Making the most of Ile Royale Devils Islands
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Ships moor offshore and tenders deliver passengers to an appealing tropical beach setting.
The Îles du Salut group lies in the Atlantic Ocean, roughly 11km from French Guiana's South American coast and just north of Kourou.
In the film Papillon, new arrivals are told that Devil's Island is their penal colony, that they are its prisoners and that escape is impossible. Today, by contrast, the island itself provides the escape.
Modern visitors land on Ile Royale, the only one of the three islands equipped for arrivals, to encounter the unsettling story of the former prison colony. Paths circle the island and weave among overgrown prison-cell and administrative-building remains. A recent restoration programme has recovered several structures successfully, including one now used as a small museum.
Light clothes and protection from the sun are essential ashore in the hot, humid climate.
Getting around
No organised excursions operate, but one or two English-speaking mainland guides can give directions and information. Motorised vehicles are absent.
A circuit of the island on foot takes around 45 minutes.
Money
The euro is used, and US$ is accepted.
Staying connected
French is spoken.