krureg

The region of Kourou

Kourou, the space town :

From the original village (600 inhabitants 40 years ago), Kourou has turned into a 20.000 inhabitants town (second in F.Guiana), looking like a modern resort, with villas, hotels and beaches.

Even if only 1500 persons are working on the space center (more than half of them are natives), all the activities in the town are related to space, directly or not.

About one third of the population is european, mainly french.

Three 3 stars hotels (2 Mercure and the hotel des Roches, on the beach, facing the Devil's islands) and a lot of restaurants, european, creole, chinese... welcome the visitors.

The "Vieux Bourg" (original old village) has largely kept its creole character, and the Saramaca (bush negroes) village is worth visiting, looking for original wooden handycraft. A relatively large amerindian Galibi community lives in town, partly in a "village".

THE DEVIL'S ISLANDS

Located at about 15 k in open sea from the coast of Kourou, the Royal island, the island of St Joseph and the Devil's island itself altogether constitute the archipelago of the "Salvation Islands". This islands used to be the headquater of the penitential colony.

On the Royal island, where the shuttle boat comming from Kourou dran alongside, many old buildings from the penitential admnistration time are still up. Except for the hospital, every part is in testimony of the prison universe which ended in 1946.

The old Commandant's house has been restored as a museum by the french administration and presents a lot of historical documents relating to this period.

Part of the buildings, for example the guards' houses have been renewed as part of the inn for welcoming the visitors willing to overnight there. The old officers' mess is now the restaurant, just facing the devil's island itself.

The visit of the Royal island is guided in french and last about two hours and a half. This island can be reached by means of the daily shuttle boat as well as with the sailing boats. St Joseph island can be visited with the sailing boats and also from Royale island by means of a small shuttle boat.

On Saint Joseph island was the penitencial reclusion in cells, for the most dangerous prisoners, or those who tried to escape. Acces to this island is only possible if crossing from the continent is done with a sailing boat (possible every day), allowing for visit of 2 islands.

The devil's island itself was dedicated to political prisoners (Dreyfuss was the most famous), and its access, very difficult, is strictly forbiden.

TECHNICAL DATA :

Meeting time for shuttle boat or sailing boats is 8:00 and return on the continent is at 18:00 (16:00 the days of Ariane launch). However, it is possible to charter a boat. Shuttle boats with a capacity of 100 and 200 seats make sure of a daily sea link between Kourou and the Royal island. It is about one hour crossing from Kourou.

Sailing boats have a capacity from 12 (monoskull) to 28 (catamaran) and crossing from Kourou is about 1h15.

An Auberge is located on top of the island, with a capacity of 250 persons.

It is possible to swim safely from fitted locations.

It is also an extrordinary site for deep sea fishing, known by few and thus fished by few, around the islands and in the trawling areas (15 to 20 nm ashore from the islands).

The fishes are very numerous : tarpoons, king and spanish macquerels, courbines, carangues, bonites tuna fishes (yellow and white), swordfish, marlins, 5 various types of big sharks...

Sinnamary town, gold and craft:

The little town of Sinnamary (3000 inhabitants), on the other extremity of the space Center with reference to Kourou, has kept every thing from its creole charm. Sinnamary streches out by the river with many restaurant (creole and indonesian) and with its craft industry and gold works.

Outside the town, and before the CSG, you can find the "hotel du Fleuve***", which is the greatest, the newest and certainly the most beautifull of the hotels of F.Guiana, but really isolated, it is mainly convenient for groups.

Trekking around the track of Saint Elie

Discovery walking trips in the forest are proposed starting from the crossing of the RN1 (National Road N°1) and the track of Saint Elie, in 1/2 day, 1 day, 2 days, ... or more.

Sinnamary river, Grégoire creek :

Two excursions on the Sinnamary river are highly recommended :

- Very rare and protected, the scarlet ibis can be discovered at the mouth of the river, after a good creole lunch at the restaurant "Le Pakira".

- From the bottom of the dam, pirogues go downstream the Sinnamary river and up the Grégoire creek, for one or two days in primary forest for discovering the amazonian environment, swimming in the Gregoire falls, meals and night under a large carbet.

The lake of Petit-Saut:

The lake of the EDF dam of "Petit Saut" is the bigest of France with more than 300 km², finished in 1994, this dam long of 300 m crosses the Sinnamary river at 60 km upstream of its mouth.

The lake of Petit Saut, easily reachable by road, offers a great sight of the little islands and small rivers surrounded by a charming environment of a vegetation in constant move.

The lake appears to be a good help for anyone who whishes to get in the amazonian forest and is declared as a protected area. You can benefit there of all facilities which are set up, like a nice carbet reachable by pirogue from the landing stage of the dam.

From the dam, and by crossing the lake, it is possible to reach either Saut Lucifer, on the creek Leblond, or Saut Takari Tante on the high Sinnamary, for 2 days or more (night in bivouac/hammock).

Saint Élie, gold searchers village:

Starting from the lake of Petit-Saut, crossing up to Gare Tigre (1h), 27 km walk to reach the gold searchers village of Saint Elie, picnic on the way, dinner "chez Félix", night in carbet/hammock, 3 days/2 nights trekking in the amazonian forest and along the creeks (10 to 15 km per day : progression is relatively slow), all meals, nights in bivouac/hammock, arrival at the creek Leblond, downstream the creek in pirogue to Saut Lucifer, lunch and crossing back the lake to the dam (3h).