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This page,    Noumea beaches French

page ground (1978 photo files) ; this beautiful palm tree and the tree behind are not there any more and the beach is a little less wide than in the past ; there is always shade and remains very pleasant..


Coming from the market of Noumea and going to the beaches, one drive along the side of the sea. After a good uphill, followed by one surprising and beautiful slope dodging on the left, one circumvents the "baie de l'Orphelinat" (bay of the orphanage)

A quite beautiful descent : it is necessary to dodge on the left at semi-slope. One distinguishes the sea, but don't go straight ahead !
After the "zigzag", we arrive at the marine anchor. One proceed to the right by the edge of sea.

webcam Orphelinat / Citrons bay (10 à 11 hours jetlag from France) : https://webcam.kaori.nc/webcam.jpg


After comes the marina of "Baie de la Moselle" (Bay of the Moselle). There a marina, a small mall centre with a petrol station.

Further stretches the "Baie des Citrons" (Lemons Bay) and from this moment, be cool and slow down.

The "Baie des Citrons", a rather family beach, quite shaded and crammed the weekend (it is relative here, because it is not the Riviera). On the left, the walk...

This yellow tree is at the baie des Citrons, but it is the beginning of the summer..


On the other side of the road, restaurants, curios.. and cranes in setting because one builds much there.


Beautiful apartments overlooking the beach. Touristic restaurants pop up along the beach. Quality rarely match prices..

One reaches the "Rocher à la Voile" (Rock of the Sail).
Boats were sailing there, formerly. Avisos and other frigates passed once.
Passed also slave ships and those carrying nickel ore. The number of vessels were a clue to appreciate changes in the nickel price.
The name of the rock would come from ship's mans themselves which had been identified it as sail shaped.  Today crumbling, tilted, with a tree growing on the top, it is not really easy to find the said outline.


 The rocher à la voile, at dusk, Boats came back, but they don' t set off so far..

One regrets not being able to collect shells at the time of a very low tides. see NCtour2

 After having dreamed a bit there, near the Rocher, think that the aquarium of Nouméa, of world renown is close by.
One ca see fluorescent corals (under a ultra violet light). see "the coral"

an exhibition describes the fondamental sytem starting from the mountain to the  the deep sea, passing the mangrove, the lagoon and the reef.



Since late 2006; it is a park with topics covering more than 0,2 hectares, with informations starting from mountains and rivers to the deep sea, while passing by the mangrove, the lagoon and its reefs.
A daring program by its global coverage, articulated around the celebrity of a renewed aquarium, located in a prestigious site going down to the sea.

Is this setting going to preserve the sea side, with its anarchistic constructions, numerous restaurants and tourist shopping centers ; the beach loses little by little its single assets, of which its sweet shaded slopes becaming a sort of bank in most places (see former photo above and ground of page), The walk along the sea is a succès. Couldn't we considerate more this exceptionnal richness ?

Of course, shops and big hotels are in this area.
To do : a very pleasant walk which goes far beyond the Anse Vata.

A small piece of paradise": it is what one desire to sing while passing by there.
Why not pulling your car to a parking slot tnearby and start for a beautiful walk. Here is a little story about the past and practices of calédonians "pure juice" which, influenced by American, did not get out of their car and made even window shoping while driving at a step pace. When they saw us walking, they thought that one was broken down and could ask for helping us !

Like everywhere in week, it is scarcely crowded.
Let us go down and cross on the little beach, a little further. It's a spot where one must wander about, having a drink or a lunch another day if there is a caterring by, because everything is quickly changing  there.  

After the Rocher à la voile, the Anse Vata. 

    Right hand picture, the Anse Vta 2006, new buildings and towers.




Opposite the besach, there are magnificient private parks,  but with fences that testify of ancient rich properties and a research center, ORSTOM.

Previous hotels and towers, is the only road leading off to the left, towards the cetre.  Here is the corner of the splendid park of ORSTOM, looking down from the balcony of the hotel "Le Lagon".
Further, a medium mall" several petrol stations and the Post office.
The sea is nearby, back. 		The Anse Vata sand is not  from coral and appears beige clear without sun. With a shinning sun, it is almost white. It does not stick and does not dirt.

To sit down a very white sand, you will have ro sail to the closest small island.


On the opposite side of the sea, lining all the Anse Vata beach, there is a continuation of superb parks, but latticed, witnesses of old great fortunes and a research center (ORSTOM).

They intend to cut the trees down and build there a mall center.  Why not buy and preserve such a marvel and open it to the people. Instead of thinking at special reservations, trade centers and fast food ?

  Noumea beaches 2 (Anse Vata, Ouen Toro..)



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