ÉVASION
A guaranteed change of scenery
From Polynesian Islands to Antarctica, via the Maldives and western Australia’s The Kimberley, Ponant cruises focus on discovery and wonderment. What’s more, their small-scale vessels are not a blot on the landscape. By Eric Jansen In 1988, a dozen or so young merchant navy officers founded the Compagnie des îles du Ponant. Their aim was to allow people to discover sublime places inaccessible to larger vessels and “to access the earth’s treasures by sea”. Thirty-seven years later, even though the company has changed hands, simplified its name, and expanded its fleet, the philosophy remains unchanged. Today the company has 14 ships, proof, if need be, that Ponant cruises are heading onwards and upwards... The company’s success could be explained by the fact that they offer something that is perfectly in tune with the times: something to satisfy an increasing desire to discover extraordinary destinations far from the madding crowd while benefiting from a refined French-style onboard service, and with the ultimate goal to discover and learn. Consequently, expeditions to the Antarctic are particularly popular, as are cruises to French Polynesia for sunshine-seekers. And closer to home, Mediterranean cruises this summer offer another option for adventurers...
www.ponant.com
2 l Le navire Le Lapérouse dans les Maldives.
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