Grande-Terre (Kerguelen)

Grande-Terre is the principal island of the Kerguelen archipelago in the southern Indian Ocean, administered by France as part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. It is a cold, remote, largely treeless island of rugged peninsulas, bays and rocky coasts.

Onshore features include fjord-like bays, coastal cliffs, tussock grasslands and breeding sites for seabirds and marine mammals, with relatively little vegetation beyond low alpine and tundra communities. The island is visited primarily by scientists and logistical personnel based at the research station.

The islands were recorded by European explorers in the 18th century and later used intermittently for sealing and scientific expeditions. Today Grande-Terre’s primary human presence is the French research settlement and support infrastructure at Port-aux-Français.

Grande-Terre lies in the southern Indian Ocean as the main landmass of the Kerguelen group, with no permanent civilian population; access is by research vessel or occasional French supply ships to the archipelago.

• Administration: Grande-Terre is the main island of the Kerguelen archipelago in the southern Indian Ocean and is administered as part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.
• Area: The island's land area is approximately 6,675 square kilometres, making it the largest island in the group and largely uninhabited beyond the research station.

What to See #

• Port-aux-Français: Port-aux-Français, the principal French scientific station located on the island, serves as the logistical and research hub for the Kerguelen archipelago.