The site was discovered in 1950 by the
Fifth French Antarctic Expedition under and a landing made on 18 January 1950. The base was established by Liotard and a team of 11 men who raised the main building with several annexes to house scientific activities. It was named for expeditioner André Paul Martin (aka ), originally second-in-command of the group, who had died of a stroke off South Africa as the expedition was en route to the Antarctic. It has also been designated a
Historic Site or Monument (HSM 46), following a proposal by France to the
Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting. ==See also==