Adventures in Madagascar (Mauritius to Seychelles)

Embark *Le Champlain* this afternoon and set sail at 19:00.

Pointe des Galets is the main port on the island of La Réunion. The old town of the Port conjures up the area’s rich history, which is connected to transport. Here you’ll be able to discover the former house of the Réunion Railway and Port Company (1878), its marine cemetery and its teeming covered market.

During your days at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing.

5km out to sea from the Malagasy village of Anakao, Nosy Ve is an unspoilt paradise of exceptional wild beauty. Located on a 2km long coral bank, this island is unique in that it is home to a colony of red-tailed tropicbirds. This nature reserve, a nesting site for rare birds, is unique because it is this species’ only reproduction site. The duckboards installed on the island will enable you to observe the birds hidden from view under the forest of Madagascan jewels. This Eden, dotted with natural pools, hosts coral, fish and sea turtles you can discover while snorkelling.

Sarodrano is a small village in the south-west of Madagascar in the province of Atsimo-Andrefana at the mouth of the Onilahy River. This village of Vezo fishermen possesses the authentic and unblemished charm of remote places. You will be surprised by the dexterity with which these “nomads of the sea” steer their outrigger canoes to fish or keep up their ancestral traditions like seaweed cultivation. If the tide allows it, you will also have the possibility of discovering the sacred cave of Sarodrano, a natural fresh water pool separated from the sea by just 10m of rocks. We sail to Toliara later today.

Located to the south-west of the island of Madagascar, near the mouth of the River Onilahy, Toliara is a port town that opens onto the Mozambique Channel. Inhabited for several centuries, becoming prosperous during the colonial period in the 19th century, Toliara is a cheerful town with exceptional flora that will certainly appeal to fans of botany.

In the south west of the Menabe Region, in the district of Morondava, you will marvel at the picturesque beauty of Belo sur Mer. This peninsula edged with mangroves alternates fine sandy beaches with rocks plunging into a sea, with shades falling between deep blue and crystal-clear green. This fishing village is renowned for its *dhows*, the traditional sailing boats of Madagascar, which are built in situ in the local artisanal boatyard.

A day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species.

In the heart of the Nosy Be archipelago, discover Nosy Tanikely, a magnificent white sand beach bordering a lagoon of crystal-clear waters. The island, which is uninhabited, has exceptional marine and terrestrial biodiversity. Our next stop is in Nosy Komba. Not far from the Madagascar mainland, this volcanic island shaped like a gigantic turtle shell is covered in dense tropical rainforest. This vegetation is home to amusing black lemurs – furry orange-brown and black creatures that are surprisingly agile and call to each other from amongst the trees. The many small beaches and the emerald-coloured water make Nosy Komba a natural gem that only a select few visit.

Its limestone rock formations rising from the waters, or marine “*tsingies*” typical of Madagascar, make Nosy Hara both exceptional and immediately recognisable. Located to the north-west of Madagascar, the island is a protected area due to its incredible biodiversity. It is a veritable open-air aquarium inhabited by around 280 marine species. The rocky columns are edged with gorgeous white-sand and pebble beaches, fading into shades of deep blue which cut off this idyllic place from the world. Succumb to the charms of this untouched jewel that will welcome you into its stunning decor for a special experience. This is an ideal location for snorkelling

Enjoy your days on board – a truly enchanting interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

La Digue Island is a veritable concentration of all the beauty of the Seychelles. Located 6km south-east of Praslin, this small piece of land that looks like paradise is the third-largest island in the Seychelles. Turquoise waters invite you to swim in them, lush vegetation shelters giant tortoises, beaches of fine sand are fringed with coconut trees and surrounded with emblematic large granite rocks with pink highlights like at the famous Anse Source d’Argent: the perfect picture postcard.

We arrive early this morning and disembark after breakfast.