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Le Commandant Charcot

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Final Call

Final Call

PONANT

Ponant expands its fleet with a new Polar Explorer, combining sustainable technology with elegant interiors by Jean-Michel Wilmotte and Jean-Philippe Nuel.

Words: Lauren Ho • Photography: © Gilles Trillard (unless otherwise stated)

With an air of luxury inconceivable to early 20th-century Antarctic explorers like Sir Ernest Shackleton, French cruise operator Ponant has taken things to a new level with the unveiling of Le Commandant Charcot. Named after French polar scientist Jean-Baptiste Charcot, the icebreaking ship - the brand’s first Polar Explorer – is setting new standards for sustainability at sea, using technology that promises minimal impact on the environment. “Ponant is at the forefront of environmental preservation in the cruise industry,” says Nicolas Dubreuil, Director of Expeditions at Ponant Explorer and a Sedna Expert in the Polar Environment. “Our 13 small ships are fitted with state-of-the-art equipment and technology; we recycle our water and waste, and we undertake environmental and social impact studies ahead of our expedition cruises.” Indeed, Le Commandant Charcot specifically is kitted out with several pioneering firsts. In terms of technology, she is the first polar explorer ship to be powered by liquified natural gas (LNG) – currently the cleanest fuel on the market – as well as to feature ABB Azipods, an advanced electric propulsion system designed to manoeuvre through the toughest of sea ice conditions. She is also the first to develop advanced ice-routing software with navigation software publisher Adrena, and, thanks to her innovative hull with a bulbless bow – capable of sailing in 2.5m thick ice – is the first PC2 Polar Class ship of her type. From a guest perspective, the vessel brings a host of exclusive facilities to the Ponant fleet, including a sprawling spa with an indoor pool and a juice bar, a promenade deck with benches heated by recycled energy, hot and cold outdoor lagoon pools arranged around a giant fire pit – also with outdoor seating heated by recycled energy – and a cigar lounge. This is the first time, too, that Alain Ducasse has partnered with a cruise brand to reveal Nuna, a fine dining restaurant with a daily-changing menu that features the chef’s most celebrated dishes.

For the occasion, Ponant has also fine-tuned

The ship’s main lounge has been dressed with softly curving armchairs from Ligne Roset’s Soufflot collection

its understated and contemporary design style, this time sharing the task between French architects Jean-Michel Wilmotte and JeanPhilippe Nuel, who have been behind the look and feel of the brand’s ships ever since the launch of Le Boréal in 2010.

Still in keeping with Ponant’s elegant aesthetic, the duo worked together to create a cohesive scheme that takes its cues from the beauty of the surrounding nature. “The show is going on outside, so we designed the interiors in a way that directs the gaze to the great outdoors,” declares Wimotte.

Responsible for several spaces from the soaring atrium – which features a 9m-high digital artwork by Miguel Chevalier – to the wellness area with its winter garden, Wilmotte reveals he opted for subtle materials and colours – like shades of light grey and sand – to create zones for contemplation. The Observatory Bar in particular is a spacious, light-filled area layered with tactile, natural materials – from warm timber-panelled walls to a marble bar – and dotted with custom-made furnishings in intimate seating groups, book-filled shelves, and black-and-white photography of the polar regions. “I like understated and unexpected materials that create a timeless range,” explains Wilmotte. “Comfort and elegance can be expressed in the touch of beautiful finishes or the softness of the armrest on a chair.”

For Nuel, there was an important point of difference from ships he has previously designed for Ponant. “For the first time, I was able to integrate the destination into the design approach,” he explains. “I have therefore sought a warm atmosphere with raw and natural materials alongside fluidity, which for me, is a maritime signature.” As such, the designer has dressed the restaurants and main lounge with softly curving Ligne Roset furniture upholstered in Rubelli and Kvadrat fabrics, accompanied by custom-made coffee tables with black ash bases, and grey marble table lamps designed by Space Copenhagen for Gubi.

The staterooms meanwhile are polished

boltholes with curvilinear walls and ceilings, as well as concealed lighting that creates a soft glow over the tactile materials – from bed throws to leather in tones of dark grey and oatmeal. Each encompasses a balcony dressed with Kettal furniture, while the Owner’s Suite has been elevated with luxury pieces – such as a black timber desk, a marble dining table and leather chairs – by European manufacturers such as Minotti and Poliform. Rounding out the opulent look are nappa leather Bottega Veneta accessories ranging from tissue boxes to trays.

“For me, this project is the expression of a humble luxury that is not eye-catching but has the ambition to elevate us with the presence of art and the implementation of artisanal know-how,” explains Nuel. “It is a luxury in harmony with its environment, where nothing is gratuitous, where beauty has the strength of a virginal simplicity and purity.”

The same can be said for the ship’s exterior. Envisioned by Nantes-based Stirling Design International (SDI), which has worked with Ponant since its launch, the vessel is characterised by a striking profile; its responsive, gently faceted superstructure is a contrast to the angular shapes of the ships that typically navigate the polar seas. “The challenge with this radically new type of ship was to design an elegant cruise liner based on a very specific hull in a way that brings out the general aesthetics while integrating the many technical and operational elements,” explains Thibaut Tincelin, SDI’s CEO. “But above all we wanted to retain a certain softness and harmony to the overall shape and forms of the ship.”

Not just a pretty face, Le Commandant Charcot is also equipped with dry and wet laboratories and serves the scientific community as a platform for observation, research and analysis to study water, air, ice and biodiversity in extreme polar regions. The icing on the cake then, for a truly remarkable ship that provides the perfect base to explore some of the world’s most remote destinations. ON DECK Route: Polar Regions Maiden Voyage: September 2021 Owner / Operator: Ponant Naval Architecture: Stirling Design International Interior Design: Jean-Michel Wilmotte, Jean-Philippe Nuel Art Consultant: Agnes Karp Visual Identity: Landor, Fred & Farid Shipyard: Vard www.ponant.com

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