Deluxe Stateroom Deck 3
19 m²
2
Succumb to the charms of this 16-day expedition cruise aboard Le Champlain, sailing between Iceland and Canada via the stunning landscapes of Greenland. You will embark in Reykjavik, the most northerly capital in the world, lying slightly above the 64th parallel.
You will first travel through the narrow Prins Christian Sund passage, which connects the south-east of Greenland to the south-west. Jagged mountains, rocky cliffs, waterfalls and floating ice form a wonderful wild landscape in which frolic colonies of bearded seals.
After passing in front of the impressive Kujalleq Glacier, you will call at Aappilattoq, a small Inuit village with some one hundred inhabitants, dotted with colourful houses typical of this faraway land.
Le Champlain will head to Canada to call at l’Anse aux Meadows, a Viking archeological site from the 11th century listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located north of the Canadian province of Newfoundland. “The Rock” honours its nickname: the mountains here plunge into the clear sea while the fjords slip inland. Although it appears inhospitable, this territory was nonetheless one of the first sites in the New World to become known in Europe. Saint-John’s, the capital of the province is one of the oldest anglophone cities in North America. It is nestled in the heart of a stunning natural environment and strolling through its historic core or along its sloping streets lined with colourful houses is an enjoyable experience.
A little piece of France located off the coast of Canada, the Saint Pierre and Miquelon archipelago has many charms. Here you will discover the lively island of Saint Pierre, its small houses with coloured facades and its natural harbour which sheltered many fishing boats in the past. The second island in the archipelago, Miquelon, will delight lovers of the great outdoors with its vast rolling meadows dotted with small lakes and lined with cliffs that disappear into the northern waters inhabited by seals.
At the mouth of Saguenay River, you will reach Tadoussac. This National Park is also an unmissable site for whale watching as the mammals gather to feed before winter.
After a port of call in the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Montreal, your ship will continue its journey on the Saint Lawrence River, a prodigious waterway home to exceptionally beautiful nature.
To round off your cruise, you will sail along the shimmering waters of Lake Ontario before making your way to the cosmopolitan city of Toronto, where you will disembark.
Itinerary is subject to change according to port authorizations and government regulations. We are privileged guests in these remote lands where we are at the mercy of weather, ice, tidal and current conditions. Landings on certain sites and the observation of certain wildlife cannot be guaranteed. They vary from day to day, making each PONANT cruise a unique experience. The Captain and the Expedition Leader will make every effort to ensure that your experience is as rich as possible, while complying with the safety rules and instructions imposed by the AECO.
Ref : EC050825
An expedition cruise between the capital of Iceland, Reykjavik, and the cosmopolitan Canadian city of Toronto, to discover the beautiful scenery and the history of Greenland and Canada. UNESCO World Heritage...
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*Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability, and subject to change at any time. The category of stateroom to which this price applies may no longer be available.
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This cruise include activities such as zodiac outings and landings (sometimes with "wet landing"), moderate walks to more active hikes, all accompanied naturalist guides.
Ports of call, visited sites, outings and landings will depend on weather conditions, position of ice, winds and the state of the sea. These can force a change of plans at any time. The Captain and the Expedition Leader may at any time cancel or stop any activity, or even modify the itinerary. The final itinerary will be confirmed by the Captain, who will take into account the touristic quality of the sites and above all, the safety of the passengers. His decision will be based on advice from experts and authorities.
Travelling to polar/isolated regions is an exhilarating experience in remote areas: please remember that you are far from modern hospitals with full medical facilities, thus evacuation is extremely expensive. Without adequate medical coverage, all expenses will have to be immediately paid with your personal funds. We urge you to subscribe to full coverage insurance, choose your insurance company very carefully, be extremely vigilant and ensure your insurance is fully comprehensive, especially if you are insured by your credit card. PONANT offers an insurance contract with extensive guarantees, please contact us for more information.
Clothing tips:
Accessories:
Ideal clothes for life on board:
During the days spent on board, you are advised to wear comfortable clothes or casual outfits. The entire ship is air-conditioned, so a light sweater, a light jacket or a shawl may be necessary. When moving about in the public areas of the ship and the decks, light but comfortable shoes are recommended.
Informal evening:
In the evening, you are advised to wear smart-casual attire, especially when dining in our restaurants where wearing shorts and tee-shirts is not allowed.
For women:
For men:
Officer’s evening:
For all cruises longer than 8 nights, an Officer’s Evening with a white dress code may be organized. Therefore, we encourage you to bring a stylish white outfit for the occasion (otherwise black and white).
Gala evening:
During the cruise, two gala evenings will be organised on board. Thus, we recommend that you bring one or two formal outfits.
For women:
For men:
SHOP:
A small shop is available on board offering a wide range of outfits, jewellery, leather goods and many accessories.
A laundry service (washing/ironing) is available on board, but unfortunately there are no dry cleaning services. For safety reasons, your cabin is not equipped with an iron.
INSULATED BASE LAYER:
WATERPROOF OUTER LAYER:
HEALTH CARE:
OUTFITS ON BOARD:
ACCESSORIES:
PONANT activities
Embarkation 5/8/2025 From 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm
Departure 5/8/2025 at 5:30 pm
Iceland’s capital stretches along the edge of a vast bay in the west of the country. Perlan, the “Pearl of Reykjavík”, a museum located on ’Oskjuhlið hill, offers a panoramic view of the lush, green landscapes. A little further, one can easily spot the signpost showing the way to the evangelical Hallgrímskirkja church, and to the historical centre where one can stroll along the Skólavördustígur and the Laugavegur, two lively streets with charming small shops. For some relaxation just outside of the city, visitors have the opportunity to visit the Reykjanes peninsula and its famous thermal lagoons of the Blue Lagoon.
Arrival 6/8/2025
Departure 6/8/2025
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.
Arrival 7/8/2025
Departure 7/8/2025
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.
