spell of the primitive beauty of these unique landscapes, including rocky cliffs and waterfalls that are fed by the ice sheet and plunge into the icy waters. Here, bearded seals love to lie on the floating ice to soak up the sunshine.

AAPPILATTOQ (AUGPILATOK)

Aappilattoq (Augpilatok), is a small Inuit village of around one hundred inhabitants, whose name means “sea anemone” in Greenlandic. Located in a mountainous region inaccessible by road, its picturesque, colourful houses stretch out to the southern tip of Greenland, on the banks of the spectacular Prince Christian Sound. Some one hundred kilometres long, the sound connects the Labrador Sea to the Irminger Sea, meandering through stunning landscapes such as majestic glaciers, craggy peaks, and rocky cliffs with waterfalls fed by the ice sheet. This region was uninhabited in the 19th century. The village was created in the 1920s and the main activities revolve around hunting, fishing and livestock farming.

Day 13 :

IGALIKU and NARSAQ FJORD

In the curve of a magnificent, sinuous fjord, you will discover the small village of Igaliku, famous for having been the episcopal seat during the Viking period. A red sandstone cathedral dedicated to Saint Nicholas was built in 1126. Its ruins, discovered in 1926, revealed the earlier presence of a pagan sanctuary on this site. A small museum set up in the church presents the origins of the village, which grew after a Danish farmer and his Greenlandic wife settled there in 1782. Igaliku is the starting point of hikes to waterfalls and to Erik’s Fjord or the Narsarsuaq plateau, which affords breathtaking views of the majestic icebergs in the fjord and of the Qooroq glacier.

NARSAQ FJORD

From your ship, discover the town of Narsaq. You will be dazzled by the beauty of the surrounding icebergs − large masses of ice in different shapes and shifting colours. Dominated by lush mountains, this small town is typical of Greenland and is located in the heart of a wonderful natural landscape. The multicoloured house facades and the glaciers with their myriad shades of blue offer a magical setting, conducive to wonderment.

Day 14 :

AT SEA

Day 15 :

EVIGHEDSFJORDEN

Your ship glides slowly along the water towards the west coast of Greenland, to enter Evighedsfjorden, just a few kilometres south of Kangerlussuaq. Evighedsfjorden means “the fjord of Eternity”, and for good reason: just when you think you’ve reached the end of this stretch of sea measuring over 100 kilometres in length, it seems to go on forever, as though to bring even more pleasure to those sailing in it. The spectacular scenery ranges from glaciers to tundra with an abundant flora, and jagged cliffs where numerous bird species have taken up residence. Take the time to observe the white-tailed eagles and the colonies of seagulls and black-legged kittiwakes flying overhead in the area.

Day 16 :

KANGERLUSSUAQ

From 1941 to 1992, the town of Kangerlussuaq in Greenland was home to an American military base. Nowadays, thanks to its international airport, it has become a transit point for travellers seeking adventure in the Far North. Located to the north of the Arctic Circle, this town is the starting point of magnificent discoveries surrounded by unspoiled nature. Indeed, just a few dozen kilometres from there it is possible to get close to the Greenland ice sheet, the largest body of ice in the Northern Hemisphere. From Kangerlussuaq, admire also the superb landscapes of tundra in autumnal colours, where Arctic hares, musk oxen, Arctic foxes, reindeer, falcons and eagles live