Cruise Description

The mildness of autumn on the waters of the Aegean Sea promises you an unforgettable 11-day journey between Greece and Turkey. Aboard Le Dumont-d’Urville, fall under the spell of the Mediterranean landscapes and the ancient vestiges that will tell you a fascinating story.

Throughout your journey, you will benefit from an excursion included per person per port of call, to choose from a selection offered by PONANT. During this cruise, visit the archaeological site of Ephesus from Kusadasi, discover the monastery of Saint John and the Cave of the Apocalypse where the last book of the New Testament was revealed to John the Apostle,from Patmos, or admire the sumptuous archaeological sites, from the Temples of Zeus, Apollo and Athena to the Terrace of the Lions, from Delos. The diversity of experiences on offer promises you intense and varied moments (to discover the full range of excursions, go to the itinerary tab). The diversity of experiences on offer promises you intense and varied moments (to discover the full range of excursions, go to the itinerary tab).

From Athens, you will arrive in Kusadasi, in Turkey. An old fishing village with history going back 5,000 years, not far from the Ephesus site, the town is now one of the country’s most famous seaside resorts.

Then, the island of Patmos, known as “the Jerusalem of the Aegean Sea”, reveals itself to offer you a moment suspended between unique landscapes of white-sand beaches and rocky bays.

The birthplace of Artemis and Apollo, Delos is rich in archaeological ruins, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, illustrating its prestigious history. A journey back in time almost 2,000 years, between millennia-old heritage and sumptuous panoramas.

Paros, renowned for its stunning white marble, offers a real concentration of Greek beauty, with its whitewashed houses, olive groves and ancient monuments. You will then make a detour via the island of Hydra, famous for its incomparable light and the calm of its small streets on which all motorised traffic is banned.

Further north, you will arrive in Nafplio, the departure point for discovering the Ancient Theatre ofEpidaurus and the Mycenae archaeological site, both UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The fortified peninsula of Monemvasia will reveal itself, monumental, like a ship of stone overlooking the azure during your next port of call in the Peloponnese.

Then, Santorini, one of the pearls of the archipelago, awaits you for an enchanted interlude, unfurling the grandiose crater of its caldera.

You will travel towards Crete and its capital Heraklion. In this capital built on the side of a hill overlooking the harbour, discover the former Venetian ramparts, which provide a unique view of the city.

On the mythical island of Rhodes, let yourself be swept away by the charm of this medieval city with its gothic architecture, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Finally you will arrive in Antalya, a former Roman port with picturesque alleyways and fine Ottoman residences.