Grande Terre
The main island of the archipelago is called La Grande Terre. It measures 150 km east to west and 120 km north to south.
The main base, the so-called "capital" of the islands, is located along the eastern shore of the Gulf of Morbihan on La Grande Terre at 49°21′S 70°13′E / 49.35°S 70.217°E / -49.35; 70.217 (Port-aux-Français), and it is known as Port-aux-Français. Facilities there include scientific-research buildings, a satellite tracking station, dormitories, a hospital, a library, a gymnasium, a pub, and the chapel of Notre-Dame des Vents.
The highest point is the Galliéni Massif (Pic du Grand-Ross), which lies along the southern coast of the island and has an elevation of 1,850 meters. The Cook Glacier, France's largest glacier with an area of approximately 403 km², lies on the west-central part of the island. Overall, the glaciers of the Kerguelen Islands cover just over 500 km². Grande Terre has numerous bays, inlets, fjords, and coves, as well as several peninsulas and promontories. The most important ones are listed below:
- Courbet Peninsula
- Péninsule Rallier du Baty
- Péninsule Gallieni
- Péninsule Loranchet
- Péninsule Jeanne d'Arc
- Presqu'île Ronarc'h
- Presqu'île de la Société de Géographie
- Presqu'île Joffre
- Presqu'île du Prince de Galles
- Presqu'île du Gauss
- Presqu'île Bouquet de la Grye
- Presqu'île d'Entrecasteaux
- Presqu'île du Bougainville
- Presqu'île Hoche
Read more about this topic: Kerguelen Islands