Tour de Nouvelle Caledonie

My route on Grand Terre is not generally used by tourists, so the logistics required significant planning before going to New Caledonia. My 840-km (525-mile) trip began at Les Paillotes d'Ouenghi, just south of Bouloupari, and went anticlockwise. The road distances given below total 800 km and side trips to beaches added 40 km. On the map below the orange dots show where I stayed.
If you arrive in New Caledonia at La Tontouta international airport, about 50 km north of Noumea, you can avoid the capital. (Les Paillotes runs a shuttle bus to the hotel.) The Bouloupari to Thio road over the Col de Nassirah is the most southerly access to the east coast. Get a good supply of New Caledonia francs at the airport ATM because many accommodation places do not accept credit cards. Camping at beaches is free. Carry plenty of water and avoid the noonday heat by taking a siesta from noon until 2 p.m. when the shops are closed. They are almost only in the villages below, opening about 6 a.m. and usually closing about 5 p.m. In New Caledonia the sun rises at about 6 a.m. and sets quickly at about 6 p.m. year round.
For a complete list of New Caledonia accommodations (hebergement) click here.
Here are the details of my tour:

Day	Villages	Distance (km)	Stayed at	Remarks
1	Les Paillotes - Thio - Canala	91	Gite de Kuinet	Very rough one-way road over Col de Pechecara. Excellent gite on Cascade Road, south of Canala
2	Canala - Kouaoua	63	Municipal camping. (Enquire at gendarmerie.)	Road very hilly; no water supply
3	Kouaoua - Poro - Houailou	59	Camping on beach north of Houailou; no water	Steep road until Poro; no shade, no water
4	Houailou - Ponerihouen - Poindimie	75	Hotel Le Tapoundari	Good hotel with restaurant. ATM in Poindimie
5	Poindimie - Touho - Hienghene	70	Gite de Wehout, on beach 10 km north of Hieghene	ATM in Hieghene
6	Hieghene - Pouebo	63	Family campground 10 km south of Pouebo	Ferry (bac) over River Ouaieme
7	Pouebo - Ouegoa - Koumac	73	Hotel Passiflore	Steep climbs before Ouegoa and over Cols de Creve-Coeur. ATMs in Ouegoa and Koumac
8	Koumac - (Kaala-Gomen) - Voh	71	Camping at Plage de Gatope	Excellent campground and beach
9	Voh - Kone - Pouembout	51	Camping at Plage Franko 12 km south of Pouembout	ATMs at Kone and Pouembout
10	Plage Franko - Poya - Bourail	85	Hotel La Mera 2 km south of Bourail	Good hotel. ATM at Bourail
11	Bourail - Moindou - La Foa	52	Hotel le Banu	ATM in La Foa
12	La Foa - Bouloupari - Les Paillotes	47	Les Paillotes d'Ouenghi	Half-day ride