Description
The airy and bright route overhangs the seaside, whose reef and lagoon have been inscribed in Unesco’s World Heritage List. The areas it crosses are steeped in distant history. Deva archeological sites are among the oldest ones in New Caledonia. They used to be occupied, about 3000 years ago, by sailors belonging to the Lapita civilization.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
D Starting point (GPS : 538 472 - 7 611 502 ; alt. 15 m / 49 ft) : head due north to get to the track (80m/ 262ft.) and quickly turn right (southeast) toward the road. Walk alongside the vegetated area until you reach the junction with the MTB and equestrian trail. From there, take the direction of south-southeast till you get to the foot of the flank. Start the ascent in quite steep hairpin bends to the top of the ridge, at a saddle. Turn right eastwards and climb up a small peak (alt. 146 m/ 479 ft).
1 Summit (GPS : 539 133 - 7 611 520 ; alt. 146 m / 479 ft) (table and interpretive history panel) : keep walking on the ridge till you reach the next small prominence, to the north (alt. 145 m/475 ft).
2 « Sanctuaire naturel » signpost (GPS : 539 246 - 7 611 590 ; alt. 145 m / 475 ft) : follow the ridge northwards. Leave two tables with a shelter and the geodetic point (white and red pole ; alt. 155 m/508 ft) behind you and keep hiking to the next hillock (sign).
3 Sign (GPS : 539 668 - 7 612 361 ; alt. 147 m / 482 ft) : continue to walk along the ridge, till you reach the next prominence.
4 Intersection (GPS : 539 587 - 7 612 643 ; alt. 152 m / 498 ft) : turn left (southwest) and leave the MTB trail, which goes on rightwards (north). To avoid too steep of a descent, turn left and then right (northwest) to get to the saddle and climb up the next hillock.
5 Junction (GPS : 539 246 - 7 612 518 ; alt. 149 m / 488 ft) : take a left (south), to avoid having to hike too steep a descent again, then turn right (northwest) and left again (southwest) at the saddle. Pass an intersection (the right track, northwest, leads to a hillock, alt. 109 m/357 ft). Continue due south.
6 Summit (GPS : 538 885 - 7 612 268 ; alt. 121 m / 396 ft) : begin a small descent, and then an ascent in hairpin bends on the facing prominence. Walk southwest following the ridge, in the direction of the golf course.
7 Hillock (GPS : 538 478 - 7 612 036 ; alt. 154 m / 498 ft) : pass the saddle walking westward.
8 Lookout (GPS : 538 246 - 7 612 115 ; alt. 137 m / 449 ft) (beautiful view of the Sheraton and the golf) : keep on walking down to the sea.
9 Lookout (GPS : 538 206 - 7 611 943 ; alt. 114 m / 374 ft) (bench) : the descent continues, bypassing the shoulder on the right (north). Then, the path crosses the flank obliquely, goes through a dry forest shred and leads to a small combe. Go round it on the left, until you reach the car park.
© Text Explorenc (Jean Francis et Delphine Clair)
FFrandonnée® rating : effort IBP 29 Quite easy • Technicity 2 Quite easy • Risk 1 Low
Further information on localisation
Further information on localisation
Location : Bourail, 165km/102miles from Nouméa (2-hour drive), via the territorial road RT 1. After the bridge on the Nera river, head to « Roche Percée » (« pierced stone »). At the first fork, take a right towards « Domaine de Deva » (Deva natural area). At the next intersection (Gouaro), turn left and drive to the entrance of the site, which is on your right.
Car park : facing the fork that leads to the cape (toilets, table, water).Plain text period
All year round daily between 6.30 am and 7 pm.
Subject to favorable weather.
Subject to favorable weather.
