On Thursday, June 5, an exhibition about the French explorer Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen – Tremarec was opened at the National Library. The exhibition tells the story of the first French scientific expedition to Iceland. That expedition is considered to mark the beginning of friendship between France and Iceland. The exhibition traces Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen's voyages to Iceland in 1767 and 1768.

In 1767, the thirty-year-old Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen received orders from King Louis XV to sail to Iceland to assist fishermen from northern France who were fishing there. He made his first voyage on the frigate "La Folle" and later returned to Iceland on the corvette "L' Hirondelle".

His book Relation d'un voyage dans la Mer du Nord was published in 1771. In it he reported on his research and discoveries during these two Icelandic voyages, but also on various other matters, such as his correspondence in Latin with the head of the Danish trade in Patreksfjörður and also with the Icelandic scholar and poet, Eggert Ólafsson. Kerguelen's reports had both military and scientific significance. In addition to containing detailed information about the voyages, they also contained detailed information about the natural environment, fauna, flora, climate and geography, while also describing various customs and practices of Icelanders at that time. Kerguelen thus gave many of his fellow countrymen and foreign readers the opportunity to become acquainted with the diverse magic and peculiarities of Iceland.

The exhibition is a collaborative project between the National Library of Iceland and the French Embassy in Iceland. The exhibition will run until June 30 at the National Library. After that, it will be in Patreksfjörður from July 4 to 22 and finally in Fáskrúðsfjörður from July 26 to August 18.

Exhibition catalogue in Icelandic and English/Brochure in Icelandic and English (pdf).