Things to see and do Prony

Built in the 19th century to supply Nouméa with wood, it is now invaded by lush vegetation. Huge banyan trees cover the buildings with their bewitching roots. In the last quarter of the 19th century, a village was grafted onto the site where the exploitation of the wood lasted until 1911. An association of restoration enthusiasts has rehabilitated the powder magazine built in 1884 and a path has been laid out to fully enjoy the remains. Wet forest and mining scrubland follow one another as you enter the heart of the penitentiary's history.

At the mouth of the Blue River, three hot springs offer 43 degrees water! Only one of the sources is on earth and suitable for swimming.

The great curiosity of Prony Bay is of course the needle, which has nothing to do with a coral formation, but which results from a freshwater resurgence. This gigantic chimney takes root at a depth of 38 meters and rises 2 meters below the surface of the water. Imagine a mineral cathedral coming from the depths. Calcification is the result of the action between fresh water, coming from lakes and rivers, and salt water from the lagoon. The fresh water infiltrates, heats up and rises... Needles rise from an arm of the cathedral, forming several bell towers at the top, below which a hole, from which fresh water gushes out, has been dug. This water, mixing with salt water, gives the impression of a turbid mixture with two compounds of different density. The Aiguille was officially discovered in 1873 when the cargo ship La Somme, passing through Prony to load wood for the prison, ran aground there. The ship was stranded there for about 50 hours, and it was an aviso that relieved her of her heavy cargo, thus putting an end to her stranding.

Today,it is a diving spot: the heat of the cavity is not to the displeasure of the fishes that come here in great numbers. The needle never stops growing, making its own limestone gangue. Corals and fish are present. A real kingdom for bivalves, the site is also a spawning ground for loaches in November. You might as well say that it is a wonder for all those who can come and dive here...