You could say the bar was\u202flow,\u202fbut it was raised the moment I boarded the Aircarlin flight. From the first \u201cBonjour\u201d, it belatedly hit me that I was heading somewhere French. Somewhat dumb,\u202fI know \u2013 but to clarify, not just an island holiday with sunshine and palm trees but a French island holiday with sunshine and palm trees. Just three hours\u202faway, a\u202fplace awash with French food and wine, the\u202flanguage\u202fand culture.<\/p>\n
Marche de Noumea. Photo \/ New Caledonia Tourism<\/p>\n
It is also the home of the Kanak people, the indigenous Melanesian inhabitants of New Caledonia, making up\u202froughly 40%\u202fof the population. No need for a history lesson but when I told people I was going to New\u202fCaledonia,\u202fthe first question was \u201cbut what about the unrest\u201d?<\/p>\n
That was\u202fessentially two\u202fyears ago. Noumea\u202fwas the\u202fcentre\u202fof a political dispute that has been resolved. Although ugly and tragic at the time, the tension was strictly political and aimed at governance, never targeting international\u202ftravellers,\u202fbut it has had an impact on tourism. Today, New Caledonia is\u202fsafe and tranquil\u202fand waiting to welcome\u202ftravellers\u202fback.<\/p>\n
With elections just held, the country is very much about moving forward and so am I. So, imagine my surprise in ending up at the exact spot I was more than 30 years ago. Only\u202fnow,\u202fit looks a little different. The old Club Med site is now the Chateau Royal Beach Resort and Spa, a\u202ffour-star\u202fcomplex at the southern end of the Anse Vata beach. <\/p>\n
Highlights include the Chateau Royal Beach Resort, Port Moselle market, and Tjibaou Arts and Cultural Centre. Photo \/ Jody Gill<\/p>\n
After a complete\u202foverhaul,\u202fit bears no resemblance to my blurry memories. My spacious\u202fone-bedroom\u202fsuite on the top\u202ffloor\u202fprovided\u202fpanoramic views of the water and a\u202fbird\u2019s\u202feye view of the resort pool. It\u2019s\u202fa beautiful resort, renowned for\u202fits\u202fAquatonic\u202fspa, housing a massive indoor\u202fAquatonic\u202fpool \u2013 one of only a handful in the world.<\/p>\n
The waterfront of central\u202fNoumea\u202fhas also been\u202fmodified\u202fover the past few years, reducing traffic and creating a promenade. Palm trees have been planted, boardwalks and park spaces created \u2013 reminiscent of the south of France. But\u202fhere\u2019s\u202fthe juxtaposition of\u202fNoumea. It wears its\u202fFrenchness\u202fand yet merges it with the culture and traditions of the Kanak people. Some call it the Paris\u202fof the Pacific. That may be a\u202fstretch but there is merit in noting and\u202fsavouring\u202fthe blend.<\/p>\n
Boulangerie. Photo \/ E. Aubry NCT<\/p>\n
The city itself is dotted with boulangeries, the smell of warm croissants mixed with French cuisine at the local markets,\u202fwhich are\u202freally worth\u202fvisiting.<\/p>\n
Most mornings from 5am to midday, the vibrant Port Moselle market is open, right on the edge of the marina, a backdrop of luxury yachts to a very island-style market. Tables piled high with local Pacific staples like massive yams, taro\u202froots,\u202fpapayas\u202fand bundles of vanilla beans,\u202fprobably destined\u202ffor a creme\u202fbrulee.<\/p>\n
You can also get a real barista coffee, more difficult than you might think since most cafes seem to prefer making coffee at the press of a button.<\/p>\n
Our driver told us\u202fit\u2019s\u202fnot traditional to bargain, but stall holders are happy to let you browse\u202fat leisure\u202fwithout pressure to buy (something that usually sends me scuttling in the other direction). As in France, it really does help to have at least a smattering of French. Not everyone speaks English and it is always polite to greet someone in French and to at least say please and thank you. It was an enjoyable way to spend an hour or two browsing for souvenirs to take home.<\/p>\n
If\u202fyou\u2019re\u202flucky enough to be in\u202fNoumea\u202fon the right Thursday of the month, make sure you venture to Coconut Square (Place des\u202fCocotiers) for the monthly Jeudi du Centre Ville\u202fstreet\u202fmarket.<\/p>\n
The city has transformed with promenades and markets, offering French cuisine and local crafts. Photo \/ Jody Gill<\/p>\n
