Îles du Salut
French Guiana · Kourou · 30 m
Description
Three small islands fifteen kilometres off Kourou held the worst part of the French penal colony from 1852 until 1953, and their name comes from an earlier settlement whose survivors fled here from fever on the mainland. Île Royale carries the ruins of the main camp under coconut palms, with the hospital, the chapel and the cells now half taken by the forest. Île Saint-Joseph held the solitary confinement blocks. Devil's Island, where Dreyfus was kept, cannot be landed on. Boats run daily from Kourou. The islands now belong to the space centre, which clears them before each launch.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 2 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: August – November
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Penal colony ruins on Île Royale
- Boat crossing from Kourou
- Solitary confinement cells on Île Saint-Joseph
- View across to Devil's Island
- Agoutis and macaws around the ruins
- Circular path around Île Royale
- Chapel with the convict paintings
- Night in the former warders' quarters
- Cemetery of the guards' children
Getting there
- Nearest airports:
- CAY
- Seaport:
- Reachable by ship or ferry