Ponant resumed operations on June 16 from Iceland—the first of more than 50 departures setting sail to the country, along with others around the Mediterranean and France this summer. Highlights include a new partnership with the Louvre, new itineraries and ports of call, and a stop at the brand’s namesake islands, Ponant Islands.
Mediterranean
From the Italian coast to the Greek islands, Ponant is offering over 30 sailings in the Mediterranean between June and November 2021. A partnership with the Louvre will bring the museum to the see as the sailing discovers the ancient sites of Greece and Istanbul during "The Cyclades and Ancient Treasures," July 13-20, 2021. There will be visits to numerous UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Acropolis in Athens and the Mycenae ruins from 1200 B.C. In collaboration with Ponant, onboard programming will be designed with curators and department directors from the Louvre for guests to discover the ancient lands that have inspired the museum’s collections.
A new 13-day sailing, “Iconic Treasures of the Adriatic,” will also depart from Athens on August 21 exploring the coasts of Greece, Montenegro, Croatia and Italy. Highlights will include the Bay of Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; a new port of call in Primosten, a small medieval fishing village home to one of the biggest statues of the Virgin Mary in the world; and the mountain island of Korčula and its medieval city, where Marco Polo was born.
Iceland
Two Ponant Explorer ships—Le Dumont-D’Urville and Le Champlain—will explore Iceland’s diverse landscapes this summer through September 2021. The eight-day “Icelandic Mosaic” itinerary explores the western coast of the country with five ports of call, including Grimsey, the northernmost island, as well as Heimaey, the only inhabited island in the Westman archipelago. During the sailing, passengers will also witness such polar wildlife as humpback whales, Atlantic puffins, Arctic terns and Icelandic horses.
Guests can extend the journey with an optional post-cruise excursion to The Golden Circle, the 190-mile driving loop from Reykjavik to the UNESCO World Heritage site Thingvellir National Park; the Geysir geothermal area, believed to have started erupting over 700 years ago and has since lent its name to hot springs all over the world; and the Gullfoss, or Golden, Waterfall.
France
Returning to its roots, Ponant is offering 15 sailings along the French coastline this summer. Le Bellot, the fifth installment in the Ponant Explorer series, will sail roundtrip from Saint-Malo on eight-day itineraries exploring the Breton Coast. Highlights include the brand’s namesake islands, Ponant Islands, and a stop at the island of Houat, home to less than 200 inhabitants all year round.
Other sailings include circumnavigating the island of Corsica with stops in the seaside resort of Saint-Laurent as well as Roccapina Beach with its granite lion, a rocky outcrop of pink granite naturally shaped into the form of a crouching lion through erosion.
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