In partnership with Les Éditions Tallandier and with featured guest Thomas Gomart, French historian of international relations and director of the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI).

From Edinburgh to Stockholm, PONANT brings you a brand-new 12-day cruise aboard Le Dumont-d’Urville, through the landscapes and cultural treasures of Scotland and Scandinavia.

Le Dumont-d’Urville will sail to the Swedish island of Gotland and call at Visby, a site that was important for the Hanseatic League in the Baltic Sea around the 13th century. A UNESCO Heritage Site, this once-opulent city still has remarkably well-preserved ramparts, public buildings, merchant houses and warehouses.

Karlskrona, whose history is intrinsically linked to the Swedish Navy, boasts exceptional UNESCO-listed architecture that is characteristic of late-17th-century European naval cities.

Then your ship will chart a course towards the charming town of Gudhjem, on the small Danish island of Bornholm, which is greatly appreciated by the Danish for its variety of landscapes ranging from granite to great sandy beaches.

Copenhagen, city of art and history, the charming Danish capital will not fail to surprise you with its easy lifestyle, cultural richness and exceptional heritage.

The next step of your voyage will take you to Gothenburg, in Sweden. The country’s main port and labelled City of Literature by UNESCO, it can be discovered via its pretty canals, cultural treasures and emblematic districts.

Le Dumont-d’Urville will then set a course for Norway, its stunning scenery and its incredible cities and towns. Sitting on the edge of a fjord covered in greenery, Oslo, the creative, multicultural, radiant capital of Norway reflects a deep attachment to its Viking and Scandinavian roots. You will then sail along the coast to Arendal, called the Venice of the North due to its canals. On the southern coast, the colourful facades of Egersund stretch out along the curve of a fjord and the town’s industrial past, centred on fishing and earthenware production, is revealed.

Le Dumont-d’Urville will sail towards Kirkwall, capital of the Orkney Islands, where numerous seabirds, such as gannets and European shags, have taken up residence.

The last stage of your cruise will take you to Aberdeen. Its magnificent coast, boasting a remarkable nature reserve and majestic castles nearby, make Scotland’s third largest city, full of Gothic charm, an exceptional port of call.

Finally, you will reach Edinburgh, city of history and labelled city of literature by UNESCO, your port of disembarkation.