The Walk in Sections
DAY 1
Prony Village to Néocallitropsis Hut
14km, 4-7 hours
The GR1 commences from a car park on the Baie de la Somme, approximately one kilometre south of Prony. From here, follow the coastline to Prony Village, cross a footbridge, and pass the ruins of the village’s old penal settlement, established here in 1867. The stone buildings—entwined in banya fig roots and wallpapered in green moss—are slowly being reclaimed by the jungle.
The GR1 then winds around the hills surrounding Prony Bay—appealing views of the bay and its islands await. This section requires attention to trail markers; abandoned roads and erosion scars lead in many directions. Four kilometres in, the GR1 swings north, with views ahead now of the Petite Blue River Prony. Cross the river and turn right. At the top of a gentle rise, a trail marker proclaims (incorrectly) you’re at the halfway point. You’re actually just 5.5km into the 14km stage.
Just 100m from this sign, the GR1 takes a foot track on the left, leading to the Carénage River which you now follow upstream. Along the way, you pass Cascade du Carénage (a nice detour) and L’Oasis—a scenic, undercut waterfall. L’Oasis is the last reliable water source before the hut five kilometres on.
Cross the Carénage River above the waterfall and follow the track until reaching the bitumen road, CR7 Route De Prony. Cross
