The capital of French Guiana is a pleasant town with weathered and colonized Creole architecture.
Throw in the Cayenne museums, a bustling market and there, enough here to keep you engaged for a day or two. But the true marvels are offshore at islands that used to be France’s most feared penal colonies or a short way down the coast where exotic snakes, caimans, and spiders make their habitats in the Kaw swamp. And don't through the Guiana Space Center, run by the European Space Agency and an adventure for anyone who is curious about how a 21st-century space airport works. Discover the best things to do in Cayenne.
[toc]
1. Place des Palmistes
Somewhere for locals and tourists to meet up and relax, Place des Palmistes is a linchpin of social life in Cayenne. It’s a large square gridded with palms and edged by Creole houses with wooden balconies over shops, bars, and eateries.
At the center of the lawn is a statue of Félix Éboué, a Guianan administrator who in 1936 became the first black man to hold a senior colonial position when he became Governor of Guadeloupe in 1936.
He was also the first black man to have his ashes placed at the Pantheon in Paris after he died in 1944. The square is also home to many festivals during the spectacular 10-week festival at the beginning of the year.
2. Cayenne Cathedral
Having just undergone a renovation, Cayenne's 19th-century cathedral is as magnificent as ever.
The architecture is in the colonial style, and work was completed in 1833, but it would be another century before the church would become a cathedral when the diocese of Cayenne was created in 1933. Pause in front to check out the portico and balustrade, and then go inside to escape the heat.
Keep an eye out for the clock, which was made in 1871, and see the pulpit, altar, and confessional box, which were all crafted from local wood instead of being shipped over from France.
3. Musée des Cultures Guyanaises
In a lovely refurbished Creole house on Rue Madame Payée is a museum showcasing the diversity of native ethnic groups in French Guiana. You’ll get a fascinating overview of the culture and story of the native Amerindians, and later, the Creoles and the Maroons.
The museum also deals with the more recent immigrants like the Haitians, Brazilians and the Hmong people from southeast Asia. There are loads of artifacts to browse, including textiles, baskets, earthenware, jewelry, and weapons such as arrows.
4. Fort Cépérou
On a headland on the west side of Cayenne is what remains of a fort from the early days of colonization. It was built in 1643 and is named for the chief of an Amerindian tribe that had occupied this land before the French arrived.
The fort witnessed the action at the end of that century when the Dutch landed and occupied the territory: This event caused a decisive battle in December 1676, after which Cayenne became the French permanently far.
There’s isn’t a whole lot left of the fort save for a few stone walls, but its elevated position gives you a far-reaching panorama of the city.
5. Cayenne Market
A couple of blocks down from Places des Palmistes on Rue de Lieutenant Becker is the city’s market, which trades on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Indulge in Guianan culture, sample different rums and stalls that sell anything from Vietnamese noodle soup to local craft products.
Fruits and vegetables come from all over French Guiana, but also Surinam, Laos, Brazil, and even Haiti. You can shop for things you know, like bananas, pineapples or mangoes, or more exotic produce like awara or rambutan. If it’s all a bit bewildering the traders are approachable and always happy to offer advice.
6. Devil’s Island
This is one of the Îles du Salut, a trio of volcanic islands 14 kilometers off the coast of Kourou. From Cayenne, you can catch a catamaran or motorboat to the archipelago, and it is a must-do job.
First, there’s the historical value, as Devil’s Island was an infamous penal colony from the 1850s onwards, and a place of exile for people from all over the French Empire. This is where Alfred Dreyfus of the Dreyfus Affair ended up before being exonerated, but most who were sent here never returned.
Old prison buildings and graveyards are obscured by tropical vegetation on islands inhabited by monkeys and capybaras.
7. Musée Départemental
The galleries are a quirky miscellany of minerals, historic paintings, and Amerindian crafts. You can learn the story of the notorious 19th-century serial killer D’Chimbo and swot up on Félix Éboué, one of Guiana’s most famous sons.
The museum also includes those terrifying penalty colonies, and you can explore the collection of 4,000 strong insects by the 20th-century Priest and naturalist Père Yves Barbotin.
8. Jardin Botanique
On the equator, a cool day is anything below 30 ° C, so shade is a valuable item. And you’ll have abundance at the botanic garden, which is the largest landscaped space in the city and goes back to the first decades of the 19th century.
There’s ample tropical vegetation, all well-labeled and sheltering paths that weave through the fronds, crossing a pond and leading up to a statue of Gaston Monnerville, another of Guiana’s influential politicians.
Find a lounge in the shade and cool down, or take a dip at the Aquatique de Cayenne Outdoor Center a few minutes down the road.
9. Guiana Carnival
The big annual event in French Guiana begins in Epiphany shortly after Christmas and doesn't end until Ash Wednesday in February or March.
The festival is of Creole origin and begins in the days of slavery as a way for people to celebrate the reproduction and harvest and make fun of Europeans in secret at a time when public celebrations are banned.
On Friday and Saturday nights throughout this period, there are masked balls, but the whole thing builds to the four days before Ash Wednesday when there are all kinds of parades and organized craziness like burlesque weddings where men and women swap genders.
10. Sentier du Rorota
The best thing about this hike is that you get a dose of the tropical forest without having to stray far from the city. It’s a six-kilometer circular trail that loops around the 149-meter Mont Caïa.
The path is well-maintained and has information boards every few hundred meters so you shouldn’t get lost easily.
There are photo-friendly views of the coast, and if you go slowly your attention will be diverted by vibrant tropical plants, monkeys, sloths, colorful birds and perhaps the occasional massive spider.
If you feel more confident, you can turn off the Sentier Fort Diamant, which has a coastal fortress built in the 1840s.
More ideals for you: Top 10 things to do in Villeneuve Sur Lot
from : https://wikitopx.com/travel/top-10-things-to-do-in-cayenne-708049.html
from Wiki Topx
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét