Lifou

Lifou, Drehu in the local language, is the largest island of the Loyalty Islands archipelago with an area equivalent to that of Martinique. The coast is cut by long and deep bays alternating with long white sandy beaches and cliffs trenches. The interior is covered with dense rainforests.

Officially discovered in 1827, Lifou was rapidly taken over by Catholic and Protestant missionaries who brought to the island an oppressive atmosphere in their struggle to influence the souls of the locals. In 1864 the Loyalty Islands were annexed by France, and were incorporated as an Aboriginal reserve, a standing that shaped the final history of the archipelago and the uniqueness of Loyalty. The discovery of the spirit of Loyalty begins at Lifou.