French Antarctic Expedition
Encyclopedia
French Antarctic Expedition refers to several French
expeditions in Antarctica.
(February 13, 1734 - March 3, 1797) was a French
explorer.
In 1772, he sailed to the Antarctic
, in search of the fabled Terra Australis
, where he discovered the Kerguelen Islands
and took possession of various territories for France
. He was accompanied by the naturalist Jean Guillaume Bruguière
.
In his report to King Louis XV
, he greatly overestimated the value of the Kerguelen Islands; consequently, he was sent off on a second expedition, again reaching Kerguelen. By now, it had become clear that these islands were desolate and quite useless, and certainly not the Terra Australis. On his return, Kerguelen-Trémarec was sent to prison.
to the South Polar regions, he sailed along a coastal area of Antarctica that he named the Adélie Coast
in honour of his wife. On his return in 1840, he was made rear admiral
.
in 1905 and took pictures of the Palmer Archipelago
and Loubet Coast.
They roughly surveyed the SW coast of Anvers Island in 1904. They gave the name "Presqu'ile de Biscoe" to a small peninsula on the SE side of Biscoe Bay, honoring John Biscoe who may have landed in the vicinity in 1832. Biscoe Point
was the name applied to the rocky point found in the approximate location in 1955.
Loubet Land
was explored in January 1905 and named after Émile Loubet
, the then President of France.
Rabot Island
was first charted by the expedition and named after Charles Rabot
.
They mapped Watkins Island
but did not name it. They also charted Arthur Harbor
Mount Francais (64°38′ S 63°27′ W) in the Trojan Range
was named after the expedition ship Français
Lavoisier Island
was named "Ile Nansen" after Fridtjof Nansen
, Norwegian Arctic explorer.
Bonaparte Point
is located at 64°47′ S 64°05′ W. Charted by the French Antarctic Expedition (1903-1905) and named by Jean-Baptiste Charcot for Prince Roland Bonaparte
, then President of the Paris Geographical Society.
Logistics support for this expedition was provided by the Argentine Navy
(Armada de la República Argentina), employing the legendary corvette ARA Uruguay
.
and the Amundsen Sea
and discovering Loubet Land
, Marguerite Bay
and Charcot Island
, which was named after him.
They wintered over aboard ship in a cove on the southeast side of Petermann Island
, named Port Circumcision because it was spotted 1 January 1909, the traditional day for the Feast of the Circumcision.
Renaud Island
was first charted and named.
Fallieres Coast
was first explored in January 1909, and Charcot named it for Clement Armand Fallieres, then President of France.
Mikkelsen Bay
was first seen from a distance in 1909, but it was not recognised as a bay. The Mikkelsen Islands
were named after Otto Mikkelsen, Norwegian diver who inspected the damaged hull of the Pourquoi-Pas at Deception Island.
The name "Île Pavie" was given in 1909 to an island, or possible cape, shown on the French Antarctic Expedition maps in 68°27′ S 66°40′ W. From a position 15 miles southeast of Jenny Island, Maurice Bongrain, French Antarctic Expedition surveyor, made sketches of this feature which were labeled "Île Pavie" and "Cap Pavie". The area became known as Pavie Ridge
.
Marguerite Bay
was discovered in 1909 and Charcot named the bay for his wife.
Jenny Island (Marguerite Bay)
was discovered and named by Charcot for the wife of Sub-Lieutenant Maurice Bongrain, French Navy, second officer of the expedition.
Adelaide Island
was first surveyed by the expedition. They also discovered Millerand Island
, which was named probably for Alexandre Millerand
, French statesman. Douglas Range
was seen from a distance.
Rothschild Island
was named after Baron Edouard Alphonse de Rothschild
(1868-1949), head of the French branch of the Rothschild family
and president of the Rothschild Brothers bank.
The northern portion of Wilkins Sound
was first seen and roughly mapped in 1910 on the expedition.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
expeditions in Antarctica.
First expedition
Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen-TrémarecYves-Joseph de Kerguelen-Trémarec
Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen-Trémarec was a Breton explorer and French naval officer.- Early life:He was born in Landudal, Finistère. During the Seven Years' War, Kerguelen-Trémarec was a privateer, but without much success....
(February 13, 1734 - March 3, 1797) was a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
explorer.
In 1772, he sailed to the Antarctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
, in search of the fabled Terra Australis
Terra Australis
Terra Australis, Terra Australis Ignota or Terra Australis Incognita was a hypothesized continent appearing on European maps from the 15th to the 18th century...
