Grand Terre

New Caledonia can be divided into 4 distinct locales, and experiences, on Grande Terre, the 450km long and 50km wide big island, who’s geological origins explain the scope of its biodiversity.

To the East lie jagged coastlines, steep slopes, lush vegetation, and rocks distorted by erosion into strange formations. This is where legends come to life. A veil of mystery pervades this land of traditions. Human encounters are powerful and genuine and nature is generous providing coffee, lychee, mango, tamarind and jambul trees.

To the North is the edge of the world, the land’s end, where mining has stamped its mark on the mountainsides, contrasting sky-blue with blood-red. The taste of freedom, wild horses, deserted islands, spectacular sea beds: the North seizes you with the brilliance of its untamed splendour.

Emotions come straight from the heart in the West. With plains as far as the eye can see, a landscape of savannah and niaouli trees with their fragrant leaves, your gaze goes astray lost in the foothills of the mountain chain. This region of wide open spaces and ranches is the “Wild West” of New Caledonia, rodeo country, where people of the land are strong, witty and generous.

The deep South is where earth was born. Here, the earth rich in iron oxide turns crimson, leaving indelible outlines, affecting both body and spirit. The primitive heart of the earth is reflected in this red, almost rusty soil, streaked with limpid and emerald springs. Nickel, a fundamental element, gives life to thousands of endemic animal and plant species.

For a long time, New Caledonia has guarded the secret of its exquisite treasures. For those who know how to look with their hearts, it now reveals the unpretentious and honest splendour of a world waiting for you to discover. See our Grand Terre package deals here.