The story of the Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes is the stuff of dreams. For many, the name is suggestive of sea cruises to fabulous exotic destinations.

During the course of more than a century, the Compagnie's vessels evolved to meet the expectations of its passengers, and to transform the exhausting and occasionally terrifying long-distance journeys by sea into unforgettable comfortable cruises, enlivened with stopovers in mythical locations and a wealth of on-board entertainment.

On February 5, 1882, the ship M/V Natal sailed from Marseille bound for New Caledonia. The journey took 53 days. By the end of the 19th century, the Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes had become one of the major elements of the French presence throughout the world, providing a regular link between France and its colonial empire. This was to last nearly one hundred years until the Compagnie was wound up in 1971.

Exhibition starts on nov 2021.