Wallis and Futuna

The collectivité recognises three official languages: French, Wallisian ('Uvean) and Futunian. About three quarters of the population in Wallis is bilingual. All official documents are written first in French and then in the language of the local island.

English is not very widely spoken among the Wallisian population, though most of the French population knows at least basic conversational English. But the bottom line is that it is highly recommended to arrive with a working knowledge of French.

Wallis and Futuna is a part of France and implements French visa policy, but it is not part of the Schengen Area or the European Union and controls its own immigration. This means that travelling between metropolitan France and Wallis and Futuna will involve border inspections. French citizens only need a valid ID card to enter and stay indefinitely, including employment, but in practice they too need a passport to transit through other countries, unless flying from the French territory of New Caledonia.

Non-French European Union citizens may enter and stay in Wallis and Futuna indefinitely without a visa, provided their passport is valid for at least 3 months beyond their planned departure date, but may not work unless they have a work permit. Citizens of non-European Union countries who do not need a visa to visit France may visit without a visa for up to 3 months provided their passport is valid for at least 3 months beyond their planned departure date, and they have a return ticket, proof of funds to cover their stay, travel insurance with a minimum coverage of €30,000, and proof of purpose of stay (e.g. confirmation of hotel bookings if you are a tourist).

If you need a visa to visit France, Schengen visas for Metropolitan France are not valid for travel to Wallis and Futuna. You will need to obtain a separate visa for Wallis and Futuna from a French diplomatic mission.

Air Loyaute flies between Hihifo (Wallis) and Pointe Vele (Futuna) twice a day or so. There are no inter-island ferries.

Uvea has 120 km of roads, much of which is paved. All the main villages on Futuna can be accessed on paved but rough roads.

Tourism in the territory remains very low. This is mainly due to the isolation of the Wallis and Futuna islands, as well as the lack of outside investment in the islands and limited access to bank credit. At the same time, the territory has certain advantages:

The islanders lead an authentic traditional lifestyle and hold large gatherings and ceremonies.

The natural landscapes of the islands are well preserved: the crater lakes, islands and lagoons of the Wallis Islands, forests and beaches are very attractive.

The cultural heritage is also great, with Tongan burial sites on Wallis and the tomb of Father Chanel at Poi, Futuna.

Talietumu fort on Wallis, built by the Tongans in the 15th century.

Lake Laloalo on Wallis, a volcanic lake that is almost perfectly circular.

However, these advantages are rarely exploited and, so far, the islands have only a six-hole golf course, a diving club and an aeroclub for ultralight aircraft.

On Saint Peter Chanel's Day (Saint-Pierre-Chanel or locally Petelo Sanele), it is customary for piglets to be roasted with bananas.

Taro, yams and sweet potatoes were and still are the staple foods of most islanders. Fish is widely consumed in the villages on the Uvea coast. If for some reason there is no man in the family, women collect edible crustaceans from the lagoon. Pigs and chickens are fattened mainly for festive occasions.77

As a rule, families eat two meals a day. For breakfast they usually eat bread and drink coffee. Dinner consists of taro or yams and fish (on the Wallis Islands) and sometimes defrosted chicken and boiled beef. The most common drink is tea.77

Pork, chicken and turtle are an obligatory attribute of the festive table. Cava and imported alcoholic beverages are also consumed.

The locals pride themselves in how they pour a can of floating Widget Guinness to get the best creamy head. They also like to toast with a dram or 2 of Jamieson Black Barrel or a Captain Morgan Spice. They meet up on a Friday and talk a load of codswallop but also solve the world's problems.

Hôtel Albatros, route du collége mataotamaVillage Mala'e, ☏ +681 721827.

Hôtel Moana-Hou, route du bord de mer Village liku Districte hahakeBP 136 Mata-Utu, ☏ +681 722135.

Hôtel Restaurant Le Fia-Fia, lieut-dit Puilata Village nuku Royaume sigave BP 28 Sigave, ☏ +681 723245.

Hôtel Restaurant Lomipeau, Standard route territoriale n°1 Village aka'aka District hahake BP 84 Mata-Utu, ☏ +681 722021.

Somalama Park Hotel, lieut-dit somalama Village tavai Royaume sigave BP 2 Sigave, ☏ +681 723120.

Crime remains low throughout the territory and security is ensured by two gendarmerie stations, one in Mata Utu and the other in Leava. In addition to these twenty gendarmes, there are also territorial guards also under the direction of the senior administrator of the island, who play the role of municipal police officers.

Tap water is not potable. There are two hospitals and three dispensaries in the territory.

Sia Hospital BP 4G, Mata Utu (on Wallis Island), +681 72 07 00, email: sante.wf@wallis.co.nc (last updated Dec. 2020)

Kaleveleve Hospital BP 11, Leava (on Futuna Island) (last updated Dec. 2020)

Customary traditions are very important in the territory, particularly on the island of Futuna, where the inhabitants are very attached to the "kava ritual" widely used for divinatory purposes and, no doubt, because it contains six of the eighteen known kavalactones, for medicinal purposes.

The territory has a publicly owned postal and telecommunications company (SPT). The company provides island-wide mail delivery, a small number of stamps, and telephone and Internet services. The main post office is located at Mata Utu. On Uvea, there are two other offices in the districts of Mua and Hihifo. On Futuna Island, there is only one post office at Leawe. Initially, postal communication with the islands was via the now defunct New Hebrides or New Caledonia, but was irregular, depending on the frequency with which ships called at the islands. Regular postal service was not established until 1935 by means of postmen on a line connecting Wallis and Futuna to Sydney via the cities of Port Vila (present-day Vanuatu) and Noumea (New Caledonia).