Making the most of Dumont d Urville
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
01
Arriving at the port
Cruise ships cannot berth here, so inflatable zodiac boats tender passengers ashore.
02
Sightseeing
Only 30-40 people may come ashore at a time at the station. Ice and powerful katabatic winds frequently stop landings by Zodiac or helicopter. The station accommodates about 30 winter-overs and 120 in summer. The French icebreaker l'Astrolabe brings supplies and personnel from Hobart, Tasmania, making 5 round-trips between November and March. The Academy Award-winning documentary La Marche de l'empereur, released in English as March of the Penguins, was filmed in the area around this base.