Arrival 7/8/2025
Departure 7/8/2025
In the immense and mythical Greenland, in the Prince Christian Sound region, your ship will make its way to the Kujalleq Glacier. You will be captivated by this frozen tongue, in front of which dance small icebergs and a few growlers. Growler is the surprising name given to chunks of ice that are smaller fragments of an iceberg. They are either white or, more remarkably, blue-green. Birds fly in your wake and bearded seals observe you from afar, stretched out on granite rocks. Combined with the surrounding ice, these rocks form a magical landscape that immerses you in the polar realm.
Arrival 8/8/2025
Departure 8/8/2025
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.
Arrival 9/8/2025
Departure 10/8/2025
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.
Arrival 11/8/2025
Departure 11/8/2025
Located at the Northern extremity of the island of Newfoundland, L’Anse aux Meadows is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the only site known to have been established by the Vikings in North America. Its ancient vestiges provide the very first traces of European presence in the new world. The remains found on this splendid 11th century Scandinavian archaeological site are identical to those found in Iceland. Aboard your ship, cruise in the wake of those first Vikings who discovered the tip of North America 500 years before Christopher Columbus arrived on the shores of the American continent. A memorable adventure in a setting punctuated with coastal peat bogs, grass and many varieties of shrubs and lichen.
Arrival 12/8/2025
Departure 12/8/2025
You will be charmed by the small multi-coloured wooden houses hanging to the side of cliffs at the entrance to the bay or edging the small steep streets of the capital of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Their green, blue, red and yellow colours are reminiscent of fishing boats. This quiet little port at the end of the world, the easternmost in North America, became the first English colony founded on American territory in 1497. Protected by the Gulf Stream, the climate here is relatively mild and the natural landscapes are spectacular. You’ll be able to enjoy magnificent panoramas from Signal Hill. It was at the summit of this hill that Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal in 1901.
Arrival 13/8/2025
Departure 13/8/2025
Off the Canadian coast, discover Saint Pierre Island, one of the two main islands of the Saint Pierre and Miquelon archipelago, the only French territory in North America. Endowed with a natural harbour, the island, whose name is a reference to the patron saint of fishermen, developed around the fishing industry and still has many traces of its past today. Whale hunting, cod fishing, alcohol smuggling during the Prohibition: all of these memories are still very much alive in the capital, Saint-Pierre. The island is also renowned for the observation of exceptional fauna including, among others, whales, fin whales, dolphins, seals, puffins and petrels.
Arrival 14/8/2025
Departure 14/8/2025
At the entrance of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, not far from the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, Miquelon is one of the two main islands of the Saint Pierre and Miquelon archipelago and will delight those with a love of wide open space. Connected by a sand isthmus, with Miquelon in the north and Langlade to the south, this wild land is famous as the home to France’s only boreal forest and has sublime scenery of hills, dotted with ponds, woods and bogs, and ringed by lagoons and steep cliffs. The rich and varied wildlife will guarantee fine encounters, whether inland, which is populated with white-tailed deer and bald eagles, or on the coast, refuge to many seabirds and common seals.
Arrival 15/8/2025
Departure 15/8/2025
Although it is the administrative and economic centre of the Magdalen Islands archipelago, in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, the village of Cap-aux-Meules remains a peaceful location and is ideal for exploring preserved nature. Located on the eponymous island, in reference to the sandstone rocks of the cape that were used in the past to make grindstones, the location is above all considered to be the maritime gateway to the archipelago. In this respect, it offers privileged access to many sites renowned for their natural and historic heritage, such as the village of Havre-Aubert which is a member of the Most Beautiful Villages of Quebec.
Arrival 16/8/2025
Departure 16/8/2025
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.
Arrival 17/8/2025
Departure 17/8/2025
The Quebec village of Tadoussac stands at the confluence of the Saguenay River and the Gulf of Saint-Lawrence, in south-east Canada. The village is bright with multicoloured houses nestling in an emerald-green pine forest. From the waterfront, it’s easy to spy out Tadoussac Chapel, thanks to its bright red roof. Not far from this church built of wood, one of the oldest in North America, stands a century-old village holiday resort, Hotel Tadoussac. Treat yourself to tea on the terrace overlooking the shoreline. In addition, at the marine mammal interpretation centre, you can hone your knowledge of the cetaceans that regularly frequent Tadoussac bay.
Arrival 18/8/2025
Departure 18/8/2025
Famous for its gentle way of life, Montreal, Canada’s second-largest city, is a warm and cosmopolitan metropolis. Situated on the eponymous river island, it is home to a multitude of districts, each as unique as the other. Set off to discover Old Montreal, most of which is declared a historic area, Little Italy, where you’ll be able to stroll around the largest open-air market in North America, or the Golden Square Mile, the luxurious district located on one of the hills of Mount Royal and which has sumptuous Victorian-style residences. Simultaneously marked by the influences of the Old Continent and North-American gigantism, Montreal will never cease to amaze you.
Arrival 19/8/2025
Departure 19/8/2025
Linking the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes region inland, the Saint Lawrence Seaway was inaugurated in 1959, more than 250 years after the initial construction aiming to avoid the rapids obstructing navigation in these parts. This large engineering project, which required four years of huge work, offers a unique sailing experience, punctuated by the passage of the different locks marking out this corridor, which is almost 4,000 km long.
Arrival 20/8/2025 early morning
Disembarkation 20/8/2025 at 8:00 am
The largest city in Canada and capital of the province of Ontario, Toronto fascinates as much by its incredible diversity as by its size. Make sure you visit the CN Tower, the tallest tower in the western hemisphere, as well as the St. Lawrence Market whose stalls reflect the multicultural wealth of this city known as the global city. Not far from there, the historic Distillery District unveils its brick-paved streets imbued with romantic charm and its myriad of small restaurants, cafés, boutiques, theatres and art galleries. The Royal Ontario Museum and its impressive collections devoted to the world’s natural and cultural history will also be an unmissable stop during this port of call.
Set off on the trail of the Vikings in Anse aux Meadows, a remarkable site whose vestiges establish a possible link with Leif Erikson, the first known European to discover continental North America.
Discovered in 1960, subsequently becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is the location of the first North American Viking site. Circa 1000 AD, Norse sailors set up a base there from which they explored the more southern regions. Visit the Interpretation Centre, and then follow the trails to the archaeological digs site before discovering the re-created timber-framed structure showing what daily life was like at the time.
