Port-aux-Français, Research station on Kerguelen Islands, France.
Port-aux-Français is a permanent research settlement on the sub-Antarctic Kerguelen archipelago, hosting facilities for meteorological, biological, and geological studies at 12 meters elevation. The compound includes residential buildings, laboratories, and supply infrastructure spread across a sheltered bay on the eastern coast.
The French government founded this outpost in 1951 as the first permanent settlement on the Kerguelen Islands to maintain territorial presence and enable research activities. Since then it has evolved from a small camp into a modern research center that continuously gathers data on sub-Antarctic ecosystems.
Researchers from different countries meet year-round at this outpost to carry out projects and share knowledge about the sub-Antarctic environment. The community lives and works in an isolated setting where cooperation and mutual support shape daily routines.
The settlement provides lodging for 45 winter residents and 110 summer inhabitants, with regular supply deliveries through a shallow seaport by the ship Marion Dufresne. Visitors must be authorized in advance and typically travel during summer months when weather conditions are more favorable.
The Notre-Dame des Vents chapel stands as the southernmost Catholic place of worship in the Indian Ocean, serving the rotating population at the outpost. Its name refers to the constant strong winds that sweep across the archipelago and shape daily life here.
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