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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 ) ...

LE LAPÉROUSE is the first of COMPAGNIE DU PONANT 's ( pronounciation ) Explorer-Class expedition ships. PONANT recently anounced another two vessels to be added to the new luxury expedition class vessels. LE LAPÉROUSE is named for French explorer Jean-Francois de La Perouse. Several other ships in the new class are also named for famous French explorers, cartographers or navigators: LE CHAMPLAIN for Samuel de Champlain, LE BOUGAINVILLE for Louis-Antoine de Bougainville the famous French endeavorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville , who conducted a world circumnavigation on board the frigate LA BOUDEUSE 1766 till 1769 , and believed to have found on this journey `paradise on earth´, New Cythera (Île de la Nouvelle Cythère), as the Admiral and Comte titled Tahiti et ses îles . Further  LE DUMONT-d´URVILLE (originally planned to be named LE KERGUELEN) for Le Dumont-d’Urville. And the last announced vessels - LE BELLOT and LE SURVILLE. by Earl of Cruise LE LAPÉROUSE ...