Rows and rows of\u202fcolourful\u202fstalls offer everything from woodwork by local artisans to take-home containers of tuna rillette \u2013 or taro in coconut wrapped in banana leaf \u2013 so delicious. I\u2019d\u202frecommend going hungry and making the most of the food on offer. Take some time to sit in the sunshine, listen to a local band playing\u202flive\u202fand enjoy the people watching.<\/p>\n
If shopping is on your\u202fagenda, check\u202fout La Promenade. It runs along the bottom of the Hilton hotel in the city\u202fcentre, featuring a collection of shops including French boutiques, souvenir shops, ice cream\u202fparlours,\u202frestaurants\u202fand a few international brands. If\u202fyou\u2019re\u202flooking for French clothing labels,\u202fthere\u2019s\u202fone particularly chic boutique called Hype: sitting at the high end of the spectrum, it stocks Isabel Marant, Anine Bing and\u202fBash\u202famong others. But\u202fI\u2019m\u202fon a budget, so imagine my delight at discovering a section tucked down the back of the store, comprising what we would call designer recycling. The French call it vide-dressing, also known as wardrobe clearing \u2013 a second-hand selection where fashionable locals sell off their luxury items at reasonable prices. Definitely worth a rummage.<\/p>\n
Jeudi de Centre Ville market. Photo \/ Jody Gill<\/p>\n
As with France, no trip to\u202fNoumea\u202fwould be complete without indulging in the food.\u202fTop of the indulgent list\u202fhas to\u202fbe Marmite\u202fet Tire-Bouchon (The Pot and Corkscrew) on the picturesque\u202fOrphelinat\u202fBay, offering haute cuisine that marryies French and Pacific ingredients.<\/p>\n
The literal\u202f\u201cTire-Bouchon\u201d aspect is represented by an immense floor-to-ceiling, glass-walled wine cellar in the dining room holding a\u202fmassive, curated\u202fcollection ranging from French vintages to regional gems.<\/p>\n
On a different level is\u202fChai de\u202fl\u2019Hippodrome, located near the entrance to the Henry Milliard racecourse, slightly off the main tourist drag. It\u2019s\u202fa rustic but contemporary wine cave, a large cellar complete with wine barrels and quirky\u202fart: perfect for sharing a large charcuterie platter and tasting a flight of French wines.<\/p>\n
It would be easy to spend a week in\u202fNoumea, relaxing by\u202fa\u202fpool, enjoying a spa, visiting the markets and taking\u202fin the sights. There are colonial homes to\u202fvisit\u202fand the white steepled St Joseph\u2019s\u202fCathedral\u202fnot only boasts a spectacular\u202fview,\u202fbut it also\u202fcontrasts with the soaring wooden sails of the\u202fTjibaou\u202fArts and Cultural Centre just outside town. The\u202fcentre\u202fwas designed by an Italian \u2013 the French love an architectural competition. Renzo Piano\u2019s winning design is a stunning example of contemporary architecture in harmony with Kanak culture.<\/p>\n
If you visit the\u202fcentre, I\u2019d\u202fhighly recommend a guide, or\u202fat the very\u202fleast an audio guide. There is so much to be learned about the Kanak way of life that I\u202fdon\u2019t\u202fthink you would glean from just taking a wander. Our guide George was a real character, passionate about sharing the story of\u202fhis\u202fpeople. A collection of contemporary and Oceanian art features in the galleries throughout the main building\u202fincluding\u202fquite\u202fa\u202ffew pieces by New Zealand artists.<\/p>\n
Outside the main\u202fcentre\u202fbut\u202fwithin the grounds, there are three traditional Kanak huts, each\u202frepresenting\u202fthe\u202fdifferent styles\u202fof a chief\u2019s house; one from the north, one from the main island and one from the Loyalty Islands. The soaring huts will make you\u202fwonder how the Kanaks achieved such construction feats.<\/p>\n
The city\u2019s waterfront has been transformed into a palm-lined promenade. Photo \/ Jody Gill<\/p>\n
Later in the day, a sunset cruise on a catamaran was the perfect way to wind down and take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the little bays and marinas\u202ffringing the city. <\/p>\n
A glass of\u202fchampagne\u202fand a fiery sunset\u202fshowcase\u202fhow\u202fNoumea\u202fmerges the sweet life of the South Pacific with the perfect French touch.<\/p>\n
Checklist<\/p>\n
NEW CALEDONIA <\/p>\n
GETTING THERE<\/p>\n
Fly direct from Auckland to Noumea with Aircalin. Flight time is approximately 2 hours, 50 minutes. <\/p>\n
DETAILS<\/p>\n