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Published: March 12th 2023
Île Royale, Îles du Salut, French Guiana
The Tender Pier Was About as Good as It Gets, But the Swells Made Embarking and Disembarking a Challenge for SomeOur port of call on Friday, March 10, 2023 was “Devil’s Island,” French Guiana. The prison, often referred to as “Devil's Island,” operated from 1852 to 1952 and is, in fact, three islands called Îles du Salut (Salvation's Islands), as well as a larger penal colony on the mainland. The island group’s name was given by missionaries who encamped there to escape an outbreak of plague. In 1852, the government of Emperor Napoleon III established the islands and part of French Guiana as a penal colony. The main part of the penal colony was a labor camp that stretched along the border with Dutch Guiana (present-day Suriname). Most prisoners were first sent to St-Laurent-du-Maroni on the mainland coast, where they would be assigned to work gangs to clear forests and build roads. Political, dangerous, and incorrigible prisoners were sent to Îles du Salut. In 1854, France passed a new law of forced residency that required prisoners serving less than eight years to remain on the island for a period equal to their sentence. Those with longer sentences were exiled for life. The rule hardly mattered since most would not live long enough to leave. The prison system had a death rate
Île Royale, Îles du Salut, French Guiana
An Old Piece of Longshoremen’s’ Equipment with MS Volendam in the Distance of 75 per cent at its worst, and about forty percent of the prisoners who arrived would be dead within a year
. In 1889, the French government started sending female prisoners as well in hope they would stay and settle on the colony. The policy was abandoned a few years later.
Of the three islands that make up Îles du Salut; the largest island, Île Royale, served as the administrative center of the prison. In addition to housing prisoners, Île Royale acted as the reception port for new inmates and housed the administrative offices, including the warden who lived in a grand estate on the island's central hill. The worst prisoners were kept in the Crimson Barracks, so named for the vast amounts of blood spilled in prisoner-on-prisoner violence. The southernmost island, Île Saint-Joseph, housed Camp Reclusion where prisoners were sent for solitary confinement. The place was cursed as "the devourer of men" for the high percentage of prisoners who lost their minds while caged there. The smallest and northern most island, Île du Diable (Devil’s Island), was specifically set up for political prisoners. Its sheer cliffs and shark-infested waters made it nearly impossible to escape. While the French
Île Royale, Îles du Salut, French Guiana
The “Steps to Nowhere” but a Fence – The Billboard (Probably and Hopefully) Outlines Preservation Efforts stopped sending prisoners to Îles du Salut in 1938, it would take another 15 years before the complex would be completely closed. A few years after its closure, it became part of the Guiana Space Center, monitoring the research and telecommunications rockets launched from the mainland town of Kourou. In the last few years, Îles du Salut has also become an unexpected tourist destination. Cruise ships lay anchor for the day and boats leave Kourou in the morning for Île Royale, giving visitors the full day to visit the museum in the former director's estate, the old guards’ barracks, prison, hospital and chapel, before returning to the ship or the mainland in the afternoon. Limited travel is available to Île Saint-Joseph, but Île du Diable is off limits to all visitors. There is a small hotel, restaurant and gift shop (that DOES sell refrigerator magnets) on Île Royale.
Next to Henri "Papillon" (French for butterfly) Charrière, the Island's next most famous guest was Alfred Dreyfus, the Jewish French Army captain who was unjustly convicted of treason in 1895 and sent to Devil's Island. Even after evidence appeared the next year that exonerated him, the French government refused to act.
Île Royale, Îles du Salut, French Guiana
The Ruins of the Asylum Were, Justifiably, Fenced Off for Safety Reasons Nearly all of France seemed to line up on one side or the other on the Dreyfus affair, a massive culture war that pitted the army and conservatives against the press and left-leaning intellectuals. When the French government finally pardoned him, but let his conviction stand, Dreyfus returned to France a broken man. The public attention on Dreyfus also focused an international spotlight on the conditions experienced by prisoners on Devil's Island, giving it a reputation as one of the most terrifying places on earth. The notoriety of Devil’s Island was resurrected in the 1973 movie
Papillon starring Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen.
Lots of new information was revealed as we neared our arrival at Devil’s Island. First,
Papillon is one of my favorite movies of all time. A few days before our arrival, I got excited when I learned that
Papillon would be shown in the World Stage the evening before our arrival. Second, I didn’t even know that a remake of the 1973 movie had been released in 2017, and that the new version would be the showing. Since I hadn’t seen it, I was all in. Third, I thought Devil’s Island was just that AN island
Île Royale, Îles du Salut, French Guiana
Unfortunate but Inevitable Deterioration of the Asylum in a Tropical Climate and not a TRIO of islands. Last, and most importantly, I was disappointed to learn that we would not be visiting the actual “Devil’s Island” (Île du Diable).
Devil’s Island is a tender port, the final of the cruise. After I arrived at the Île Royale tender pier, I made my way to a bifurcation in the road. Both choices went uphill. My first choice led me up a moderate hill (moderate to a long-time, former smoker) to the asylum. The ruins are just that, ruins, and are cordoned off for everyone’s safety. Backtracking and going down the hill to begin the ascent up the other. This hill was better travelled with fewer “ankle twisters” laying in wait. Additionally, several monkeys were frolicking alongside the road which gave me a good reason to pause (and catch my breath) as I watched their shenanigans. Reaching the top of the hill, I was treated to numerous buildings that were a part of the former prison. All the sources I read indicated that the powers to be had no intention of making the prison a tourist attraction, and it appears they are trying make improvements to catch up with the newfound tourism
Île Royale, Îles du Salut, French Guiana
To the Left of the Road to the Prison Complex, Several Monkeys Were Doing Whatever Monkeys Do to While Away the Day – Yes, All Caught on Video value. Most of the buildings have not become tourist ready but are interesting nonetheless. French Guiana, and Devil’s Island, also has gained distinction recently as a space launch facility – albeit, not yet quite on a par with the Kennedy Space Center.
I made my way to the restaurant fully planning to have a local brew with my authentic French Guianan lunch. After I got no service at three different locations, I abandoned my lunch plans and went to the bar for a local brew and sipped it as I absorbed the fantastic views of “Île du Diable.” I thought I was properly oriented to make my return to the tender pier but asked for the way back just for confirmation and was directed to a footpath in the exact direction I had anticipated. Some other folks were headed in the same direction a few feet ahead of me. The route was much shorter but descended the hill via steps instead of a gradient. The steps were primitive and made of stone with uneven risers and treads and, worst of all, no handrails to help me with my balance. I really hate getting old, but it does beat the
Île Royale, Îles du Salut, French Guiana
A Building Not Identified on the Visitor’s Map alternative. This stop was pretty much what I expected and was worth every bit of my time and energy. Aboard the tender and back aboard ship, I found unanimous agreement of my positive assessment of our stop in French Guiana – even though we didn’t walk on the real “Devil’s Island,” we saw it "up close and personal."
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Amrutha
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Thats so interesting. Thanku so much for sharing