
Exploring the Ocean to understand, Sharing to change
Our future depends on the good health of the Ocean.
The Tara Ocean Foundation, the first foundation in France to be recognised as promoting the public interest and devoted to the ocean, is developing an innovative and unprecedented open science which should enable prediction and better planning for the impact of climate change.
It uses this very high level scientific expertise to raise awareness and educate young people, to mobilise political decision makers and enable developing countries to access this new knowledge.
The schooner Tara is a floating laboratory that has already covered more than 570 000 kilometres since 2003, stopping off in more than 60 countries on 12 expeditions carried out in collaboration with the best international laboratories and organisations (CNRS, CEA, EMBL, PSL, MIT, NASA, etc.).
Their partner laboratories have produced more than 200 publications in renowned international scientific journals.
- 150 million New marine genes discovered
- 130 000 students benefit from the educational platform each year
- 1 Special UN observer
- 12 Expeditions since 2003
Since their official deployment in 2015 by the United Nations, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) constitute a global framework which guides all actions of the Tara Ocean Foundation, especially through SDG 14 (life below water) to “conserve and sustainably manage our Oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”. This translates concretely into the Tara expeditions and research carried out by our partner laboratories; educational and awareness-raising actions with schools and general public; advocacy work with institutions and stakeholders; and cooperation projects with developing countries.
From schooner to lab!
Your students will discover current environmental challenges, will be actors in the experimental approach using real data, and will understand the research professions.


Culture Océan
On land, at sea: the latest news




Tara Polar Station
A drifting polar scientific base dedicated to the long-term study of the Arctic until 2045.