ÃŽles du Salut

The Îles du Salut ( German islands of salvation ) are a small group of islands 13 km off the coast of Kourou in French Guiana. Although located closer to Kourou, includes the islands for 45 km southeast community capital city in Cayenne, and indeed to the canton of cayenne 1 Nord -Ouest.

The three islands of the group are of volcanic origin. The islands from north to south:

On the entire island group chatted France until 1951 a prison for up to 2,000 prisoners. Located on the Ile Royale, the management, the hospital and the death row were. Most of the prisoners, however, were housed in individual cells on the Ile Saint -Joseph. Prison conditions were extremely inhumane. So there were cells with no roof, so the prisoners were mercilessly exposed to the tropical sun and the rain.

Today the islands are a popular destination for tourists. In addition to the ruins of the penal colony, the fauna is worth a visit. Squirrel monkeys and macaws are accustomed to visitors and be fed from the hand. There are also iguanas, with luck you can get in the former rain water collection tanks and a small caiman to face.

The island group became world famous by the book and the film Papillon.