, where he discovered the Kerguelen Islands
Kerguelen Islands
The Kerguelen Islands , also known as the Desolation Islands, are a group of islands in the southern Indian Ocean constituting the emerged part of the otherwise submerged Kerguelen Plateau. The islands, along with Adélie Land, the Crozet Islands and the Amsterdam and Saint Paul Islands are part of...
and took possession of various territories for France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He was accompanied by the naturalist Jean Guillaume Bruguière
Jean Guillaume Bruguière
Jean Guillaume Bruguière was a French physician, zoologist and diplomat.Bruguière was born in Montpellier.He was a doctor, connected to the University of Montpellier. His was interested in invertebrates, mostly snails ....
.
In his report to King Louis XV
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
, he greatly overestimated the value of the Kerguelen Islands; consequently, he was sent off on a second expedition, again reaching Kerguelen. By now, it had become clear that these islands were desolate and quite useless, and certainly not the Terra Australis. On his return, Kerguelen-Trémarec was sent to prison.
Second expedition
In 1837, an expedition led by Jules Dumont d'UrvilleJules Dumont d'Urville
Jules Sébastien César Dumont d'Urville was a French explorer, naval officer and rear admiral, who explored the south and western Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica.-Childhood:Dumont was born at Condé-sur-Noireau...
to the South Polar regions, he sailed along a coastal area of Antarctica that he named the Adélie Coast
French Southern Territories
The French Southern and Antarctic Lands , full name Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands , consist of:...
in honour of his wife. On his return in 1840, he was made rear admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
.
Third expedition
Jean-Baptiste Charcot was appointed leader of the French Antarctic Expedition with the ship Français, exploring the west coast of Graham Land from 1904 until 1907. The expedition reached Adelaide IslandAdelaide Island
Adelaide Island or Isla Adelaida or Isla Belgrano is a large, mainly ice-covered island, long and wide, lying at the north side of Marguerite Bay off the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. The island lies within the Argentine, British and Chilean Antarctic claims, at .Adelaide Island was...
in 1905 and took pictures of the Palmer Archipelago
Palmer Archipelago
Palmer Archipelago, also known as Antarctic Archipelago, Archipiélago Palmer, Antarktiske Arkipel or Palmer Inseln, is a group of islands off the northwestern coast of the Antarctic Peninsula....
and Loubet Coast.
They roughly surveyed the SW coast of Anvers Island in 1904. They gave the name "Presqu'ile de Biscoe" to a small peninsula on the SE side of Biscoe Bay, honoring John Biscoe who may have landed in the vicinity in 1832. Biscoe Point
Biscoe Point
Biscoe Point is a rocky point forming the SE side of Biscoe Bay, immediately N of Access Point on the S side of Anvers Island, in the Palmer Archipelago. The French Antarctic Expedition under Jean-Baptiste Charcot roughly surveyed the SW coast of Anvers Island in 1904...
was the name applied to the rocky point found in the approximate location in 1955.
Loubet Land
Loubet Land
Loubet Coast is the portion of the west coast of Graham Land in Antarctic Peninsula, extending 158 km between Cape Bellue to the northeast and Bourgeois Fjord to the southwest...
was explored in January 1905 and named after Émile Loubet
Émile Loubet
Émile François Loubet was a French politician and the 8th President of France.-Early life:He was born the son of a peasant proprietor and mayor of Marsanne . Admitted to the Parisian bar in 1862, he took his doctorate in law the next year...
, the then President of France.
Rabot Island
Rabot Island
Rabot Island is an island long and wide, lying south of Renaud Island in the Biscoe Islands. First charted by the French Antarctic Expedition, 1903-05, under Jean-Baptiste Charcot, who named it for Charles Rabot.Originally discovered by John Biscoe....
was first charted by the expedition and named after Charles Rabot
Charles Rabot
Charles Rabot was a French geographer, glaciologist, traveler, journalist, lecturer, translator, and explorer. He was also the first person to climb Kebnekaise, the tallest mountain in Sweden, which he accomplished in 1883.He led his first expedition to Spitsbergen in 1882 on the ship Petit Paris...
.
They mapped Watkins Island
Watkins Island
Watkins Island is a low lying, ice-covered island long, lying SW of Lavoisier Island in the Biscoe Islands. The island was first mapped by the French Antarctic Expedition under Jean-Baptiste Charcot, 1903–05 and 1908–10, but remained unnamed until resighted by the BGLE under Rymill, 1934–37. He...
but did not name it. They also charted Arthur Harbor
Arthur Harbor
Arthur Harbour is a small harbour entered between Bonaparte Point and Norsel Point on the southwest coast of Anvers Island in the Palmer Archipelago. The harbour is located at ....