In the reconstructed Viking village Norstead, see the replica of the Viking knarr Snorri, a ship that sailed from Greenland to Newfoundland and is named after the first European child born in North America. You can learn to throw an axe, spin yarn or take a traditional weaving lesson.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
St. John's, capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, is the oldest city in North America and is renowned for its 19th-century architecture. For hundreds of years, it has welcomed explorers and conquerors, marauding pirates and merchant adventurers.
You will reach the historic site of Signal Hill, the highest point of the city, where the inventor Marconi received the first wireless transatlantic signal in 1901, thus ushering in the Information Age. Appreciate the panoramic views over the city and the wild coastline, and discover the history of this site, from the battles of the 18th century to the miracles of aviation in the 20th century.
Your excursion will then continue in the city centre, which features numerous historic buildings, including Government House, churches and the colourful Victorian wooden houses so characteristic of St. John’s.
You will then arrive at Cape Spear (Cap-d’Espoir), the easternmost point of North America, and enjoy the spectacular scenery. View the distant lighthouse and learn about the tunnels and fortifications that protected this gateway to the New World during the wars of the 20th century.
Finally, you will return to your ship via the fishing community of Petty Harbour.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The small community of Bay Bulls, just a stone's throw from Saint John's, offers a concentrate of nature and life for outdoors lovers. On one side, the largest puffin colony in North America; on the other, fascinating coastal landscapes that you can admire from a boat.
Embark on a two-hour adventure at sea to discover Newfoundland's iconic landscapes. Between the North Head lighthouse, the towering cliffs, the little islands and the Witless Bay ecological reserve, discover the richness of these territories, including the largest puffin colony in the region, as well as kittiwakes, guillemots and razorbills. And who knows, maybe you will catch a glimpse of a whale in the distance, despite the late season.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Opposite the northernmost point of the island of Saint-Pierre, let yourself be captivated by this unique experience on a Zodiac dinghy discovering the riches of the Grand Colombier Nature Reserve from the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
There are places where time seems to stand still. On the island of Grand Colombier, renowned for its unique biodiversity, you will be swept away by this spellbinding beauty, unlike any other. The rocky formations here are evidence of millions of years of erosion and tectonic movements, sculpting spectacular scenery. The sedimentary strata tell the island’s ancient history, while the basalt formations offer a striking contrast with the deep blue of the Atlantic Ocean below.
At the summit of Grand Colombier, the seabirds are the lords of the sky and the sea. Sooty shearwaters spin gracefully, plunging skilfully into the fish-rich waters. Majestic and imposing gannets glide above jagged cliffs, watching over their nests perched on the rock faces. Each strident cry resonates like an ode to the wild, punctuating the peaceful atmosphere of the island.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
This lovely hike has views over the typical rocky hills of the island of Saint-Pierre, as well as over the ponds and neighbouring small islands. An ideal itinerary for discovering the geology, flora and bird life on Grand Colombier island, but also the history of this island brimming with vestiges.
Dive into 5,000 years of history on the Anse-à-Henry site! Located at the very north of Saint-Pierre, opposite Grand Colombier, this significant archaeological site has vestiges belonging to four different cultural groups: the Maritime Archaic American Indians (3000 to 1200 BC), the Recent Indian American Indians (0 to circa 1500 AD), the Groswater Paleo-Eskimos (800 to 100 BC) and the Recent Dorset Paleo-Eskimos (100 to 900 AD).
Its very rich marine environment, its drinkable freshwater and its mooring bays with clear views have made it an ideal location for human occupation, not to mention the jasper deposit on Grand Colombier that enabled stone tools to be made.
Every year, the channel that separates it from the island of Grand Colombier welcomes all kinds of marine mammals, including minke whales.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
A mere ten-minute crossing separates Saint-Pierre and Miquelon from the stunning Île aux Marins. However, this minuscule piece of windswept land seems like it is from another time. This site is a privileged witness of the history of local fishing, and in particular cod fishing; the small houses and museum will reveal the secrets of the island, which is gradually coming back to life.
It is hard to imagine that the Île aux Marins, a small strip of land 1,700 metres (5,560 feet) long and sometimes no more than 100 metres (330 feet) wide; had up to 600 inhabitants in the 19th century. Nonetheless, it was once home to significant cod fishing activity, as is evidenced by the ‘graves’, these stretches of stones that were used to dry the nets, and the few fishermen’s houses that have survived the passage of time and are now being carefully renovated by a local association.
Further on, the Pointe-Leconte Lighthouse, erected following too many shipwrecks and maritime tragedies on the archipelago, reminds everyone of the ferocity of the elements that shape this part of the world. Like the wash house, the 1875 cemetery, the Chemin de Croix and the war memorial, it reminds people of the hard daily life of the island’s inhabitants, known as “Red Feet” in the past.
The village school, now a museum, tells the history of how the island’s population left, facing the industrialisation of fishing, but also how it refuses to let itself be forgotten and is undergoing a renewal.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
A little part of France off the coast of Canada, the island of Saint-Pierre, whose name is a reference to the patron saint of fishermen, developed around the fishing industry and still has many traces of its past, a fine blend of French and American traditions.
Listen to the fascinating history of the island of Saint-Pierre as you walk around its narrow and colourful little streets. Whale hunting, cod fishing, French and American heritage: all of these memories are still very much alive in the capital, Saint-Pierre. During this walk around the island’s capital, admire the traditional wooden houses from the 1960s and 1970s and discover its early-20th-century cathedral, its Town Hall and the town’s oldest house. Finally, visit the Heritage Museum to discover the history and heritage of one of the only French islands - along with the island of Miquelon – on the North American continent.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The Cormorandière Valley provides an ideal playground for those who love wide open spaces and hilly paths. Jagged cliffs, pristine nature, small lakes visited by white-tailed deer, and breathtaking views are all on the programme for this hike in what the region’s inhabitants call the “most beautiful” valley in the archipelago.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Make the most of the idyllic setting of the Miquelon-Langlade Isthmus to attend a yoga session.
