Papeete: Market, Gardens and Fautaua Valley

Papeete brings together the covered Marché municipal Mapuru a Paraita, gardens, memorial sites and the Fautaua Valley. Its themes also vary, from market life and the city’s history to the symbolic plant life of French Polynesia. If you are looking for a holiday rental in Papeete, these different focuses can help you plan your stay around your interests.

River and waterfall in the Fautaua Valley

The waterfall in the Fautaua Valley is 135 metres high. The walk there takes about two hours and leads through partly steep terrain. Access to the valley is permitted only with authorisation. The Fautaua is one of four rivers that supply water to Papeete.

The walking time, terrain and permit requirement all matter if you include the waterfall in your travel plans. This excursion is quite different from the city-focused themes of Papeete. The approximate time provides a guide for planning your day; authorisation remains a prerequisite for entering the valley.

Marché municipal: History and market themes

Papeete’s market was established in its current location in 1847 by Governor Bruat. The covered Marché municipal Mapuru a Paraita has a mezzanine for handicrafts, as well as areas for fish, meat, fruit and vegetables, flowers and pareos. The market therefore brings together a range of themes under one roof: crafts and textiles as well as food and flowers.

On Sunday mornings, the Marché de Papeete comes to life from 4 am. Opening hours listed for the Marché municipal Mapuru a Paraita are Monday to Friday from 5:30 am to 4 pm, Saturday until 1 pm and Sunday from 4:30 am to 10 am. Check the times with the municipality before visiting. This helps you distinguish the early Sunday morning activity from the stated market opening hours.

Memorial sites and city history

In To’ata, Tahua Tu-Marama was renamed in 2021 in memory of the historical heroes Tū and Marama. They are credited with dedicating this place to peace between the clans and to the voyages that shaped Polynesian civilisation. The name thus connects a specific place with a historical and cultural memory.

On Place Tarahoi is the Bassin-de-la-Reine, also known as Bain-de-la-Reine, Source-de-la-Reine or Ruisseau-de-la-Reine. It is located behind the Assembly of French Polynesia. Several trees more than 150 years old stand in the park around the basin: a mape, or tropical chestnut tree, two banyan trees and a rubber tree.

Also on Place Tarahoi, in front of the Assembly of French Polynesia, a stele honours Pouvanaa a Oopa. The stele and the Bassin-de-la-Reine represent different aspects of remembrance at this site: one is dedicated to a named individual, while the other is known by several names. For travellers interested in history, these specific connections make Papeete’s public places more than mere stops in the cityscape.

Botanical symbols in the Jardins de Paofai

In Les Jardins de Paofai, symbolic plants represent the botanical identity of each archipelago of French Polynesia. This theme complements the historical memorial sites with a look at the archipelagos’ plant life. Market areas, tributes, trees and symbolic plants thus offer different ways to experience Papeete, without limiting travel plans to a single theme.

Plan your stay around your interests

When looking for a holiday rental in Papeete, you can start by considering which experiences you would like to shape your stay. An early visit to the market and the sites connected with the city’s history offer a different focus from the walk to the waterfall in the Fautaua Valley. The approximate two-hour walking time, partly steep terrain and required authorisation are important differences compared with a market visit.

The themes also offer different points of interest for people travelling together: the archipelagos’ botanical representation, the history of the market and the remembrance of Tū and Marama. Match these interests to your planned itinerary and take them into account when choosing where to stay. That way, your search for accommodation begins with the question of which sides of Papeete you would like to discover.

Discover more destinations: Maharepa, 'Āfareaitu, Papetoai, Taravao, To'ahotu, Haapiti, Pirae, Pihaena.

Go to the main travel overview: Windward Islands.