Mount Francais (64°38′ S 63°27′ W) in the Trojan Range
Trojan Range
The Trojan Range is a mountain range rising to , extending northward from Mount Francais along the east side of Iliad Glacier, Anvers Island, in the Palmer Archipelago of the British Antarctic Territory...
was named after the expedition ship Français
Lavoisier Island
Lavoisier Island
Lavoisier Island is an island long and wide, lying between Rabot and Watkins Islands in the Biscoe Islands. It is named Isla Serrano by Chile and isla Mitre by Argentina....
was named "Ile Nansen" after Fridtjof Nansen
Fridtjof Nansen
Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen was a Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In his youth a champion skier and ice skater, he led the team that made the first crossing of the Greenland interior in 1888, and won international fame after reaching a...
, Norwegian Arctic explorer.
Bonaparte Point
Bonaparte Point
Bonaparte Point or Roland Bonaparte Point is a narrow point at the south side of Arthur Harbor on the southwest coast of Anvers Island, in the Palmer Archipelago. Bonaparte Point is located at . Charted by the French Antarctic Expedition and named by Jean-Baptiste Charcot for Prince Roland...
is located at 64°47′ S 64°05′ W. Charted by the French Antarctic Expedition (1903-1905) and named by Jean-Baptiste Charcot for Prince Roland Bonaparte
Roland Bonaparte
Roland Bonaparte, 6th Prince of Canino and Musignano was a French prince and president of the Société de Géographie from 1910 until his death.-Biography:...
, then President of the Paris Geographical Society.
Logistics support for this expedition was provided by the Argentine Navy
Argentine Navy
The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
(Armada de la República Argentina), employing the legendary corvette ARA Uruguay
ARA Uruguay
The corbeta ARA Uruguay, built in England, is the largest ship afloat of its age in the Armada de la República Argentina , with more than 135 years passed since its official incorporation in September 1874...
.
Fourth expedition
From 1908 until 1910, another expedition commanded by Charcot followed with the ship Pourquoi-Pas ? IV, exploring the Bellingshausen SeaBellingshausen Sea
The Bellingshausen Sea is an area along the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula, west of Alexander Island, east of Cape Flying Fish on Thurston Island, and south of Peter I Island . In the south are, from west to east, Eights Coast, Bryan Coast and English Coast of West Antarctica...
and the Amundsen Sea
Amundsen Sea
The Amundsen Sea is an arm of the Southern Ocean off Marie Byrd Land in western Antarctica. It is bounded by Cape Flying Fish, the northwestern tip of Thurston Island to the east and Cape Dart on Siple Island to the west. East of Cape Flying Fish starts the Bellingshausen Sea. West of Cape Dart is...
and discovering Loubet Land
Loubet Land
Loubet Coast is the portion of the west coast of Graham Land in Antarctic Peninsula, extending 158 km between Cape Bellue to the northeast and Bourgeois Fjord to the southwest...
, Marguerite Bay
Marguerite Bay
Marguerite Bay or Margaret Bay is an extensive bay on the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula, which is bounded on the north by Adelaide Island and on the south by Wordie Ice Shelf, George VI Sound and Alexander Island. The mainland coast on the Antarctic Peninsula is Fallières Coast. Islands...
and Charcot Island
Charcot Island
Charcot Island or Charcot Land is an island of the British Antarctic Territory, long and wide, which is ice covered except for prominent mountains overlooking the north coast, west of Alexander Island.-History:...
, which was named after him.
They wintered over aboard ship in a cove on the southeast side of Petermann Island
Petermann Island
Petermann Island is a small island just off the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula of Antarctica, located at , just a short distance south of Booth Island and the Lemaire Channel...
, named Port Circumcision because it was spotted 1 January 1909, the traditional day for the Feast of the Circumcision.
Renaud Island
Renaud Island
Renaud Island is an ice-covered island, long and from wide, lying between the Pitt Islands and Rabot Island in the Biscoe Islands.- Discovery :...
was first charted and named.
Fallieres Coast
Fallieres Coast
Fallières Coast is that portion of the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula between the head of Bourgeois Fjord and Cape Jeremy and lies on Marguerite Bay and the Wordie Ice Shelf. On the south it is joined by Rymill Coast, and in the north by Loubet Coast. Fallières Coast was first explored in...
was first explored in January 1909, and Charcot named it for Clement Armand Fallieres, then President of France.