Both a physical activity and a mental discipline, yoga relaxes the mind and makes the body more flexible. By learning breathing techniques and adopting various postures, you will strengthen your body and your balance while reducing stress.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Explore know-how and the love of good food as you discover “Les Saveurs Fermières” goat farm and its delicious local products.
During the farm visit, go behind the scenes of goat cheese production, then taste some of the farm’s creations.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Set off to ascend the summit of the Tête Pelée (139 metres or 456 feet) and enjoy stunning views over the isthmus and the Anse du Gouvernement beach, featuring vast plateaux, subarctic summits and wet and peaty plains.
The path leading to one of the most emblematic summits on the island of Miquelon opens before you, winding its way through a dense forest, where the leafy trees stretch up towards the sky. Each step resonates on the soil, accompanied by the soothing whisper of nature as it awakens around you. The heady fragrances of the wild plants and maritime pines perfume the air, adding a sensorial dimension to your journey.
As you advance towards the Tête Pelée, there is less and less vegetation, which makes way for jagged cliffs and breathtaking panoramas. The salty sea spray of the ocean will caress your face as you reach spectacular viewpoints, where the infinite horizon encounters the tumultuous waves of the Atlantic.
Once you arrive at the summit of the Tête Pelée, a majestic silence reigns, only interrupted by the noise of the wind which forges the rocky crests. A unique moment during which time seems to stand still between a feeling of absolute freedom and total wonderment.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
From the cider works to the designers’ workshop, via the Sea Museum and Cap Hérissé, discover the various faces of the Magdalen Islands and its inhabitants.
Le Verger de Poméloi orchard is planted on the heights of the Magdalen Islands, overlooking the sea, and will plunge you into a kingdom ruled by the apple. Éloi Vigneau has been passionate about agriculture since his teenage years and started to plant his first apple trees in 1990 as part of an experimental project. From year to year, he followed the growth of the saplings in the local climate, as they faced the wind and sea air. 18 years later, he runs a small cider works and distillery producing excellent beverages while respecting the environment.
Then you will head for the Sea Museum. The permanent exhibition, called Laboureurs du Golfe, recounts the archipelago’s history, which is of course connected to the evolution of maritime practices. Objects and photographs tell stories of fishermen and shipwrecks, the development of ships and lighthouses, seal hunting, etc.
Not far from there is the Atelier Côtier workshop, a creative space coupled with a store where “8 friends and 1 dog have fun making beautiful things”. Here, the sand of the islands is transformed into singular sculptures, and the landscapes inspire the creation of design or decoration objects, clothing or jewellery.
To finish, you will head to the north of the island to admire the incredible jagged cliffs of Cap Hérissé.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Renowned for its stunning scenery and rich cultural history, the Magdalen Islands archipelago can also claim a fine culinary heritage, constantly renewed by passionate artisans, like the dairy, smokehouse and the brewery that await you here.
First stop: the Pied-de-Vent dairy, a delicious example of Madelinot perseverance and craftmanship. In just a few years, the artisans working here have successfully developed cheeses that are popular all over the country. Their secret is their great love for their terroir combined with a savvy blend of tradition and modernity, as you will discover during your visit of the farm, followed by a tasting.
Then, after coming along the lovely Chemin de la Pointe Basse, scattered here and there with typical painted houses and farms – with small closed porches, consoles and corbels, verandas but also painted or stained cedar shingles which are reminiscent of the Acadian and French origins of their first inhabitants -, you will discover the Fumoir d’Antan. Now an eco-museum dedicated to herring smoking, this typical smokehouse brings to life this last vestiges of what was a very important industry in the past. It has been used for three generations to smoke herring, mackerel, salmon and scallops; you will find out all about its history before tasting some specialities.
Then go along the northern coast of the island and the aptly named Cap-Hérissé, which is home to spectacular sheer and rugged cliffs that have been sculpted by the sea, before your final port of call: the À l’abri de la Tempête brewery. Here, local ingredients reign supreme. The brewers started using locally malted barley, then moved on to harvesting and using fresh flowers, marine algae and herbs from the area, to brew unique full-flavoured beers that you will have the pleasure of tasting.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Set off aboard a Zodiac that will take you to encounter whales in the estuary of the Saint Lawrence River. A magical moment!
A naturalist-guide captain will take you to where the river meets the ocean, an ideal spot to observe these giants of the sea as well as other marine mammals such as blue whale, fin whale, minke whale, beluga, humpback whale and grey seal. Indeed, the gulf and the estuary of the Saint Lawrence are a veritable kingdom for whales and a formidable natural laboratory for biologists passionate about these emblematic species. During these two hours on the river, you will appreciate all the wild beauty of the Saguenay fjord.
Back on shore, you will visit the information centre run by the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM), a non-profit organisation dedicated to education for the sake of marine conservation and scientific research on the marine mammals of the Saint Lawrence.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Possessing one of the world’s lost beautiful bays, flanked by its large hotel with its characteristic red roof, Tadoussac is a picture-postcard village. Walk around this superb territory located at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence River and the Saguenay fjord.
Life goes by peacefully in this village of 800 souls lulled by the whisper of the waves and the salty air. While the history of the village of Tadoussac goes back to the arrival of Europeans on the American continent, the site itself was occupied by native communities from prehistoric times. Moreover, the origin of the word “tadoussac” finds its roots in Indian vocabulary. Tadoussac experienced the fur trade from the 17th to the 19th century, then the timber industry, before becoming a popular holiday destination.
Discover the North Coast’s typical plant species in Le Jardin de la Grève shoreline gardens. You will then visit the Chauvin Trading Post, a recreation of Canada’s very first fur trading post, with an exhibition focused on first contacts, the trading post and trading.
You will visit the Grand Hôtel Tadoussac, a superb wooden building overlooking Tadoussac Bay and the Saint Lawrence River. Its white wall, red roof, dormer windows and spectacular copula bestow an old-world charm upon it. Admire the old photos decorating the hotel lobby. You will make yourself comfortable and enjoy a cup of tea, at local café, while contemplating the bay.
