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Ponant teams with Relais & Châteaux on gastronomic cruises

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Ponant and Relais & Châteaux are partnering on three new culinary cruises in 2020, each hosted by a Relais & Châteaux chef. The itineraries are in Europe, Asia and Africa, and the French cruise line said more are to follow in 2021.

'More than just a sense of excellence,' Philippe Gombert, president of Relais & Châteaux, said about partnering with Ponant, 'we share fundamental values including ethics, commitment and authenticity, which are reflected in the respect of local cultures and heritage, and the protection of the environment.

Ethical cuisine

'We believe in ethical cuisine,' he continued. 'The ocean must now be considered as one of our planet’s most precious ecosystems.'

Hosted on board Ponant's Explorers ships, the journeys will include two gala dinners featuring two new signature dishes that the respective Relais & Châteaux chef has created for the occasion. The chefs will also host culinary demonstrations, cooking classes and lectures. Depending on the ports, passengers can can join the chef for market tours to meet local producers.

Treasures of Brittany

On Sept. 20, 2020, the two Michelin-star Relais & Châteaux Chef Mathieu Guibert of Anne de Bretagne, la Plaines-sur-Mer, will be aboard Le Jacques Cartier for a seven-night cruise along the Breton coastline. This French-focused itinerary will reveal historic port cities and wild Atlantic coasts.

The cruise sails from Saint-Malo to Nantes, calling at the Ponant Islands, the Gulf of Morbihan and Port-Navalo as well as Houat, Hoëdic, Ouessant and Belle-Île-en-Mer.

Canary Islands and Cape Verde

Passengers will sail from Lisbon to Dakar, Senegal, on a 10-night voyage aboard Le Dumont-d’Urville with Relais & Châteaux Chef Federico López Arcay of A Quinta da Auga, Santiago de Compostela. Ports include the historic city of Funchal, Madeira; the Canary Islands with stops at Tenerife and Gran Canaria; and Cape Verde’s Mindelo, the cultural cradle, and Santiago, the archipelago’s most inhabited island.

China and Vietnam

Le Lapérouse will embark in Shanghai on a 10-night cruise to Ha Long Bay. Passengers will be able to discover the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Yandang Mountains, Gulangyu and Ha Long, and wander the shopping malls and street markets of Hong Kong. The cruise ends at Haiphong.