Moindou
between nature and heritage

The poor anchoring conditions at the mouth of the Néra in Bourail led authorities at the time to look for a more sheltered port. The site at Mouidou (or Moindou in the Kanak language) was chosen in 1871.

The historic Fort-Teremba

If one building could sum up the Moindou’s notoriety, it would of course ben Fort-Teremba. As the most imposing military colonial vestige in New Caledonia, it has undergone constant renovation to match the colonial military at the turn of the 20th century. A sound and light show attracting thousands of spectators is also held every year on the citadel overlooking the sea.

A palm forest

Moindou is also well-known for its exceptional palm forest, especially the famous royal palms that are now the town’s pride. Imported from Cuba by a colonist originally from Réunion, Casimir Boyer, they are especially visible in the Garden of the Future, neat the chapel (which itself was constructed in 1947).

Industrial heritage isn’t just the royal palms. After tobacco growing came coal fever after the discovery of coal seams. This would last about ten years, but would leave important vestiges behind, like the Médouya factory on the mining site called “Audaces Fortunat Juva (literally “Fortune smiles upon the bold”).

The historic inn at Moindou (formerly known as Hotel Bray) still has traces of the road stop-over it used to be on the colonial Route 1 (which has since become a territorial road).

The poor anchoring conditions at the mouth of the Néra in Bourail led authorities at the time to look for a more sheltered port. The site at Mouidou (or Moindou in the Kanak language) was chosen in 1871.

The historic Fort-Teremba

If one building could sum up the Moindou’s notoriety, it would of course ben Fort-Teremba. As the most imposing military colonial vestige in New Caledonia, it has undergone constant renovation to match the colonial military at the turn of the 20th century. A sound and light show attracting thousands of spectators is also held every year on the citadel overlooking the sea.

A palm forest

Moindou is also well-known for its exceptional palm forest, especially the famous royal palms that are now the town’s pride. Imported from Cuba by a colonist originally from Réunion, Casimir Boyer, they are especially visible in the Garden of the Future, neat the chapel (which itself was constructed in 1947).

Industrial heritage isn’t just the royal palms. After tobacco growing came coal fever after the discovery of coal seams. This would last about ten years, but would leave important vestiges behind, like the Médouya factory on the mining site called “Audaces Fortunat Juva (literally “Fortune smiles upon the bold”).

The historic inn at Moindou (formerly known as Hotel Bray) still has traces of the road stop-over it used to be on the colonial Route 1 (which has since become a territorial road).