Mont Dore in New Caledonia

The climb up Mont Dore offers a bird’s-eye view of Nouméa and the bay. The colours are magnificent: the turquoise blue of the sea, the green of the vegetation and the red of the earth… A superb blend.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.28 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2,257 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2,257 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,454 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 197 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

The route starts in the village of Mont Dore; follow the signs to the car park at the start of the Mont-Dore Ascent trail.
The entire route is signposted with small signs and equipped with steps and non-slip surfaces...

(S/E) The path starts to the right of the sign; head into the vegetation, and after about ten metres, turn left. The climb begins. The start is in the shade of the vegetation, but very quickly the trees thin out and you find yourself in full sun. Follow the main path, which is equipped with steps and signposted. On your right, you can take short breaks to enjoy the scenery. Continue the ascent to a small pass, where you will find marker post 1.

(1) Continue to the left to climb further; the slope becomes steeper... The steps are a welcome relief.
A large cairn, along with the markings and facilities, confirm that you are on the right track. Climb further to reach a red and white post. Continue in the same direction; the vegetation becomes a little sparser; dark, very heavy stone, rich in iron, comes into view.

(2) Once you reach the top of this short climb, the landscape flattens out; follow the path. To the left, you can see the summit of Mont Dore, topped with an antenna. Head towards it once you reach marker 3.

(3) Turn left. If you go straight on, you’ll end up on a track that will take you down the other side. Just one more short climb to reach your destination.

(4) Once at the top, enjoy the view, then head back down the same route.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 197 ft - Mont-Dor Ascent Car Park
  2. 1 : mi 0.78 - alt. 951 ft - Small pass
  3. 2 : mi 1.29 - alt. 1,834 ft - Less steep climb
  4. 3 : mi 1.92 - alt. 2,379 ft - To the left
  5. 4 : mi 2.14 - alt. 2,421 ft - Mont Dore
  6. S/E : mi 4.28 - alt. 197 ft - Mont-Dor Ascent Car Park

Notes

The sun is beating down, the temperature is high; take plenty of water (2 litres per person), a cap, sun cream...

Reviews and comments

5 / 5
Based on 3 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
Luce67
Luce67

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A fairly challenging hike as there are loads of steps, which aren’t always suitable for shorter people – even adults, lol!
Magnificent views from the summit.
Make sure you wear proper walking shoes as the ground was slippery, even though it was dry. You need to be very careful, especially on the way down.
Well worth the effort.

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stjo
stjo
• Edited:

Please note: this hike is not in the Puy-de-Dôme department, as indicated in the list of departments!

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bibi
bibi ★

Hello, the first time, the PDF (printable version) is sent to your email address; please check your spam folder, as it should be there.
Kind regards

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Chrissoute
Chrissoute

Good evening,

I didn’t go on the hike, but I never managed to access your map... Perhaps I did something wrong; I must admit I don’t have the patience required when visiting a website for the first time... In any case, here are my honest thoughts, as you asked!

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bigfoot37
bigfoot37
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 23, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

To reach the start point, take the RP2 from Nouméa. The signs pointing to the start are somewhat obscured by the vegetation. I did the hike this morning, setting off at 6.30 am.The sky was clear and the views magnificent. I’d classify this hike as difficult; even on the descent, you need to stay very alert as the ground is slippery despite the wooden steps and the very useful honeycomb-patterned slabs!! But the effort is well worth it. The signposting is very good. Enjoy!

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gerarmenvuca
gerarmenvuca

Thanks for the information

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bibi
bibi ★

From the main road, you need to turn onto the small road indicated by a sign back then. So yes, it was easy, but I haven’t been back since. If you have the map with you, it’ll be easy. And then you need to go to the end of the cul-de-sac where there’s a sign marking the start of the walk

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gerarmenvuca
gerarmenvuca

Is the starting point for this walk easy to find in town?

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Julie P3.
Julie P3.

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 18, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A stunning view that’s well worth the effort.

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