Chemin des Bagnards

It comes close to customary land, so please be respectful. D Hôtel Kanua Tera (GPS: 702 890 – 7 527 155): from the hotel entrance (car park, bar, restaurant, toilets), head west on the main track that runs between the bungalows and the mountains. After 200 m you’ll come to the sign for the departure point. Enter the forest using the trail by the sea, following the water pipe (an easy, peaceful track). Arrive at a stony pool (it was used by the convicts travelling along this path). 1 Spring (GPS: 702 813 – 7 527 222): (unpredictable water point) continue along the water's edge. Pass a daymark (white sheet metal triangle used as a navigation marker). Continue along the coast. You’ll reach some ruins (low walls that stabilise the path). 2 Stonework (GPS: 702 447 – 7 527 287): follow the coastline. Just before the wharf, you’ll see a cave on the right of the trail (one of many possible rock shelters scattered along the coast and quite a good example of a what prehistoric dwellings in the area might have looked like). 3 Cave (GPS: 702 299 – 7 527 359): pass the crevice and go down towards the shore. 4 Jetty (GPS: 702 269 – 7 527 373): (it is now used by maritime pilots to reach the pilot boat that takes them out to meet ships heading in from the sea). Climb 200 m to the north-west along the access road. Turn left at the marker and take the trail that runs along the coast. 5 Former wharf (GPS: 702 176 – 7 527 573) : (where logs used to be loaded for transportation to Nouméa). Continue your walk by the sea. 6 Spring (GPS: 702 157 – 7 527 671): stay close to the coast until you reach an intersection. Ignore the track that climbs to the right (east) and walk to the former bridge. 7 Former bridge (GPS: 702 085 – 7 528 325): (only the columns are still visible). The trail then meets the river following an old (sometimes slippery) track. 8 Rivière du Trou Bleu (Blue Hole River) (GPS: 702 071 - 7 528 523): (its balance is fragile: no fires, no rubbish and no pollution of any kind). Cross it and continue south along a red dirt track. 9 Former bridge (GPS: 702 025 – 7 528 359): then turn left towards the water's edge (view of the columns of the former bridge seen in point 7). Turn right to take the trail that runs along the shore. You’ll reach a small, shady creek. 10 Former bridge (GPS: 701 390 – 7 528 057): just after crossing the creek, a short climb will bring you to a viewpoint of the bay. Continue along the shore towards a former camp by the sea (a few artefacts remain from its forestry operation days, including a bread oven from the Port-Boisé bakery). 11 Bread oven (GPS: 701 511 – 7 527 869): continue along the coast towards the south. 12 Eastern tip of the beach (GPS: 701 211 – 7 527 206): pass a marker created by two white sheet metal triangles (daymark). The trail then emerges onto the red sand beach. Cross the small riprap that borders the creek. In the middle of the beach is the entrance to the campsite. D Campsite (GPS: 701 059 – 7 527 089): (information board). © Text by Jean Francis Clair FFrandonnée® grading * Effort: IBP 15 easy (green) * Technical difficulty: easy (green) * Risk: low (green) * Overall grading: easy (green)