Welcome to Les Chutes de la Madeleine, or Madeleine Fall which are a low but wide waterfall set in the red landscapes of Yaté in New Caledonia’s Great South. There are about a 25 minutes drive from Blue river park, which itself is about a hours drive from Noumea. It will cost a few francs to get in (assuming you aren't a local) and it's about a 5 minutes walk from the carpark.
The falls spread in a broad curtain across the Blanche River (although I have to say that river looks fairly blue to me but I guess that was already taken) rather than plunging from great height, so the appeal is more about atmosphere and colours than sheer drama. It's also about how close you can get to the falls, and being able to walk behind them, along the upper river is very special.
Walkways and viewing platforms make it easy to reach the lookouts from the car park in a few minutes, and swimming is not allowed to protect this fragile environment. The reserve shelters many endemic plant species and even a rare ancient fish species in the pools and aquatic vegetation below the falls. Although the waterfall is not very high the sense of remoteness and peace make Les Chutes de la Madeleine a memorable stop in southern New Caledonia
