Permit· Moruroa· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Moruroa Restricted Military Zone
21° 50.0′ S · 138° 50.0′ W
France's former main nuclear test site (1966-1996: around 175-181 tests, 41 of them atmospheric) is military ground and closed to visitors. Do not approach or attempt to enter the lagoon.
Practical
Moruroa has been classified as military land since 1964, and in 1980 it was reclassified as a 'zone protégée de défense nationale'. It is still guarded by French forces. The Telsite radiological and geomechanical monitoring system was modernised in 2018 (Telsite 2). No yacht access; plan routes from the Gambier to Hao or Amanu well clear. The sources give no figure for a maritime exclusion radius, so check current notices to mariners and the SHOM chart before routing nearby.
Best for
Route planning: stay clear
Nearby
- Fangataufa Restricted Military Zone25.4 NM away
- Onemea Bay (Taravai West)224 NM away
- Taravai West Pass Snorkel224.1 NM away
- Anganui Bay (Taravai West)224.2 NM away
- Motu Tenoko Anchorage (Gambier NW)224.8 NM away
- Edouard and Denise's Homestead Produce (Taravai South)225 NM away
- Agakauitai Bay Anchorage (Taravai South)225.1 NM away
- Agakauitai South Bay Snorkel225.2 NM away