Travel guide French Guiana
French overseas departments, French Guiana is located on the northeast coast of South America, in the north of Brazil. Mostly covered by tropical forest, French Guiana offers France its Amazon, rich in exceptional biodiversity. The natural reserves and zoo of French Guiana, the natural egg-laying sites of marine turtles and the majestic rivers are all expressions of remarkable fauna and flora. With more than 8 million hectares of forest, Guyana is one of the last remaining green lungs on the planet. Going up a river by pirogue to penetrate this preserved nature and cross remote villages is an unforgettable experience. This destination also evokes the Cayenne prison (1852-1938) and its convicts, and, in another register, the Guyanese Space Centre put into service in 1968. Located in Kourou and Sinnamary, this French and European spacecraft launch base sees the departure of Ariane rockets as well as telecommunications satellites. In Cayenne, under the ruins of Fort Cépérou (17th century), we appreciate the colourful Creole houses and the vitality of the markets, shops and cafés in the palm-lined Place des Palmistes. You will not miss a stopover at Monjoly Beach, on the Atlantic Ocean. Change of scenery with the discovery of the village from Cacaowhere you will appreciate the craftsmanship of the Asian community Hmongs, immigrated here in the 1970s or the Amerindian village Awala-Yalimapo, at the confluence of the Mana and Maroni rivers.
What to see, what to do French Guiana?
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When to go French Guiana ?
Consult the calendar of school vacations in French Guiana and if you plan a stay during these periods, book your flights and your hotel in advance. In addition, the tourist season revolves around two events, on the one hand the carnival (three to four weeks of festivities from January to February), and on the other hand the turtle laying season (particularly from April to August). But the carnival causes a peak of frequentation much more important than that of the laying of the tortoises. Carnival takes place every Sunday afternoon between Epiphany in early January and Ash Wednesday in February or March. Groups dressed up according to the year's theme parade around decorated floats, to the rhythm of percussion and brass instruments in front of thousands of people. The preparation of the festival lasts for months. Then the touloulous go to the nightclub! Guyana also knows a peak of affluence in Kourou, during the launching of a rocket.
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Travel French Guiana
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There's no need to hurry in Guyana, it's better to take the time to savour every moment in the different places you visit, taste the local specialities and listen to the sounds of the forest... The events that punctuate Guyanese life such as the carnival, the sea turtle nesting season or rocket launches must also be taken into account when preparing your stay. Even if more than 90% of French Guiana is covered by forest, there is still 10% (practicable) to discover, and a week on the spot gives you a good idea! You will be able to sail on the Maroni jumps or to privilege the coastline... If you have two weeks, the possibilities are already more numerous, and the different facets of French Guiana are yours: rivers, islands, walks and climbing in the forest, hikes on the trails... Here are some suggestions for short, long and thematic stays.
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How to go French Guiana
How to go alone
No problem to arrive in Cayenne, book your hotel in advance, find a tour operator, go hiking, etc... If you manage well, your stay will cost you (much) less than if you had bought a turnkey trip. Some websites will help you find the best price for your flight. Some of them compare the prices of regular and low-cost airlines . You will find dry flights (air transport sold alone, without other services) at the best price.
How to go on a tour
French Guiana being a French territory, organized trips are legion for this destination. You will be spoiled for choice and the proposals of discovery of the Amazonian forest, the journeys in dugout, the scientific discovery of the space center, the observation of the marine turtles are in your program. These stays are quite expensive.
How to get around
The main means of transportation in Guyana is the car. For the inhabitants of the rivers it is the pirogue. Scooters are popular with young people but during the Tour de Guyane, in August, bicycles are in fashion. The communes of Saül, Maripasoula, Grand Santi and Saint-Laurent are linked to Cayenne by air. From the air, the view of the forest is superb. Make one trip by plane, the other by pirogue!
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Discover French Guiana
Green hell... Under this terrible nickname, French Guiana has always had the reputation, borne out by the testimonies of convicts, of a land where life is not easy. Then came the image of an El Dorado surveyed by thousands of gold miners. Finally, that of a department under stress, in the aftermath of the great strike of 2017... From one extreme to the other, nothing is worth more than your own opinion!
While there's an undeniable element of truth to these clichés, everyday life in French Guiana is far richer, far more nuanced and, above all, far more pleasant. Here, you'll find a mixed population with a history rich in both glorious and tormented episodes (such as the picaresque tales of escape from the penal colony), breathtaking flora and fauna, Creole gastronomy with rare spices, a carnival that's unique in the world and ultra-codified, a huge space center and much, much more!