Before leaving, you will visit the Little Chapel located on the property, also called the Indian Chapel. It is the oldest wooden church in North America, having been constructed in 1747 by Jesuit missionaries who came to convert the local population to Christianity. It houses religious objects that were used over two and a half centuries ago.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Discover the cultural heritage of Montreal, a blend of the old and the modern, through a visit of Old Montreal, the Notre-Dame Basilica, the financial and upmarket district of Westmount and the universities. From Mount Royal, admire the panoramic views over the city.
Wander around Old Montreal, which is one of the largest historic districts in North America. You will pass by the Old Port’s riverside park, a unique site. Among other things, it includes Montréal's Birthplace, Rue de la Commune, the Bonsecours market, grain silos, hangars, quays and piers. The sector was one of North America’s most important transit points in the 20th century, particularly for the cereal trade.
The Notre-Dame Basilica, a masterpiece of Neo-Gothic architecture, was constructed between 1824 and 1829. The magnificent wooden interior and the audaciously modern design of the Notre-Dame-du-Sacré-Cœur chapel captivates hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Paintings, sculptures and stained-glass windows illustrate Biblical passages as well as 350 years of the parish’s history.
Perched on the hills above the city, Mount Royal Park offers views over Montreal’s skyline, the Saint Lawrence River and the surrounding countryside. Covering an area of over 200 hectares, the park is an oasis of peace and greenery, and a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts in the middle of a modern metropolis.
At the heart of Montreal is the unique cosmopolitan centre known as the Golden Square Mile. Admire the Victorian architecture of this district grouping together museums, boutiques and restaurants and, as a backdrop, the bustling business district.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Polar Expedition
Make your dreams of adventure come true, explore the boundaries of the world, and discover wild and legendary territories. The icy immensity of Antarctica, the constantly changing glaciers and icebergs of the North Pole, the mysterious mists of the North European coastlines, the most remote fjords on the planet… Every destination unveils unrivalled landscapes, home to increasingly varied fauna. Our team of naturalist-guides will share their knowledge with you during varied lectures about the history of the great explorations, geology and climatology, the fauna and flora, and will invite you to share special moments with the local populations.
Shore excursions, Pre/Post & Overlands
Enhance your cruise and extend your trip with a carefully designed programme.
Day 1 - Reykjavik
Meet at Reykjavik Airport in the Arrival Hall. Look for the PONANT sign. You will be greeted by our local representative off the flight selected by PONANT or any other flight (provided that you have previously communicated your flight schedule to your travel agent).
You will be transferred to the Geysir hotel (approximately 2 h transfer).
Check-in in your room.
Day at leisure.
Dinner at the hotel restaurant.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2 - Thorsmork
You will embark for a safari on a 4x4 vehicle to explore Þórsmörk, a magnificent valley that takes its name from Þór (Thor), the god of thunder.
Thorsmork is famous for having a great variety of natural features and has been protected since 1921, in the care of the Forestry Service. Weather in Thorsmork is often warmer than nearby, since it is protected by the three glaciers surrounding it; Eyjafjallajökull, Mýrdalsjökull and Tindfjallajökull. During the hike, you will discover the magnificent landscape, a must for all nature lovers.
After your hike, lunch will be served in a local restaurant.
Then, the drive through Þórsmörk provides a unique perspective, some glacial river crossing and travelling through rough terrain as well as the beautiful green vegetation of moss, fern and birch wood.
Than discover Gígjökull glacier, an outlet glacier from the notorious Eyjafjallajökull glacier that erupted in 2010 and the ever graceful Seljalandsfoss waterfall, a stunning waterfall that drops 60 m and originates from the Eyjafjallajökull glacier. If you are feeling adventurous you can walk behind the waterfall.
At the end of this journey, you will be transferred to the hotel.
Dinner will be served at the hotel.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 3 - The Golden Circle
Depart for the Secret Lagoon, a natural hot spring located on the small village of Fludir.
This is the oldest swimming pool in Iceland, since 1891. Have a unique experience relaxing in warm water surrounded by several geothermal spots and a little Geysir, which erupts every few minutes.
Your next stop is at Fridheimar Horse Park and Greenhouse. The owners will introduce you to Icelandic agriculture – its local market greenhouse production.
The family will share their story as to how their joint passion for horses and horticulture entwined and thrived into the enterprising establishment that it is today. In the greenhouse amidst the fragrant aroma of fresh tomato plants and the buzzing of worker bees.
Then a fresh homemade lunch will be served.
Following the greenhouse visit you will head to the most beautiful waterfall of the country, Gullfoss. Nearby you will also stop at the Geysir geothermal area with its multitude of hot springs, where the most active one, Strokkur, spouts every few minutes.
Your last stop of the day will be at Thingvellir National Park, a place of tremendous interest as a primary site of both Iceland’s geological and historical heritage. Look over the geological fault known as Almannagja - the place where Europe’s oldest national legislative assembly, the Icelandic Althing, was established in the year 930 AD, and where it convened in grandiose surroundings every summer for nearly eight centuries.
Return to your hotel in the afternoon.
Dinner will be served at the hotel.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 4 - Reykjavik
The morning is at leisure to enjoy the ambiance and amenities of your hotel before your check-out.
Transfer to Reykjavik where you will have free time exploring the city.
In the afternoon you will be picked up at Reykjavik´s City Hall for your Panoramic Reykjavik tour. With plenty of space, clean air and natural green energy - Reykjavik clearly revels in its reputation as being one of the most modern, forward-thinking societies in Europe. The city’s logo “pure energy” says it all - whether that pure energy is portrayed in the form of the city’s heating, nightlife or culture, Reykjavik delivers.
Head to Hallgrimskirkja Church. The largest in Iceland at 74,5 meters high and is one of the city’s best-known landmarks. Continue with the spectacular coastline and harbor area, the Harpa Concert Hall and the Hofdi house - venue of THE landmark “end of the cold war” meeting in 1986 between President Reagan and General Secretary Gorbachev.
Then you will be transferred to the port for embark on board your ship.
Your hotel:
The Geysir hotel is a family-run hotel located on doorstop of the geothermal area, in the historic Haukadalur valley. This recent building has been designed in the aim to reflect nature through the choice of materials blending into the nearest surroundings. The hotel's rooms and suites are bright and light, and all have views of the stunning scenery.
