French polynesia: mountains and wonders

Paradise archipelagos

They appear like mirages in the heart of the Pacific Ocean and come one after another, with unrivalled beauty. With more than a hundred islands, the Polynesian archipelagos can be appreciated perfectly from the water, but also explored by land. The proof in five key ports of call… Ua Reva! (Here we go!, in Polynesian).

The idyllic Society Islands

The senses are on alert from morning to night on both the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands: heavenly white sandy beaches – or their volcanic, black alternatives -, the fragrant alleys of the Papeete market, panoramas of majestic mountains sheltering shady valleys highlighted by waterfalls, turquoise lagoons and more.

• Savour a firi firi, a coconut milk fritter in the shape of a figure eight
• Admire the elegant silhouette of Mont Diadème, overlooking Tahiti
• Hike in Tahiti to the Loti waterfall, part of the Fautaua valley
• Dive in the turquoise lagoons of Moorea

Moorea, a protected lagoon

The Moorea lagoon has been subject to preservation since 2008 under the Ramsar Convention (an intergovernmental treaty that provides a framework for action to conserve wetlands and their resources), and is the only classified and protected site in French Polynesia. Acropora corals, clams and butterfly fish cover an area of close to 7,000 hectares, a wide range of species that find refuge here to reproduce.

Magic Marquesas

The appearance of the Marquesas Archipelago is an unmissable sight. Steep mountains, towering peaks, sheer cliffs, dizzying waterfalls and deep, narrow valleys bring just one surprise after another.

As if transported, you are immersed like nowhere else in French Polynesia into a centuries-old culture, involving sculpture, tattooing and tapa (a plant fabric obtained using a beaten bark technique). In seclusion, and as if time had stood still, the Marquesan tradition is still very much alive and is constantly revived in traditional dances and songs.

• The archipelago is made up of 14 islands
• Over 300 plant species, more than half of which are endemic
• 1,276 metres is the altitude of Mount Temetiu, the highest point in the Marquesas Islands.

The Tuamotu Islands, the call of the Big Blue

And on we go to the Tuamotus, where it’s always crystal blue. The largest chain of coral atolls on the planet (78 in total, covering more than two million square kilometres), is an underwater paradise that attracts divers from all over the world.

The Tiputa Pass, located to the north-east of the Rangiroa atoll, represents one of the highlights of your trip to the Tuamotu Islands. It is world renowned for scuba diving, being home to many species during the southern summer, including manta rays, hammerhead sharks, dolphins, turtles and tropical fish.

• The Fakarava atoll, a Unesco classified biosphere reserve
• The unforgettable setting of Anaa and its incomparably clear lagoon
• Rangiroa, mecca of Polynesian pearl farming

The Austral Islands, a well-kept secret

The southernmost archipelago of French Polynesia unequivocally plunges you into a natural and fine timeless journey. And (well) off the beaten track.

• More than 4,000 km from New Zealand and almost 8,000 km from the Chilean coast
• A maritime area of 2.5 million km², equivalent to the surface area of Europe
• 276,000 inhabitants

Sacred Gambier Islands

Mangareva (the “floating mountain” in Polynesian), is the cradle of Catholicism in French Polynesia, and is particularly fascinating for its many religious buildings. The most famous – and the most original? St Michael’s Cathedral (cathedral of Saint-Michel) in the heart of Rikitea, built of coral and wood.

Photos credits: ©StudioPONANT/Olivier Blaud; ©iStock; ©StudioGAUGUIN-PONANT/Morgane Lanco; ©StudioGAUGUIN-PONANT/Morgane Lanco; ©Studio PONANT/Laure Patricot; ©StudioPONANT/Lyuba Korin; ©Jon Whittle; ©Roger Paperno

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