Noumea city center

The history of Nouméa

Nouméa, formerly called Port-de-France, has a particular history, closely linked to that of the convicts.

In 1854, Captain Tardy de Montravel made Nouméa the administrative and military center of the French presence in New Caledonia. In 1860, the Nouville penitentiary was built.

Nouméa developed slowly, which is why, from 1863, convoys of convicts were organized from the metropolis to increase the colonial population.

Prisoners have other advantages, including being cheap labor. They are therefore requisitioned for the construction of the city. The work is colossal since Nouméa is constrained between hills and a marshy area, which will have to be drained with large amounts of embankment.

The construction of the city

The colonial administration must quickly build the necessary infrastructure .

The city plans were entrusted to Mr. Coffyn who would design a very rectilinear city center with perfectly perpendicular and parallel streets starting from the Place des Cocotiers. It is also this square which represents the heart of downtown Nouméa, divided into 4 spaces and planted with large coconut trees, from which it takes its name. The esplanade has been renovated and made pedestrian.

You can find everything you need: administrations, banks, stores, travel agencies, museum and the Gaston Bourret hospital, built on the site of the first building built in Nouméa, Fort Constantine.

A little further on, the Asian district adds color to the city center with its small stalls selling clothes, souvenirs, food, etc. The covered municipal market is located in Port Moselle and is an excellent place to stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables.

From an architectural point of view, not many traces of the colonial era remain. The majority of buildings are from the “”nickel boom”” era dating from the late 1960s.

Twice a month, “” City Center Thursdays “” are held at Place des Cocotiers during a market to highlight a cultural aspect of New Caledonia: a region, crafts, local products… This event much appreciated, it brings life to the city center which is sometimes neglected for the beaches.