The Geysir hotel has a strong sustainable policy by operating and heating exclusively with green and renewable energy and use as much as possible products from the local community as for restaurants. The hotel also push for forestation, and environment preservation.
Upgraded rooms are also available depending on availability and on a supplement basis. Contact your travel professional for further detail.
Your programme includes:
Your programme does not include:
Please note:
Contact of your hotel :
Geysir Hotel
Haukadalur 806
Iceland
Telephone number : 00 354 480 6800
Duration and order of the visits may vary. To know your PONANT flight schedule, please contact your travel agent; it is also indicated on your electronic ticket included in your travel documents.
Total : AU$5,880
Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability.Travel with peace of mind as PONANT organises your transfer between the airport and your port of embarkation.
Partez l’esprit léger, PONANT organise votre transfert entre l’aéroport et votre port d’embarquement.
Hafnarfjörður
Meet at Reykjavik airport in the arrival hall. Look for PONANT sign. You will be greeted by our local representative off the flight selected by PONANT.
You will depart the airport by coach and be directly transferred to the Hafnarfjörður pier to embark on your ship.
Your programme includes:
Your programme does not include:
To know your PONANT flight schedule, please contact your travel agent; it is also indicated on your electronic ticket included in your travel documents.
Total : AU$180
Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability.
Set off on the trail of the Vikings in Anse aux Meadows, a remarkable site whose vestiges establish a possible link with Leif Erikson, the first known European to discover continental North America.
Discovered in 1960, subsequently becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is the location of the first North American Viking site. Circa 1000 AD, Norse sailors set up a base there from which they explored the more southern regions. Visit the Interpretation Centre, and then follow the trails to the archaeological digs site before discovering the re-created timber-framed structure showing what daily life was like at the time.
In the reconstructed Viking village Norstead, see the replica of the Viking knarr Snorri, a ship that sailed from Greenland to Newfoundland and is named after the first European child born in North America. You can learn to throw an axe, spin yarn or take a traditional weaving lesson.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
St. John's, capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, is the oldest city in North America and is renowned for its 19th-century architecture. For hundreds of years, it has welcomed explorers and conquerors, marauding pirates and merchant adventurers.
You will reach the historic site of Signal Hill, the highest point of the city, where the inventor Marconi received the first wireless transatlantic signal in 1901, thus ushering in the Information Age. Appreciate the panoramic views over the city and the wild coastline, and discover the history of this site, from the battles of the 18th century to the miracles of aviation in the 20th century.
Your excursion will then continue in the city centre, which features numerous historic buildings, including Government House, churches and the colourful Victorian wooden houses so characteristic of St. John’s.
You will then arrive at Cape Spear (Cap-d’Espoir), the easternmost point of North America, and enjoy the spectacular scenery. View the distant lighthouse and learn about the tunnels and fortifications that protected this gateway to the New World during the wars of the 20th century.
Finally, you will return to your ship via the fishing community of Petty Harbour.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The small community of Bay Bulls, just a stone's throw from Saint John's, offers a concentrate of nature and life for outdoors lovers. On one side, the largest puffin colony in North America; on the other, fascinating coastal landscapes that you can admire from a boat.
Embark on a two-hour adventure at sea to discover Newfoundland's iconic landscapes. Between the North Head lighthouse, the towering cliffs, the little islands and the Witless Bay ecological reserve, discover the richness of these territories, including the largest puffin colony in the region, as well as kittiwakes, guillemots and razorbills. And who knows, maybe you will catch a glimpse of a whale in the distance, despite the late season.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Opposite the northernmost point of the island of Saint-Pierre, let yourself be captivated by this unique experience on a Zodiac dinghy discovering the riches of the Grand Colombier Nature Reserve from the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
There are places where time seems to stand still. On the island of Grand Colombier, renowned for its unique biodiversity, you will be swept away by this spellbinding beauty, unlike any other. The rocky formations here are evidence of millions of years of erosion and tectonic movements, sculpting spectacular scenery. The sedimentary strata tell the island’s ancient history, while the basalt formations offer a striking contrast with the deep blue of the Atlantic Ocean below.
At the summit of Grand Colombier, the seabirds are the lords of the sky and the sea. Sooty shearwaters spin gracefully, plunging skilfully into the fish-rich waters. Majestic and imposing gannets glide above jagged cliffs, watching over their nests perched on the rock faces. Each strident cry resonates like an ode to the wild, punctuating the peaceful atmosphere of the island.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
This lovely hike has views over the typical rocky hills of the island of Saint-Pierre, as well as over the ponds and neighbouring small islands. An ideal itinerary for discovering the geology, flora and bird life on Grand Colombier island, but also the history of this island brimming with vestiges.
Dive into 5,000 years of history on the Anse-à-Henry site! Located at the very north of Saint-Pierre, opposite Grand Colombier, this significant archaeological site has vestiges belonging to four different cultural groups: the Maritime Archaic American Indians (3000 to 1200 BC), the Recent Indian American Indians (0 to circa 1500 AD), the Groswater Paleo-Eskimos (800 to 100 BC) and the Recent Dorset Paleo-Eskimos (100 to 900 AD).
Its very rich marine environment, its drinkable freshwater and its mooring bays with clear views have made it an ideal location for human occupation, not to mention the jasper deposit on Grand Colombier that enabled stone tools to be made.
Every year, the channel that separates it from the island of Grand Colombier welcomes all kinds of marine mammals, including minke whales.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
A mere ten-minute crossing separates Saint-Pierre and Miquelon from the stunning Île aux Marins. However, this minuscule piece of windswept land seems like it is from another time. This site is a privileged witness of the history of local fishing, and in particular cod fishing; the small houses and museum will reveal the secrets of the island, which is gradually coming back to life.
It is hard to imagine that the Île aux Marins, a small strip of land 1,700 metres (5,560 feet) long and sometimes no more than 100 metres (330 feet) wide; had up to 600 inhabitants in the 19th century. Nonetheless, it was once home to significant cod fishing activity, as is evidenced by the ‘graves’, these stretches of stones that were used to dry the nets, and the few fishermen’s houses that have survived the passage of time and are now being carefully renovated by a local association.
