VOLTAIRE FALLS

The falls Voltaire - with a drop of 45 m spread over a length of 200 m - have a flow that varies according to the season and are a particularly popular site in French Guiana: it's best to enquire in advance at the Auberge about available places.

How to get there. From Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, at the traffic circle, follow the road between the stadium and the cemetery towards Saint-Jean (D11). After about 2.5 km on the Saint-Jean road, turn left at the large bend: you'll come to Lac Bleu. Turn right at the sign. Continue on route Paul-Isnard. You'll pass the rum distillery (on your right). The road will be asphalted for 10 km, before giving way to laterite as the track enters the forest. If you fancy a picnic, you can stop off at PK 27.5 at Tatou Creek. Pass the slaughterhouses that line the first few kilometers, and the sawmill at PK 32. You'll also pass a checkpoint. At around PK 46, you'll come to two tracks. Take the one on the right. At PK 67, you pass the Apatou crossroads, where you cross a camp (straight ahead). At PK 70, you'll come to the parking lot (an open area) of the Auberge Voltaire, where you can leave your car. 300 m further on, you'll find an information panel at the entrance to the ONF-marked trail. The path is on the left after passing the creek, where a bridge has collapsed. The trail to the falls winds for around 3.3 km (approx. 1.5 hrs walk) along Voltaire Creek.