PONANT , France's number 2 cruise company and world leader in polar expeditions celebrates 30 years of existence. It was on 1 April 1988 that the adventure began in Nantes, where 14 young Merchant Navy officers aged 23 to 29, including Jean-Emmanuel Sauvée, still active as CEO, and Philippe Videau, decided to create the company, which first took the name COMPAGNIE des ÎLES du PONANT (it became COMPAGNIE du PONANT in 2009 and simply PONANT in 2014). PONANT is the only cruise company in France flying the Tricolore. by Earl of Cruise based on an article by Vincent Groizeleau at Mer et Marine LE PONANT in the port of Bonifacio, Corsica - Sourece: Wikipedia ( original seize ) The first ship, built in Villeneuve-la-Garenne, was born in 1991. It is the sailboat and cruise vessel LE PONANT , a modern three-masted ship of 85.5 meters long with 32 cabins, still in service. LE PONANT´s sails became the logo of PONANT. LE LEVANT - Source: Wikipedia ( original seize ) ...
La France en Mer, á bord de BLEU DE FRANCE - a swan song. I have made a wonderful cruise in spring 2009 on board BLEU DE FRANCE, which started her life as HAPAG-LLOYD´s EUROPA in 1981. by Earl of Cruise BLEU DE FRANCE in Barcelona - own photography © Earl of Cruise Deep rain clouds hang over Marseille. The radiant white city, the gateway of France to the south, shows itself grey. The roads, trotoires and buildings still are wet from the last rainshower. Our car turns into the entrance of the Gare Maritime in the new port. And there she is, the BLEU DE FRANCE. Darkblue hull, white, wet glistening superstructure. The ship seemed to be covered with a layer of laquer. We are unloading the luggage at the check-in and have the boarding, we're early. A steward leads our small group of travellers to the final formalities at the reception in the cabins. that friendly "Bon voyage" from the reception is still echoing in the ears, and the steward opens the door to our Ri...