Further on, the Pointe-Leconte Lighthouse, erected following too many shipwrecks and maritime tragedies on the archipelago, reminds everyone of the ferocity of the elements that shape this part of the world. Like the wash house, the 1875 cemetery, the Chemin de Croix and the war memorial, it reminds people of the hard daily life of the island’s inhabitants, known as “Red Feet” in the past.
The village school, now a museum, tells the history of how the island’s population left, facing the industrialisation of fishing, but also how it refuses to let itself be forgotten and is undergoing a renewal.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
A little part of France off the coast of Canada, the island of Saint-Pierre, whose name is a reference to the patron saint of fishermen, developed around the fishing industry and still has many traces of its past, a fine blend of French and American traditions.
Listen to the fascinating history of the island of Saint-Pierre as you walk around its narrow and colourful little streets. Whale hunting, cod fishing, French and American heritage: all of these memories are still very much alive in the capital, Saint-Pierre. During this walk around the island’s capital, admire the traditional wooden houses from the 1960s and 1970s and discover its early-20th-century cathedral, its Town Hall and the town’s oldest house. Finally, visit the Heritage Museum to discover the history and heritage of one of the only French islands - along with the island of Miquelon – on the North American continent.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The Cormorandière Valley provides an ideal playground for those who love wide open spaces and hilly paths. Jagged cliffs, pristine nature, small lakes visited by white-tailed deer, and breathtaking views are all on the programme for this hike in what the region’s inhabitants call the “most beautiful” valley in the archipelago.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Make the most of the idyllic setting of the Miquelon-Langlade Isthmus to attend a yoga session.
Both a physical activity and a mental discipline, yoga relaxes the mind and makes the body more flexible. By learning breathing techniques and adopting various postures, you will strengthen your body and your balance while reducing stress.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Explore know-how and the love of good food as you discover “Les Saveurs Fermières” goat farm and its delicious local products.
During the farm visit, go behind the scenes of goat cheese production, then taste some of the farm’s creations.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Set off to ascend the summit of the Tête Pelée (139 metres or 456 feet) and enjoy stunning views over the isthmus and the Anse du Gouvernement beach, featuring vast plateaux, subarctic summits and wet and peaty plains.
The path leading to one of the most emblematic summits on the island of Miquelon opens before you, winding its way through a dense forest, where the leafy trees stretch up towards the sky. Each step resonates on the soil, accompanied by the soothing whisper of nature as it awakens around you. The heady fragrances of the wild plants and maritime pines perfume the air, adding a sensorial dimension to your journey.
As you advance towards the Tête Pelée, there is less and less vegetation, which makes way for jagged cliffs and breathtaking panoramas. The salty sea spray of the ocean will caress your face as you reach spectacular viewpoints, where the infinite horizon encounters the tumultuous waves of the Atlantic.
Once you arrive at the summit of the Tête Pelée, a majestic silence reigns, only interrupted by the noise of the wind which forges the rocky crests. A unique moment during which time seems to stand still between a feeling of absolute freedom and total wonderment.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
From the cider works to the designers’ workshop, via the Sea Museum and Cap Hérissé, discover the various faces of the Magdalen Islands and its inhabitants.
Le Verger de Poméloi orchard is planted on the heights of the Magdalen Islands, overlooking the sea, and will plunge you into a kingdom ruled by the apple. Éloi Vigneau has been passionate about agriculture since his teenage years and started to plant his first apple trees in 1990 as part of an experimental project. From year to year, he followed the growth of the saplings in the local climate, as they faced the wind and sea air. 18 years later, he runs a small cider works and distillery producing excellent beverages while respecting the environment.
Then you will head for the Sea Museum. The permanent exhibition, called Laboureurs du Golfe, recounts the archipelago’s history, which is of course connected to the evolution of maritime practices. Objects and photographs tell stories of fishermen and shipwrecks, the development of ships and lighthouses, seal hunting, etc.
Not far from there is the Atelier Côtier workshop, a creative space coupled with a store where “8 friends and 1 dog have fun making beautiful things”. Here, the sand of the islands is transformed into singular sculptures, and the landscapes inspire the creation of design or decoration objects, clothing or jewellery.
To finish, you will head to the north of the island to admire the incredible jagged cliffs of Cap Hérissé.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Renowned for its stunning scenery and rich cultural history, the Magdalen Islands archipelago can also claim a fine culinary heritage, constantly renewed by passionate artisans, like the dairy, smokehouse and the brewery that await you here.
First stop: the Pied-de-Vent dairy, a delicious example of Madelinot perseverance and craftmanship. In just a few years, the artisans working here have successfully developed cheeses that are popular all over the country. Their secret is their great love for their terroir combined with a savvy blend of tradition and modernity, as you will discover during your visit of the farm, followed by a tasting.
Then, after coming along the lovely Chemin de la Pointe Basse, scattered here and there with typical painted houses and farms – with small closed porches, consoles and corbels, verandas but also painted or stained cedar shingles which are reminiscent of the Acadian and French origins of their first inhabitants -, you will discover the Fumoir d’Antan. Now an eco-museum dedicated to herring smoking, this typical smokehouse brings to life this last vestiges of what was a very important industry in the past. It has been used for three generations to smoke herring, mackerel, salmon and scallops; you will find out all about its history before tasting some specialities.
Then go along the northern coast of the island and the aptly named Cap-Hérissé, which is home to spectacular sheer and rugged cliffs that have been sculpted by the sea, before your final port of call: the À l’abri de la Tempête brewery. Here, local ingredients reign supreme. The brewers started using locally malted barley, then moved on to harvesting and using fresh flowers, marine algae and herbs from the area, to brew unique full-flavoured beers that you will have the pleasure of tasting.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Set off aboard a Zodiac that will take you to encounter whales in the estuary of the Saint Lawrence River. A magical moment!
A naturalist-guide captain will take you to where the river meets the ocean, an ideal spot to observe these giants of the sea as well as other marine mammals such as blue whale, fin whale, minke whale, beluga, humpback whale and grey seal. Indeed, the gulf and the estuary of the Saint Lawrence are a veritable kingdom for whales and a formidable natural laboratory for biologists passionate about these emblematic species. During these two hours on the river, you will appreciate all the wild beauty of the Saguenay fjord.