Mikkelsen Bay
Mikkelsen Bay
Mikkelsen Bay is a bay, 15 miles wide at its mouth and indenting 10 miles, entered between Bertrand Ice Piedmont and Cape Berteaux along the W coast of Graham Land, Antarctica. First seen from a distance in 1909 by the French Antarctic Expedition under Jean-Baptiste Charcot, but not recognized as a...
was first seen from a distance in 1909, but it was not recognised as a bay. The Mikkelsen Islands
Mikkelsen Islands
Mikkelsen Islands is a small group of islands and rocks lying off the southeast coast of Adelaide Island, southeast of the Leonie Islands. Discovered by the French Antarctic Expedition under Jean-Baptiste Charcot, 1908-10, and named by him for Otto Mikkelsen, Norwegian diver who inspected the...
were named after Otto Mikkelsen, Norwegian diver who inspected the damaged hull of the Pourquoi-Pas at Deception Island.
The name "Île Pavie" was given in 1909 to an island, or possible cape, shown on the French Antarctic Expedition maps in 68°27′ S 66°40′ W. From a position 15 miles southeast of Jenny Island, Maurice Bongrain, French Antarctic Expedition surveyor, made sketches of this feature which were labeled "Île Pavie" and "Cap Pavie". The area became known as Pavie Ridge
Pavie Ridge
Pavie Ridge or Cap Pavie or Île Pavie is an isolated rocky ridge rising over 500 m, which extends south and west from Martin Glacier to Moraine Cove, and forms the southeastern limit of Bertrand Ice Piedmont, on the west coast of Graham Land. Pavie Ridge is located at and has an elevation of 500 m...
.
Marguerite Bay
Marguerite Bay
Marguerite Bay or Margaret Bay is an extensive bay on the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula, which is bounded on the north by Adelaide Island and on the south by Wordie Ice Shelf, George VI Sound and Alexander Island. The mainland coast on the Antarctic Peninsula is Fallières Coast. Islands...
was discovered in 1909 and Charcot named the bay for his wife.
Jenny Island (Marguerite Bay)
Jenny Island (Marguerite Bay)
Jenny Island or Isla Juanita is a rocky island long which rises to , lying east of Cape Alexandra, the southeastern extremity of Adelaide Island, in northern Marguerite Bay. Jenny Island is located at...
was discovered and named by Charcot for the wife of Sub-Lieutenant Maurice Bongrain, French Navy, second officer of the expedition.
Adelaide Island
Adelaide Island
Adelaide Island or Isla Adelaida or Isla Belgrano is a large, mainly ice-covered island, long and wide, lying at the north side of Marguerite Bay off the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. The island lies within the Argentine, British and Chilean Antarctic claims, at .Adelaide Island was...
was first surveyed by the expedition. They also discovered Millerand Island
Millerand Island
Millerand Island or Cap Millerand is a high rugged island in diameter, lying south of Cape Calmette, off the west coast of Graham Land. Millerand Island is located at . Millerand Island was discovered by the French Antarctic Expedition under Jean-Baptiste Charcot...
, which was named probably for Alexandre Millerand
Alexandre Millerand
Alexandre Millerand was a French socialist politician. He was President of France from 23 September 1920 to 11 June 1924 and Prime Minister of France 20 January to 23 September 1920...
, French statesman. Douglas Range
Douglas Range
Douglas Range is a sharp-crested range, with peaks rising to 3,000 metres, extending 120 km in a northwest-southeast direction from Mount Nicholas to Mount Edred and forming a steep east escarpment of Alexander Island within the British Antarctic Territory, overlooking the north part of...
was seen from a distance.
Rothschild Island
Rothschild Island
Rothschild Island is an island long, mainly ice covered but surmounted by prominent peaks of Desko Mountains, west of the north part of Alexander Island in the north entrance to Wilkins Sound....
was named after Baron Edouard Alphonse de Rothschild
Edouard Alphonse de Rothschild
Édouard Alphonse James de Rothschild was a French financier and a member of the prominent Rothschild banking family of France....
(1868-1949), head of the French branch of the Rothschild family
Rothschild family
The Rothschild family , known as The House of Rothschild, or more simply as the Rothschilds, is a Jewish-German family that established European banking and finance houses starting in the late 18th century...
and president of the Rothschild Brothers bank.
The northern portion of Wilkins Sound
Wilkins Sound
Wilkins Sound is a seaway in Antarctica that is largely occupied by the Wilkins Ice Shelf. It is located on the southwest side of the Antarctic Peninsula between the concave western coastline of Alexander Island and the shores of Charcot Island and Latady Island farther to the west.Its northern...
was first seen and roughly mapped in 1910 on the expedition.
See also
- List of Antarctic expeditions
- Heroic Age of Antarctic ExplorationHeroic Age of Antarctic ExplorationThe Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration defines an era which extended from the end of the 19th century to the early 1920s. During this 25-year period the Antarctic continent became the focus of an international effort which resulted in intensive scientific and geographical exploration, sixteen...