Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni

Understand

Originally Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni was an arrival point for prisoners. Eventually it became a special prison commune. In 1949, it became a regular commune.

The official tourism office maintains a pretty up-to-date website.

Get around

The town isn't particularly large and you can get everywhere by foot.

See

The Camp de la Transportation on rue Tanon is Saint-Laurent's reason for being. It's where prisoners (including the famous Papillon) arrived for processing. Guided tours only (90 minutes, €9). Most guides speak some English. The tour includes the cells and public execution areas.

There are also other buildings from that age - in the 19th and early 20th century the region was first and foremost a penal colony.

Do

Rent a canoe from Maroni Club on Esplanade Baudin .

Tropic-Cata give boat tours .

The city serves as the point of departure for several ecotourism circuits, most notably journeys upriver to explore the many creeks as well as the Amazonian rainforest.

Hike to Voltaire Falls Though challenging, this 12.5-mile out-and-back trail lets you experience the largest waterfalls in French Guiana.

Go next

Most visitors go either west to Suriname or east, further into French Guiana. Another alternative is to travel upstream by boat. 17 km south you will find another penal colony, Saint-Jean. 50 km upstream there's the village of Apatou and a further 20 km south there are the Voltaire Falls.