Back on shore, you will visit the information centre run by the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM), a non-profit organisation dedicated to education for the sake of marine conservation and scientific research on the marine mammals of the Saint Lawrence.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Possessing one of the world’s lost beautiful bays, flanked by its large hotel with its characteristic red roof, Tadoussac is a picture-postcard village. Walk around this superb territory located at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence River and the Saguenay fjord.
Life goes by peacefully in this village of 800 souls lulled by the whisper of the waves and the salty air. While the history of the village of Tadoussac goes back to the arrival of Europeans on the American continent, the site itself was occupied by native communities from prehistoric times. Moreover, the origin of the word “tadoussac” finds its roots in Indian vocabulary. Tadoussac experienced the fur trade from the 17th to the 19th century, then the timber industry, before becoming a popular holiday destination.
Discover the North Coast’s typical plant species in Le Jardin de la Grève shoreline gardens. You will then visit the Chauvin Trading Post, a recreation of Canada’s very first fur trading post, with an exhibition focused on first contacts, the trading post and trading.
You will visit the Grand Hôtel Tadoussac, a superb wooden building overlooking Tadoussac Bay and the Saint Lawrence River. Its white wall, red roof, dormer windows and spectacular copula bestow an old-world charm upon it. Admire the old photos decorating the hotel lobby. You will make yourself comfortable and enjoy a cup of tea, at local café, while contemplating the bay.
Before leaving, you will visit the Little Chapel located on the property, also called the Indian Chapel. It is the oldest wooden church in North America, having been constructed in 1747 by Jesuit missionaries who came to convert the local population to Christianity. It houses religious objects that were used over two and a half centuries ago.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Discover the cultural heritage of Montreal, a blend of the old and the modern, through a visit of Old Montreal, the Notre-Dame Basilica, the financial and upmarket district of Westmount and the universities. From Mount Royal, admire the panoramic views over the city.
Wander around Old Montreal, which is one of the largest historic districts in North America. You will pass by the Old Port’s riverside park, a unique site. Among other things, it includes Montréal's Birthplace, Rue de la Commune, the Bonsecours market, grain silos, hangars, quays and piers. The sector was one of North America’s most important transit points in the 20th century, particularly for the cereal trade.
The Notre-Dame Basilica, a masterpiece of Neo-Gothic architecture, was constructed between 1824 and 1829. The magnificent wooden interior and the audaciously modern design of the Notre-Dame-du-Sacré-Cœur chapel captivates hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Paintings, sculptures and stained-glass windows illustrate Biblical passages as well as 350 years of the parish’s history.
Perched on the hills above the city, Mount Royal Park offers views over Montreal’s skyline, the Saint Lawrence River and the surrounding countryside. Covering an area of over 200 hectares, the park is an oasis of peace and greenery, and a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts in the middle of a modern metropolis.
At the heart of Montreal is the unique cosmopolitan centre known as the Golden Square Mile. Admire the Victorian architecture of this district grouping together museums, boutiques and restaurants and, as a backdrop, the bustling business district.
Included
Subject to availability, rate per passenger.
Ponant/ Paul Gauguin cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 2 months up to 7 days prior to departure through your travel advisor or by calling your cruise specialist.
Smithsonian cruises: Excursions will be available to book approximately 4 months prior to departure through your Guest Services Specialist. Excursions are subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Enhance your cruise and extend your trip with a carefully designed programme.
Day 1 – Toronto/Niagara Falls/Toronto
After disembarkation procedures are completed, you will be greeted at the port by our local representative.
Depart on your tour of the two Niagara’s (about 2 hours drive). Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Falls featured prominently in the “War of 1812” as the young American republic to the south made a bid to invade the British Colony of Upper Canada and include all of North America in their growing country. This bid failed and a series of running battles and skirmishes took place at many locations between Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Falls.
To fully understand the power of Niagara Falls, you will participate in the attraction “Journey behind the falls”. You will first need to descend 125 feet and explore the 130-yearold tunnels running throughout this bedrock. As you transit the passages you will feel the thunderous vibration of the Horseshoe Falls well before you see them. The observation deck at the foot of this 13-storeytall wonder is an unforgettable sight (and you might become a little bit wet), but we urge you to spend time looking the viewing portals cut straight through the rock, offering a once-in-a-lifetime view of one-fifth of the world’s fresh water crashing down in front of you.
Transfer from Niagara Falls to a local vineyard.
Lunch will be served at the vineyard with wine pairings.
You will enjoy a panoramic tour effort of Niagara on the Lake, and then you will be transferred to your hotel Fairmont Royal York 5*.
Check-in
Dinner and evening at leisure.
Day 2 - Toronto
After breakfast and check-out, enjoy time at leisure depending on your flight schedule.
You will then be transferred to the airport in time for check-in for the PONANT selected flight or any other flight (provided that you have previously communicated your flight schedule to your travel agent).
Your hotel:
Through a history of nearly 90 years the Fairmont Royal York, a 5* hotel, is the gateway to your Toronto experience. Standing in the very heart of downtown, this British empire influences' building has played host to the city’s most unforgettable moments by greeting host royal guests, heads of state and many others. Surrounded by highly skilled chefs, you make take advantage of the flavoury restaurants proposed.
Upgraded rooms are also available depending on availability and on a supplement basis. Contact your travel professional for further detail.
Your programme includes:
Your programme does not include:
Please note:
Contact of your hotel:
Hotel Fairmont Royal York
100 Front St W, Toronto,
ON M5J 1E3, Canada
Telephone: +1 416-368-2511
Duration and order of the visits may vary. To know your PONANT flight schedule, please contact your travel agent; it is also indicated on your electronic ticket included in your travel documents.
In the event of schedule changes of PONANT’s selected flight, your programme will be adapted to ensure the most seamless and enriching experience. The content of your revised programme will be updated on the PONANT website, in My Ponant space and on the PONANT app. The final programme will also be sent to you along with your cruise documents.
Total : AU$2,000
Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability.