La Rivière Bleue provincial park | Sud Tourism New Caledonia

Must-see places

A biodiversity hot spot for all outdoor activities.
Listed in the Top 10 places to visit in New Caledonia!

Great South

1. A green oasis to cherish

After passing the Col de Plum, in the commune of Le Mont-Dore, the landscape becomes wilder. Red earth and mining scrubland stretch out before your eyes, while the ocean still looms in the distance. After a few kilometres enjoying the landscape, the Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue appears on your left. 22,000 hectares of protected flora and fauna await you! Despite its name, the park is home to two vast, main catchment basins: the Rivière Blanche to the west and the Rivière Bleue to the east. Both rivers feed the water reservoir of the artificial Yaté Lake and offer numerous swimming holes. You’ll pass through some unique and singular ecosystems: various forms of mining scrubland, dense rainforests, and wetlands. Contrary to popular belief, the PPRB contributes half of the surface area of New Caledonia’s remarkable wetlands (44,000 ha) listed under the international RAMSAR convention: the Lacs du Grand Sud or the Great South Lakes.

These environments are characterised by their abundant and diverse flora, with a very high rate of endemic species. In terms of fauna, you’ll find species such as the New Caledonian honeyeater, the New Caledonian crow, the notou, the cagou, and the crested gecko. As for the flora, carnivorous plants and orchids are among the remarkable plants, alongside tall trees like the kaori or the houp. Since 1980, the park has also been a reserve for many endemic species, with the famous cagou, emblem of New Caledonia, taking the lead! With more than 900 individuals, you have the best chance of coming across this bird.

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Parc provincial de la Rivière Bleue

2. Historical remnants

The forest and mining operations from the early 20th century have left some visible traces. As you head towards the Rivière Blanche in the Ouénarou-Guépyville area, admire the remains of a steam locomobile used to power winches for hauling logs. A substantial network of railway lines crisscrossed the park’s various valleys. The goal? To transport logs from the forest or to transport chrome ore. More than 40 kilometres of railway lines were built to transport wood and ore from the park to the Rivière des Pirogues, where the La Forestière sawmill was located. Testifying to an even earlier occupation, spiral-shaped petroglyphs carved in stone can be found in the Vallée de la Rivière Bleue.

Did you know ?

On the Rivière Bleue side, once you’ve parked your vehicle, the first bridge you’ll cross is the Pont Pérignon. Completed in 1958, this 80-metre bridge was used for M. Pérignon’s logging operations. Made entirely of wood, its rot-proof gum oak material makes it completely submersible. Which explains why it’s still here!

3. The cagou, superstar of the Parc de la Rivière Bleue

The park is home to the territory’s largest population of cagous! The cagou, or rhynochetos jubatus, is the emblem of New Caledonia, where it is an endemic species. A forest-dweller, it feeds on insects and worms. It doesn’t fly, nests on the ground, and lays only one egg per year. As such, it is quite vulnerable, especially to stray cats and dogs, deer, and wild boars, which pose a threat. South Province therefore launched a repopulation programme. Thanks to this, the once virtually extinct cagou population has now grown to almost 900 individuals. To catch a glimpse of a cagou, keep your eyes peeled when walking in the park on the Rivière Bleue side, especially near the Kaori trail and the Cagous trail. To double your chances, spend the night there: cagous like to come out at sunset and in the early hours of the morning.

Top tip :

Choose a guided birdwatching tour, in the company of an ornithologist. Caledonia Birds organises outings all year round. You’ll multiply your chances of spotting the park’s endemic birds!

Valérie, Tourist Office of Nouméa

The Cagou

4. A remarkable natural wonderland

Among the other stars of the park, true living monuments, you’ll find some majestic trees. Don’t miss the Great Kaori (Agathis lanceolata). At 1,000 years old, it impresses with its 2.70-metre diameter! At 40 metres high, it outshines its canopy neighbours! The giant houp is another surprising specimen you’ll come across on the Rivière Blanche. Last but not least, another curiosity: an araucaria tree has intertwined with a giant houp tree. It’s not just the trees that amaze you when you stroll through the park. By the water, there are also kettles, including the “Marmite du Géant” (Giant’s kettle). These are actually cavities naturally carved by the whirlpool of water and pebbles. Their shape is circular, and they can be observed in different spots along the Rivière Bleue.

