Go to main contentGo to footer
Commandant Charcot South Pole

The Commandant Charcot closest to the South Pole

The Commandant Charcot closest to the South Pole

Scroll to explore

Le Commandant Charcot has reached the closest navigable latitude to the South Pole.Le Commandant Charcot has reached the closest navigable latitude to the South Pole.

78°44.3' South

Le Commandant Charcot, the latest addition to the PONANT fleet, is a high polar exploration vessel, electric hybrid and powered by Liquefied Natural Gas. It has set a world record by being the first ship to reach the extreme latitude of 78°44.3' South in the Bay of Whales, in the Ross Sea.

Commander Patrick Marchesseau and his Second Captain Mathieu
The Captain

Patrick Marchesseau

"The Bay of Whales was the starting point of Amundsen's expedition, who was the first to reach the South Pole on December 14, 1911. The temperature there is around -15°C. It is in this setting of breathtaking beauty as well as the cold that prevails there that Le Commandant Charcot reached 78°44.3' South, which is the closest geographical latitude to the South Pole by sea from the entire Antarctic continent."

Peter I Island

While sailing to the Ross Sea, Le Commandant Charcot also approached the unexplored shores of the mysterious Pierre I Island for the first time.

Peter I Island

Pioneer and responsible

Le Commandant Charcot is the first high polar exploration vessel, electric hybrid powered by LNG (liquefied natural gas). This major innovation deeply reflects PONANT's commitment to sustainable tourism with minimised environmental impact. As a scientific research vessel, it is also the only cruise ship in the world to welcome researchers on board, with dedicated workspaces for them. With the Le Commandant Charcot, PONANT is leading the way in sustainable exploration.

Commandant Charcot in Greenland

Mount Terror

In the Ross Sea, guests were able to catch a glimpse of the summit of Mount Terror, a shield volcano covered in ice that rises to 3,230 metres above sea level. It was discovered in 1841 by Sir James Clark Ross, who named it in honour of his ship, the HMS Terror. It is the second-highest volcano among the four major volcanoes that make up Ross Island.

Sundogs

The extreme latitudes are conducive to observing exceptional optical phenomena such as the sundog, or 'false sun', resulting from the interaction of sunlight on ice crystals. They are visible for only a few seconds. Our photographers have captured a beautiful image of this fleeting moment.

Crédits photos : ©Studio PONANT/Morgane Monneret; ©Laura Jourdan; ©Ian Dawson