Smithsonian Journeys has teamed up with Ponant again to offer a series of co-branded sailings for 2023. Each of the 21 itineraries will be led by two “Smithsonian Journeys Experts”—whether an art historian, a solar astrophysicist or an international relations expert—to shed new light on a destination.
Among the new sailings is the “Symphony on the St. Lawrence,” a 15-day journey from Quebec to the Canadian Maritimes aboard Le Bellot with the conductor of the Boston Pops, Keith Lockhart, and performances by musicians including pianist Jihye Chang, cellist Alistair MacRae, soprano Allison Pohl, violist Scott Rawls, and violinists Wendy Rawls and Benjamin Sung. Maritime historian Eric Roorda will also be on board to lead discussions about the St. Lawrence waterway and UNESCO-recognized landmarks such as Lunenberg, Nova Scotia.
The journey begins on October 16, 2023 in Toronto, which sits on Lake Ontario—the smallest of the five Great Lakes of North America and a gateway to the St. Lawrence River. The first of four calls in Quebec is Montreal. From there, it’s on to the capital of the French-speaking province, Quebec City, with its narrow cobblestone streets, impressive ramparts and fortifications, and the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac. At the mouth of the Saguenay River is Tadoussac, the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in Canada and a prime destination for whale watching. After a day at sea, Le Bellot will arrive at the village of Percé in Quebec, which sits at the top of the Gaspé Peninsula and is a gateway to the UNESCO Global Geopark of Bonaventure Island.
On the eighth day, guests will arrive at the colonial seaport of Charlottetown, on Prince Edward Island, home to the Anne of Green Gables House, the Prince Edward Island National Park, and the Confederation Bridge. The next stop in the Maritimes is Cap-aux-Meules, in the Magdalen Islands, which has rich Acadian history and sandstone cliffs that rise above the Atlantic.
Nova Scotia is next, offering three historical towns for discovery. Baddeck on Cape Breton Island is the point of departure and arrival of the famous Cabot Trail as well as the home of the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site. Louisbourg is home to the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site, a living museum that recreates 18th-century life through the reconstruction of the formerly thriving settlement. In the colorful fishing village of Lunenburg, guests can explore Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
A day at sea brings Le Bellot to Eastport, Maine, a seaside town where guests can explore the Tides Institute & Museum of Art, representing the largest cultural collection along the eastern coast of Maine. The journey ends in postcard-perfect Gloucester, Massachusetts.
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