Pouebo To Ouegoa
At Pouebo the landscape changes from steep mountainsides to rolling hills and plains. European history in New Caledonia begins in Balade, a small settlement north of Pouebo. Although there are few Europeans here today, Balade is where they first set foot in New Caledonia. It was here also that the French annexed New Caledonia. The RPN10 becomes the RPN7 at Balade and continues up the coast towards Ouegoa.
On a grassy hill just above the road at Balade, 13km north of Pouebo's church, is the small church of St Denis. It has a fascinating history dating back to the early missionary days, so make sure it's on your itinerary. The stained-glass windows near the altar illustrate the first mass at Balade on Christmas Day 1843, the murder of Brother Blaise, the missionaries' escape to the French navy ship La Brillante, and the return of Brother Blaise's skull to Bishop Douarre. As you leave the church there's a wonderful view over the tops of coconut palms to the sea. A white concrete slab below the church commemorates the spot where Brother Blaise died. For more information see the boxed text, right.
Not far from the church is Mahamat beach, where the first Catholic mass was held on Christmas Day 1843. There is a large white cross and an altar to the Virgin Mary, Notre Dame de Mahamat, under a giant banyan tree whose branches are decorated with pieces of cloth. To get there, turn off the main road 1.5km north of the church of St Denis. About 700m further, turn right at the bus stop onto an unsealed road. The site is 500m further on.
Back on the main road, 4km north of the church of St Denis, a sombre pyramid-shaped monument on top of a small hill commemorates the French annexation of New Caledonia in 1853.
From Balade, the road follows rolling hills on one side and mangrove flats on the other up the coast to Col d'Amos (Amos pass), where it turns inland towards Ouegoa and the west coast.
Where the RPN7 turns inland, there's a dirt road to the right that leads 1km to Camping d'Amos (Map p284; §§ 42 42 11; camping per tent 800CFP). The camp site sits in a picturesque spot under coconut trees. It has a secluded beach bordered by rocks at one end and a small river mouth at the other.
THE FIRST MISSION
Catholic missionaries, led by Bishop Guillaume Douarre, were the first missionaries to arrive on Grande Terre. They landed at Mahamat, near Balade, on 21 December 1843, and were given permission by Chef Paiama to construct a shelter for Christmas Mass. Two years later they moved inland to the site of Balade's present-day church.
In 1847 the Balade mission was attacked by local clans who were dying from disease and starvation. Their food reserves had been diminished by the passage of several ships that had taken on fresh supplies at the mission. The missionaries fled to the ship ta Brillante, which arrived at a timely moment. However, one of their brethren, Brother Blaise Marmoiton, didn't escape. His corpse was dragged across the river and beheaded. His head was hung as a trophy at the chief's hut near St Denis until it was returned to the church in 1849.
The missionaries fled to Yaté in the south of Grande Terre, then to île des Pins. They returned to Balade in 1851. In 1852 the mission expanded, moving south to Pouébo. Within a year Bishop Douarre had converted more than 100 Kanaks and the first baptism ceremonies took place.
In 1863 gold was discovered in the north. Gold-seekers flooded the small mission, installing a gendarmerie and taking over Kanak land in their search for the precious metal. In 1866 the Kanaks protested (through a petition) against this land-grabbing, and their chief, Hippolyte Bonou, one of the first Christian converts, was arrested and exiled to île des Pins, where he died the following year. Shortly after Bonou's deportation, violence erupted and Kanaks killed two gendarmes and several French settlers near Oubatche, about 8km south of Pouébo. In retaliation, a guillotine was installed at the mission and 10 Kanaks were executed. Eventually order was restored and construction of the church of St Denis resumed. It was completed in 1875.
As the RPN7 winds its way up Col d'Amos, look back to the coast and see if you can make out the shark's head with its pointed nose in the reef. The road climbs through hills dotted with niaouli trees then descends to Ouegoa, which sits on the banks of the Diahot river, New Caledonia's longest river (90km).
If you're heading north to Poum and the far north of Grande Terre, Ouegoa is a good place to stock up on groceries. There are three shops on the main road, including Magazin Chez Hompelie (§§ 47 54 19; S 6am-noon &1.30-7.30pmMon-Sat,7am-noon&5-7pmSun) on the east side of the bridge.
Camping Chez Bouli (Map p284; "S 42 76 89, 79 42 98; camping per person 500CFP) is a grassy camp site under mango trees on the banks of the Diahote river. The main reason to stay here is to go on an excursion on the Diahote river with Armand Ogushiku, locally known as Bouli. Bouli organises fun activities on his excursions, such as water skiing and crab fishing. Boat excursions cost from 6000CFP for two people; canoes and kayaks can be hired for 500/2500CFP per hour/day. The camp site is 4km from the village along an unsealed road. Follow the signposts from the turn-off 100m west of the bridge.
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