Tag Archives: French Polynesia

Papeete Mairie (City Hall) — Modeled after the Royal Palace

Walking the streets of Papeete affords the photographer with much to capture.  The image above in the Mairie, or City Hall, and it was modeled after the old Royal Palace, which was demolished back in the 1960s.  Here’s a close-up of the tiled roof, cupola, and colonial-style dormers:

Papeete Mairie (City Hall)

There were some pretty interesting automobiles about, as well.  Here’s a car barely larger than the diminutive scooter parked alongside it:

Renault Twizy

The Notre-Dame Cathedral of Papeete is a surprisingly small yet charming building not far from the cruise ship dock:

Notre Dame Cathedral Papeete

Notre Dame Cathedral Papeete

The streets of Papeete offer some colorful street art:

Papeete street art

Papeete street art

There’s some interesting street photography for the taking, such as this outdoor café:

Papeete street café

I’ll end today’s tour of Papeete with a look at the Marché de Papeete (Municipal Market).  It doesn’t look like much on the outside, but don’t be deceived:

Marché de Papeete

Inside you’ll find a massive, two-story marketplace filled with fruit, vegetables, fish and meats, and stalls offering everything from hats and clothes to leather purses and jewelry.  There are also places to kick back and enjoy a drink or a light meal, as well.

Marché de Papeete

Marché de Papeete

Marché de Papeete

Marché de Papeete

Outriggers and Mo’orea (in the background)

If you thought the distance from Bora Bora to Mo’orea was short, the trip from Mo’orea to Papeete was about the distance of a marathon race.  It’s less than 20 miles/17 nautical miles/32 kilometers as the seagull flies from anchorage to dock.  Yep, no tendering here.  In Papeete you walk straight off the ship into the heart of town.

Nanuu Bay marina

Hang a right onto Boulevard de la Reine Pōmare IV and within a very short walk you reach first Place Jacques Chirac and Pā’ōfa’i Gardens.  Here you’ll see a couple of memorials.  This is the memorial commemorating French nuclear testing on Moruroa, Fangataufa, and other Pacific atolls:

French nuclear testing memorial

Another memorial commemorates the Air Mo’orea Flight 1121 tragedy that occurred August 9, 2007.  The de Havilland of Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter crashed shortly after takeoff from Mo’orea, killing all twenty aboard.

Air Moorea Flight 1121 memorial

Air Moorea Flight 1121 memorial plaque

Past the memorials, the gardens themselves are quite stunning, as is the shoreline and the views of nearby Mo’orea:

Pā’ōfa’i Gardens

Pā’ōfa’i Gardens

Pā’ōfa’i Gardens

Pā’ōfa’i Gardens

Outrigger rentals at Pā’ōfa’i Gardens

Mo’orea in the distance

Pā’ōfa’i Gardens