France: T.A.A.F - Port-aux-Français, Kerguelen Islands - "on board of the R/V Marion Dufresne"

The French Southern and Antarctic Lands is an overseas territory of France. It consists of: Adélie Land (Terre Adélie), the French claim on the continent of Antarctica, Crozet Islands (Îles Crozet), a group in the southern Indian Ocean, south of Madagascar, Kerguelen Islands (Archipel des Kerguelen), a group of volcanic islands in the southern Indian Ocean, southeast of Africa and southwest of Australia, Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands (Îles Saint Paul et Amsterdam), a group to the north of the Kerguelen Islands and Scattered Islands (Îles Éparses), a dispersed group of islands around the coast of Madagascar.

The cover below was sent in late spring 2024 to the research vessel Marion Dufresne for the upcoming cruise season. It has several cachets from the crew members and is signed by the ship's commander, Ganor Ginat. The letter was then cancelled in Port-aux-Français, the largest settlement on the Kerguelen Islands.

Stamp:

Personalities - "Philibert Commerson (1727-1773) - Issued: 02-01-2023

France: T.A.A.F. - Dumont-d’Urville Station - L’Astrolabe

The Dumont d'Urville Station (French: Base antarctique Dumont-d'Urville) is a French scientific station in Antarctica on Île des Pétrels, archipelago of Pointe-Géologie in Adélie Land. It is named after explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville, whose expedition landed on Débarquement Rock in the Dumoulin Islands at the northeast end of the archipelago on January 21, 1840. It is operated by the "French Polar Institute Paul-Émile Victor", a joint operation of French public and para-public agencies.

This cover was carried by the french Icebreaker L’Astrolabe as you can see by the blue cancellation in the middle of the cover. The L’Astrolabe is used to bring personnel and supplies to the Dumont d'Urville Station.

Stamps:
Mawson's Huts - Issued: 02-01-2013
Logos of French South and Antarctic Territory - Year 2015 - Issued: 19-03-2015