Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue

Top choice in Grande Terre


Protected Blue River Park is a reserve for many bird species, including the cagou. The landscape is a mixture of the far south’s typical scrub vegetation and dense rainforest, and includes gigantic kaori trees. Take well-maintained RP3 from La Coulée to get to the western end of the hydroelectric dam, Lac de Yaté. It's a 2.4km drive from there to the park entrance.

There is a visitor information centre by the entrance gate which has good displays in English and French on the park’s flora and fauna. At the entrance you will also find free maps that outline the park’s many walks, ranging from 30 minutes to six hours and easy to difficult.

To the west and northwest of the park are Rivière Blanche and Rivière Bleue, Lac de Yaté’s main tributaries. For the Rivière Bleue side, you can drive as far as Pont Perignon. A bus departs regularly (7.30am to 3.15pm, 400 CFP) from there to Vieux Refuge, taking 45 minutes each way. You can also walk, bike or kayak up the river. On the Rivière Blanche side, you can drive along the banks to the end of the road.


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