Last year, Saint-Malo celebrated the 80th anniversary of the death of Commandant Charcot, an emblematic figure of the Brittany region. The son of a renowned neurologist, lover of fine boats and polar explorer, Jean-Baptiste Étienne Auguste Charcot was always linked to St-Malo, a town where he left an indelible mark.
But who was Commandant Charcot?
You've decided to spend your next vacation at our
seaside hotel in Saint-Malo and we thank you for your decision. Nestled right in the heart of the corsair city, our Cité establishment will enable you to discover its oldest vestiges and monuments. But during your stay in Brittany, you're likely to hear or read the name of Commandant Charcot. This physician and explorer in his spare time disappeared at sea with his crew, the "Pourquoi Pas", on September 16, 1963.
On July 14, 1936, Charcot and his men embarked from Saint Servan for Angmagssalik, Greenland, to deliver scientific equipment to Paul-Emile Victor (eminent scientist and founder of the Expéditions Polaires Françaises). They were the victims of a terrible accident on the return journey: a storm hit their sturdy boat head-on. Of the forty men on board, only one survived: mizzen-master Eugène Gonidec, another Malouin hero.
Charcot: still an inspiring figure
During your stay in Brittany, you're bound to come across the path of Commandant Charcot. The explorer's trail is still firmly anchored in the region's popular culture. You'll learn that Commandant Charcot is an example to all, and the source of numerous works and initiatives. The man who led expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic made many remarkable scientific discoveries alongside his oceanographer, meteorologist, zoologist and botanist friends.
Proof that Commandant Charcot continues to inspire: a young 18-year-old from Saint-Malo has founded an association to build a sixth boat, "Pourquoi Pas?", as a final tribute to this great local figure.
