Grands Espaces

Grands Espaces ( founded 1998 ) is the leading expedition cruise company operating/chartering ice breakers or polar vessels on the French speaking market ( France, Switzerland, Belgium, Québec…). The company specializes in small ships charters ( 12 passengers, 12 charters/year ; 70-100 passengers, 6-8 charters/year ) mainly in the Arctic and also in the Russian Far east and Antarctic. Grands Espaces Expedition Leaders and staff are especially trained within the Grands Espaces training center established 2008. Christian Kempf , head of the company, has organized groups to Antarctic Peninsula since 1987, and has chartered the vessel Boris Petrov in January 1992 for 2 cruises to the Peninsula. He organized the first international meetings on polar tourism in France ( 1992 ) and Sankt Petersbourg (1994), and chartered Cariboo for the first expedition cruise to North East Greenland, then 1991 Professor Multanovky to Svalbard and Nova Zemblya, and 2 ships to Wrangel Island. Grands Espaces is also member of AECO.