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The 12 keywords French Guiana
1. #Fallen
The very symbol of traditional subsistence culture, it is a piece of land taken from the forest, which is cleared and then burned. These slash-and-burn cultures, which often surprise the visitor, redraw the landscape. It's a bit like the vegetable garden in metropolitan France: each one plants bananas, dachines, various fruits and vegetables...
2. #Adventure
In French Guiana, adventure is the order of the day, with so many possibilities for expeditions. From a trip down the Maroni or up the Oyapock River, a feverish escapade in Suriname, a night in a hammock in Brazil or a jaunt through the Kaw marshes, the change of scenery is such that every activity takes on the air of an epic!
3. #Brokodé
The Bushiningués pay tribute to the deceased during the Brokodé ceremony. For three days, the village celebrates. People from the surrounding area join in: prayers, songs, traditional dances and modern music beat time to time. A year or so later, during the Pubaka, new events celebrate the end of the mourning period.
4. #Carbet
Traditional Amerindian dwelling with a roof made of palm leaves and woven with arouman threads. Today, the carbet is tending to be replaced by a tin or hard-built house. However, the indigenous people still keep their large traditional carbets, tapitu'a, for celebrations. Carbets are also used as tourist accommodation in the forest.
5. #Carnival
A period of jubilation for the entire population, Carnival in French Guiana requires physical, financial and psychological preparation. It lasts at least a month, and can be spread over three. The party starts in the discotheque on Wednesday for some, and ends... on Sunday. What endurance! The big parades (Cayenne and Kourou) are well worth the detour.
6. #Couac
Manioc transformed into semolina, which you're sure to taste on longer or shorter stays in the forest. Every Guyanese cook has his or her own recipe! Without a doubt, the tabbouleh you'll be eating will be couac-based , and rest assured, it's healthy and delicious. When cassava comes in the form of pancakes, it's known as cassave.
7. #Rocket
French Guiana is also home to the Guiana Space Center, and thus, since 2024, to the Ariane 6 rocket lift-off. A dozen launches are scheduled for 2025. A visit to the space center is also an opportunity to enter the technological and mysterious world of the conquest of the skies. Lift-off imminent!
8. #Hamac
Of native origin, this one- or two-seater bed goes hand in hand with nights spent in a carbet (don't forget the mosquito net). In general, once you've found the ideal position - slightly diagonal to stretch the fabric - you'll sleep very well. Handmade and available in a wide range of colors, this is a great souvenir to take home with you.
9. #Picolette
While some walk their dogs, others stroll around with one or two small cages in hand. Birds are highly prized in French Guiana, whether for their singing or their finery. Numerous competitions are organized for picolettes, birds renowned not only for their beauty but also for the variety of their song.
10. #Ti'punch
More than a tradition, it's an institution. In most establishments, they'll bring you the bottle, lime and cane sugar, so you can make your own ti'punch. But be careful! This doesn't mean you should overindulge... La Belle Cabresse can be drunk very well, so be on your guard.
11. #Jumps
These rapids mark the way up or down the Guyanese rivers. In the dry season, it is sometimes necessary to get out of the pirogue to cross them. They are often, during expeditions on the rivers, places to stop and set up a bivouac or for a swim. On the creeks, which here designate the rivers, there are no jumps.
12. #Toulou
Touloulous are the queens of carnival. Dressed up in costumes, the women deliberately make themselves unrecognizable: not a square centimeter of skin shows through, so nothing can remind you of who's hiding beneath the disguise. For the duration of the carnival, they invite men to dance at the bals. A touloulou never reveals herself.
You are from here, if...
Watch the Ariane 6 launch from the Place des Amandiers in Cayenne or the beach at Kourou (one flight a month planned for 2025).
OnSundays, you go to the big market in Cacao to taste a delicious Hmong soup.
You don't get nervous when everything's leading you to it. Patience and a smile are your best allies in resolving conflicts.
You take part in the carnival and its preparations in a good-natured atmosphere.
You're the first to get up and the last to go to bed during the 5-day carnival.
You have a knack for preparing a full-bodiedti'punch when the time is right.
You don't hesitate to add a dollop of chilli to your already spicy dish.
You've come across monkeys, tarantulas and snakes in the forest... and you're (almost) not afraid of them!
You've got into the habit of sleeping in a hammock, for a nap or an entire night.
You say "Good evening " from midday onwards.
And above all, you take the time to live in harmony with nature!