Ponant Explorations Group has announced that it is deploying two ships in French Polynesia from winter 2026-27, with Le Jacques Cartier joining the Paul Gauguin in the region.

Ponant said in a press release that its winter voyages will explore the five archipelagos of French Polynesia.

The Paul Gauguin

According to the company, the ship is built for shallow lagoons and is based year-round in French Polynesia.

Onboard, a team of local Tahitian hosts, who live on the ship, the Gauguins and Gauguines, welcome guests.

Further details are as follows:

• Number of departures: 66
• Destinations: Society Islands, Tuamotu, Marquesas. A few departures to the Cook Islands, Fiji and Tonga, and
• Onboard highlights include singing and dancing performances, workshops, optional excursions at each port of call, and PADI-certified scuba diving.

 

 Le Jacques Cartier

The company added that the Le Jacques Cartier is destined for tropical exploration, and will offer three never-before-seen “Discovery” itineraries.

These can be joined together to form a complete journey across the destination, encompassing 42 nights onboard, six archipelagos, 23 islands and the Pitcairn Islands.

The itineraries include the following:

• “Secret Polynesia: Unexplored Tuamotu, the Gambier Islands and the Austral Islands” (Papeete-Papeete, departing October 18 and December 13, 2026, 14 nights).
• “Polynesian Bliss: Marquesas and Tuamotu” (Papeete-Papeete, six departures from November 2026 to January 2027, 14 nights), and
• “From Confidential French Polynesia to Pitcairn Island” (Papeete-Papeete, departing November 15, 2026, 14 nights).

 

Further details are as follows:

• Number of departures: 9
• Destinations: Tuamotu, Marquesas, Austral, Gambier and Pitcairn Islands, and
• Onboard highlights include PADI-certified scuba diving, one activity included per day per person led by local guides and outings and landings by tender, local boats and zodiac.

 

Ponant also announced that six new stopovers have been confirmed.

On the Tuamotu archipelago:

• Mataiva
• Hikueru, and
• Makemo. 

 

On the Austral archipelago:

• Raivavae
• Tubuai, and
• Rurutu.