Cheap Flights to French Guiana

Discover French Guiana

As a tiny South American country that is also a French department in the Amazonian region, French Guiana is considered one of South America’s wealthiest corners. Surprisingly, it is also a strange mix of French law and South American rainforest humidity. In between politics and jungle, French Guiana is also home to colonial architecture, as well as the world’s most diverse plant and animal life. Once known as the site of notorious penal prisons known as “Le Bagne” in Saint Laurent during mid-19th century until 1951, now the nation puts its shadowed past behind it and is progressing through modern times amid traditional lifestyle, as evident by the Amerindians, Maroons, and Hmong refugees. The capital Cayenne also has a Central Market which is frequented by tourists themselves.

What to see & do

One of the top choices to visit while in French Guiana was the Camp de la Transportation, which is said to be the place where prisoners used to arrive for processing and is the largest prison in French Guiana. For 20 days, the prisoners travelled by sea, in batches of 500 to 600 men per ship and crossing the Atlantic. The local tourism authority offers about one and a half hour tour, coupled with a brochure and a map that points out tiny cells, leg shackles, dorm-style toilets (which is also called by prisoners as “love room”) as well as the public execution area. In one of the cells, Papillon’s name can be found inscribed in one of the cells near the bed. Papillon is the memoir of the famous Henri Charrière, who made his famous escape from French Guiana. Despite this historical feature, it cannot be determined whether the cell was actually inhabited by Henri Charrière himself.

Get out of the gritty Saint Laurent, and head off to Cayenne and experience haggling prices in its main market, where shoppers can help themselves to Amerindian crafts and African-style paintings and carvings. While strolling around, you will see a number of stalls that offers meagre servings of the Vietnamese pho. You can also help yourself to aisles of fruit and vegetable stands, which closely resembles South East Asian variety than South American counterparts.

With Kourou City’s proximity to the equator, it is no wonder that the Le Centre Spatial Guyanais space centre was strategically built here. The centre is being run by Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES) in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) and Arianespace. A notable thing to watch out for while visiting the Le Centre Spatial Guyanais is the rocket launcher blast. The launching site is the only one in the world close to the equator of approximately five degrees, which boosts propulsion and makes launches up to 17% more energy-efficient compared to those sites away from the equator. Since the space centre is also near the equator, it also equates that it is away from the tropical storm attacks and earthquake zones. The city’s low population density makes the trip going to Kourou all the more enjoyable.

How to get around

In order to reach major towns, you have to take the minibuses, which are sporadic. Take note that you also have to pay in full fare even if your destination is halfway the original route, since fixed fares are implemented. From Cayenne, you can practically reach Saint Laurent and Kourou at a specified price.

How to get there

In order to get into French Guiana, you have to get into the Cayenne-Rochambeau Airport, also known as Felix Eboue Airport. The airport is being served by airlines such as Air Antilles Express, Air Caraibes, Air France, Corsair, and KLM, which flies to Fort de France and Paris.