Le Champlain, one of the newest ships from Ponant, in Bergen, Norway.Mike Louagie/Ponant
The reception area of Le Champlain is an exercise in elegance. A phalanx of staff – all dressed immaculately, many in classic Breton bateau shirts – stand at attention in front of undulating wood screens and padded white benches. Trays of Champagne lie in wait.
I, on the other hand, look like a drowned rat, the result of spending a rainy, grey day tromping around the coastal city of Bergen, Norway. Water drips off my drenched raincoat onto the pristine blue carpet.
“May I interest you in a warm towel?” a woman says, holding out a small cloth with silver tongs.
“Is it dry?” I say with a laugh. “Because that I could use.”
“It is nice and warm,” one of her colleagues offers. “But perhaps you would like to visit your cabin and dry off before enjoying a glass of Champagne?”
The fleet of small vessels is the only cruise line in the world to fly the French flag, and the roots are obvious.François Lefebvre/Ponant
I may technically be in outdoorsy Norway – a land of sweeping vistas made for hiking and other adventurous pursuits - but for the next three days I will be ensconced in a French bubble while onboard Le Champlain, one of the newest ships from Ponant. The fleet of small vessels flies the French flag, and the roots are obvious. Everything from the flaky croissants at breakfast to the bilingual signage contributes to a Gallic vibe, giving the ship a certain je ne sais quoi. On shore, you’re in Norway. On board, well, it’s almost as if you’re vacationing in France at the same time.
Our first port of call leaves no doubt as to our true location, however. As we sail into the Geirangerfjord in southwestern Norway, passengers crowd the outdoor decks to snap pictures of the Seven Sisters waterfall and the magnificent cliffs flanking the 15-kilometre-long inlet, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fall sun has managed to break through the heavy clouds just in time for our arrival.
An extremely popular port, Geiranger is uncharacteristically quiet since it’s late in the cruise season. As our coach pulls into the village the stillness is almost eerie – no one is on the streets – and I experience an unsettling bout of déjà vu. Passing a familiar-looking hotel, it suddenly hits me: This was the setting of The Wave, a 2015 Norwegian film in which (spoiler alert) the community is consumed by a tsunami. It sounds far-fetched, but the story was inspired by real-life deadly events that occurred at the nearby village of Tafjord in 1934.
We’re at no risk of such a disaster today, though the Storfossen waterfall is gushing with thunderous power, flowing over some walkways. Recent heavy rains and melting snow due to unseasonably warm temperatures have led to flooding, but not enough to stop me taking the 327-step Waterfall Walk alongside the surging flow. The spray gets me in a couple of parts, but the reward is a grand view from the bottom that only one other person in my group can be bothered to take in. Everyone else pokes around the Norwegian Fjord Centre. Lesson: Always pack rain gear so you don’t miss out on the fun stuff.
With just seven decks and 92 state rooms, Le Champlain feels intimate, but not cramped.François Lefebvre/Ponant
Back on board, I return to my cabin and am greeted with a bit of French-Canadian history. A biography of the ship’s namesake, Samuel de Champlain, rests on my bed. Comfortable with my knowledge of New France’s founder (thanks Grade 8 history class), I opt for doing some exploring of my own instead.
With just seven decks and 92 state rooms, Le Champlain feels intimate, but not cramped. A colour palette of pale woods, white linens and teal keep the feeling airy yet cohesive throughout the ship. I may be cruising through fjords, but the vibe is more “luxury yacht sailing the Cote D’Azur.” The Deck 6 panoramic lounge lets guests take in nature’s beauty while reading or playing board games, while on Deck 0, the Blue Eye – promoted as the industry’s first “multisensory underwater lounge” – offers a peek of what’s going on below the water line. In Norway, sadly, that’s not much – but I can imagine it would wow in a more tropical destination.
I head to the gym with another passenger who clearly takes his workouts seriously. We open the door to see a small space equipped with a couple of treadmills, an exercise ball and a yoga mat. “Well, isn’t that very French,” he quips.
The lack of heavy weights gives me a free pass to skip my workout, which I’m secretly happy about – until dinnertime. A French ship means French food, and all the inherent richness. Evening meals are five-course exercises in decadence, starting with warm bread and French butter. I try to skip the soup course one night in an attempt to save calories but resistance is futile; I give in once everyone around me starts raving. Cauliflower cream with caviar, lobster tail, seared sea scallop, chicken breast with duck foie gras royale … I eat all of this and more – expertly paired with French wines – and still manage room for dessert. The chocolate and praline slice is described – accurately and positively – by one of my fellow guests as, “the best Kit Kat I’ve ever eaten.”
The Blue Eye is promoted as the industry’s first 'multisensory underwater lounge.'Ponant
Fortunately the next day offers an opportunity to work off some of the indulgences. The morning includes a short hike to the Briksdal glacier (no doubt more impressive before climate change saw it rapidly decrease), while the afternoon brings kayaking through the Nordfjord near Olden. A first-timer, I’m nervous but I take the guide at her word when she says no experience is necessary. I gear up and get in. Once my paddling partner and I get in sync I find it easy going. And it’s lovely to experience the mountains from this perspective, gliding over their reflections for two hours. Our guides stop us occasionally to share stories and facts about the area; a nearby peak is home to Hoven, we learn, a restaurant accessible only by cable car.
That evening’s main event is a formal dinner, to be followed by dancing in the main lounge. As a I strip off my layers – hiking shoes, waterproof pants, merino leggings, etc – and lay out my cocktail dress and heels, I laugh at the eclectic wardrobe I had to pack. I’m also pleased with myself for fitting it all into a carry-on bag. Not bad for a two-country trip, so to speak.
The writer cruised as a guest of Ponant, which also covered some flights. It did not review or approve the article.
Ponant’s seven-night Norwegian Treasures cruise (departing April, 2020) includes stops at Olden, the Briksdal glacier and more, sailing from Bergen to Copenhagen. Cabins start at US$4,480 ($5,969) per person, based on double occupancy; ponant.com.
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