5. The Flooded Forest: an enchanting spot

With hundreds of whitened trunks submerged in Yaté Lake’s water, the Flooded Forest offers a strange and truly unique landscape. This is the result of the trees being submerged when the artificial lake, which was built in 1958, was filled with water. The rot-proof material of gum oaks and kaoris means they’re still around today! To get to the Flooded Forest, simply take the main trail towards Pont Germain from Pont Pérignon. After a few hundred meters, you’ll immediately see these pieces of tree trunk sticking out of the water. This picturesque panorama is highly photogenic, so make the most of it! You can rent kayaks for the day, but the best way to experience this incredible site is to explore it by the light of a full moon!

Every month, service providers Aventure Pulsion and Sud Loisirs organize a moonlight excursion. In a single kayak, tandem kayak, or Canadian canoe, you’ll move through this Flooded Forest in a group, guided by one or two instructors. The atmosphere is mystical, in the silence of the night. Plus, you can camp in the park and enjoy other activities during the day (mountain biking, hiking, and so on).

Good to know

In the Drowned Forest, the tress still visible are gum oaks of kaoris, for example, woods containing oils or resins, giving them great durability

6. The best things to do in the park

Discover the Flooded Forest by kayak on the evening of a full moon
Take one of our hiking or trail routes
Watching for the grey plumage of the cagou
Search for (and find!) the Great Kaori
Sleeping in a cabadienne at Camp des Kaoris
Set off on an adventurous mountain-bike tour
Swim in the waterholes of the Rivière Blanche
Discover the Maison du Parc, which recounts the history of the area
Participate in a sports competition (Ultra Trail NC, Trail des Cagous, Pérignon, and others)

7. Remember The last escape game in the park

Escape game

8. Hiking tours

No fewer than 18 marked hiking trails crisscross the park’s three areas: Rivière Blanche, Rivière Bleue, and Haute Rivière Bleue. To get to the start of your hike, you can take the park shuttle. Its route serves five strategic stops, all the way to Vieux Refuge, the terminus. Don’t forget to pick up your ticket at the entrance to the park, as well as a park map, essential for finding your way around. Find out the level of difficulty before you set off. If you venture away from the designated areas, remember to take drinking water with you. You can also call on the services of hiking guides to take you to the start of the GR NC1 long-distance hiking trail.

A tip

To fully appreciate the diversity of the park’s landscapes, choose the Trois Forêts (Three Forests) trail. Of medium difficulty, it takes 1 hour and alternates between wetlands and dry forests.

9. Mountain biking… with or without electric assistance

The park is also great for exploring by bike. Mountain biking is a great way to cover longer distances and get a better idea of the diversity of the landscape. There are a total of 6 mountain bike trails, ranging from the easiest (green) to the most challenging (black). There’s even a trail suitable for e-bikes. If you don’t have your own equipment, local providers offer rentals on-site. Remember to bring water, sunscreen, and something to cover your head – depending on the trails, shade can be scarce, and it can quickly get hot from the effort.

Every year the park hosts La Pérignon, a mountain bike race ideal for discovering unexpected places! To make sure you don’t miss it, check out our Events calendar for South Province.

10. Experience an unusual night!

Not only is it possible to camp inside the park on the Rivière Bleue side, but you can do so in a really unusual way. Various unique accommodation is offered at the park entrance by Loisirs Concept. At the Camp des Kaoris, for example, you’ll find cabadiennes, deep in the trees. Suspended tents – Plum’arbres, Stingray, and Tipi – also welcome you for an astonishing night listening to the surrounding nature.

11. A few rules to follow

Like all protected reserves, the park has a few rules for visitors. On the Rivière Blanche side, you can keep your vehicle, but you can’t stay overnight. On the Rivière Bleue side, however, you’ll need to park your car at the Pérignon bridge. You’re welcome to continue on foot, mountain bike or by taking the park’s convenient shuttle buses. On site, the picnic areas are all equipped with sanitary facilities, open farés (shelters), and a barbecue area with firewood. It is possible to camp in the park, but you must set up your tent at closing time and take it down in the morning. Camping stays must be reported to the park office on arrival. It is forbidden to collect wood and other plant species from the park. You can’t bring your pet, and you can’t go hunting either.

Useful information

Good to know

Last admission is 2pm
Get a stop at the park house to visit the exhibition
Get a swimwear to enjoy water holes
Pack a Meal, be sure to bring your own food for a picnic at the site.
The shuttle that transports visitors and their belongings can be boarded at Pont Pérignon.
It takes about 15-20 minutes by car from the ticket office to Pont Pérignon.

How to get there ?

Distance from Nouméa : 66 km (1h30)
There is only one gate to access the park by car in Ouénarou (itinerary)