Cruises visiting Exploration of Franz Josef Land (Russia)

Lost in the heart of the Russian Arctic, Franz Josef Land rises up, imposing and majestic, out of the icy waters of the Barents Sea. The volcanic archipelago was named in honour of the Austrian-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria and offers up sumptuous landscapes sculpted by glacial erosion. Particularly difficult to reach because of the ice floe and still completely unknown until 150 years ago, this group of islands remains relatively unexplored today. Home to extremely rich wild life, it was declared a natural sanctuary and is today part of the Russian Arctic National Park. Aboard Le Commandant Charcot, designed to sail in extreme environments, your exploration of Franz Josef Land will take the form of slow and silent movement into the heart of the ice at a time of year that is inaccessible to traditional ships. There is a very specific appeal in being the only ones in the archipelago in this season and you will be able to appreciate the rarity of the moment. The ballet of the seabirds, come to nest in the archipelago, will accompany you, and perhaps you will be lucky enough to observe a polar bear, the ruler of the keep, criss-crossing its territory.