Captain James Cook became the first European to discover New Caledonia in 1774, on his second voyage. He landed at Mahamat Beach, and it was on climbing the mountains inland that he decided the new land reminded him of Scotland and called it New Caledonia. An altar at Mahamat beach commemorates the first Catholic Mass on Christmas Day 1843, though it may take some searching to find it. The turn-off to the beach is 1.5km north of Balade's church.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.01 MILES
Directly below Balade Church, this monument, a large Kanak flag, was unveiled on 24 September 2011, 158 years to the day after France took possession of…
0.82 MILES
This impressive monument was unveiled in 1913 to great fanfare to mark 60 years of French possession of New Caledonia. It has since been left to virtually…
6.61 MILES
Inside Pouébo’s Catholic church there’s a marble mausoleum where the remains of Bishop Douarre, who set up New Caledonia’s first Catholic mission, are…
6.19 MILES
About 1km north of Pouébo, on the coast side of the main road, is a carefully tended, touching memorial to 10 local Kanak men who were guillotined by the…
1.23 MILES
The stained-glass windows in this cute little church tell the story from the first Catholic mass. In 1853 France officially laid claim to New Caledonia at…
22.59 MILES
Located near the roundabout, eye-catching Église Ste Jeanne d’Arc was constructed in 1950 out of a WWII aircraft hangar.
Nearby Grande Terre attractions
0.82 MILES
This impressive monument was unveiled in 1913 to great fanfare to mark 60 years of French possession of New Caledonia. It has since been left to virtually…
1.01 MILES
Directly below Balade Church, this monument, a large Kanak flag, was unveiled on 24 September 2011, 158 years to the day after France took possession of…
1.23 MILES
The stained-glass windows in this cute little church tell the story from the first Catholic mass. In 1853 France officially laid claim to New Caledonia at…
6.19 MILES
About 1km north of Pouébo, on the coast side of the main road, is a carefully tended, touching memorial to 10 local Kanak men who were guillotined by the…
6.61 MILES
Inside Pouébo’s Catholic church there’s a marble mausoleum where the remains of Bishop Douarre, who set up New Caledonia’s first Catholic mission, are…
22.59 MILES
Located near the roundabout, eye-catching Église Ste Jeanne d’Arc was constructed in 1950 out of a WWII aircraft hangar.