The dark limestone outcrop in Hienghène bay is the single most photographed natural feature on New Caledonia's east coast. From the right angle on the coastal road, the layered rock really does look like an enormous brooding hen — head tucked down, body bulging — silhouetted against the turquoise lagoon.
The rock is a remnant of an uplifted reef, eroded over millions of years by wind and waves. The viewpoint at the top of the hill just south of the village (signed Belvédère de la Poule) frames the silhouette most clearly. Late afternoon, when the limestone catches the western sun and the bay's water deepens to peacock blue, is the obvious time to come.