Tourist Attractions & Monuments Senegal

From spring on, the show is much further towards the mouth. The Bird Island becomes a large spawning ground from April onwards. Terns, royal caspians, grey headed gulls, mocking gulls parade and lay their eggs. In late May and early June, the chicks start to burst their shells. Landing on the island at this time is like entering a Hitchcock atmosphere. Hundreds of birds fly all around you, sometimes less than a metre away, and squeak relentlessly. Ornithologists have counted more than 70,000 of them!

This village of about 130 souls, founded in the th century, deserves a detour. It is the only one in Senegal to be tolerated in a national park. The decree thus gives Bakadadji a very special status, that the teacher of the village will tell you. Supported by the Sine-Saloum association for several years, it now has a school, a ecotourism camp, a vegetable garden and a multitude of projects. Various studies, conducted by trainees of the association, are regularly held. The history of the village was recently written…

Kaolack being a strategic communication node between Dakar, the Gambia and western Senegal, its market is one of the most important in the country. It has kept all its authenticity, its stalls in bulk, its colors and its effervescence. You can find a little bit of everything: fabrics imported from Guinea-Conakry, herbal medicinal decoctions, musical instruments, easier to negotiate than in Dakar. However, the market is to be avoided during the winter period when the flooded and unhealthy alleys do not inspire confidence.

Bio is a very friendly boatman who offers trips to Bird Island, Djilapao, Affiniam, Niamone North Shore at reasonable prices, and can take you to Pointe Saint-Georges and Carabane over several days, if you wish. Well trained, this guide will explain you the life of the birds, how the ecosystem of the mangrove works and will take you to authentic villages where you will spend a good time with the inhabitants. He also offers car rentals and bike rides in the heart of Casamance. A good plan!

You will probably be offered a pirogue trip to the Bird Island and then Djilapao. It is an animist village which shelters a hut decorated by an artist named Jean, who died in 2005, and who made his own museum, with personal sculptures, rather eccentric and not very accomplished, but speaking about the Diola culture. Sculptures, very imaginative and finally quite funny, like this sai-sai (dredger) drawn in situation or this fetish that casts a spell! The interpretations of each scene are endless and everyone draws his own conclusion.

The basketry workshop is run by local women with polio who earn their living from this local craft. Associated in GIE, they finance with the profits the purchase of pedal cars adapted to their handicap to get around. You can see them at work and admire their patience and agility in forming cups, pots, vases, hats, etc. They also make batik bags. Nice souvenirs to take home!

The Simenti area, which extends from the large viewpoint to the Goose Paw, is the most popular part of Niokolo Koba Park. It is here that one meets the large ponds, along the Gambia and Niokolo Koba, and thus the large gatherings in dry season. Buffalos and hippotragues come to drink by tens, while monkeys, crocs and hippos populate the edges of the river. It is the queen region of the tourist, and it is often the only one to be accessible during the winter. Some fords become much more difficult.

This traditional impluvium hut contains all the everyday objects used by a Diola family in the last century, following an ancestral tribal way of life. Tools, of course, for growing rice and catching fish, but also fetishes, kitchen utensils, the telephone drum used to pass messages to neighbors... An interesting visit, thanks to the explanations of Yannick, the museum's curator, who is passionate about Diola history.

This colonial house, remarkably well restored, where the hostel of Tekrour is located, also houses a small exhibition on the history of Podor: its golden age, its decline and the history of the families of traders who made it fortune through the gum arabian. You will also find a nice tribute to Oumar Ly, who died in 2016, with his black and white photos dating back to the 1960 s, for sale. Tours in the city, hiking from Podor and a tour of the island of Morphil are also offered.

What a majestic ochre earthen house on the main square of Mlomp, it is one of the most beautiful in the village! You will notice its pretty porch with earthen columns, nicely decorated with murals. One of the deans of the village, Séraphine Diedhiou, who died today, said that it already existed in 1962. You will meet Yannick, the curator, who will show you the interior, always very fresh, of the house, made with local materials: rônier, palm tree, earth... An ingenious system well adapted to the climate.

This is where the boat Bou El Mogdad arrives and departs, cruising the Senegal River and where the inhabitants walk around in the cool of the evening. On this quay, colonial buildings built in the 19th century can be seen. Some are abandoned, others are restored, all testify to the splendour of a bygone era, that of the gum arabic of Ferlo which made the fortune of Podor until the 1980s. Used in pharmacy as a galenic ingredient, this gum was used in the composition of sodas, wines (stabilizers), paints..

Created by Sister Juliette of the Institute of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, this Koukangoumé women's promotion centre offers workshops to the women of the village where they learn embroidery, knitting, patchwork, silkscreen printing and batik making. Profits from the sale of their work to tourists help curb the rural exodus of women. Possibility to eat on the spot. Another religious mission in Mlomp, that of the Piarist fathers, trains young men in their very efficient Agricultural Promotion Centre (Ferme-école di Kandong).

If you want to greet the king's wives and the children of the village, pass by the royal house, a lively place where you can have tea and chat with the inhabitants. In Oussouye, the royal house is open to everyone. The royal huts are only accessible to the king's wives, princes and princesses, but you will meet in the courtyard old women who have no sons left in the village and who live here, under the king's benevolence. The king does not live here, but in the Sacred Wood, where the royal palace is located, accessible only to the initiated.

Gorée Island has one of the oldest mosques in Senegal, built in 1890 with basalt stones from the country, at the foot of the western slope of the Castel. A project for the development of the esplanade has been under discussion for a long time and has still not started. It includes areas for relaxation and the integration of the craft trade site located for the moment at the bottom of the Castel. Only Muslims will be able to visit the mosque. One notices a slightly more modern element: a false palm tree that hides the building's speakers!

In the courtyard of the Catholic mission, Italian Father Emmanuel Zanaboni built moulding and sculpture workshops, the Ateliers Saint-Blaise, the only training centre in West Africa. They are very well received there, and the master of the house is happy to show the different stages of realization of the works. Both Catholics and Muslims work here. The students learn the techniques of moulding, casting and decoration. The objects, made entirely by hand, are on display and for sale.

Second largest mosque in Senegal, the Massalikoul Djinane mosque, which means "the paths to paradise" in Arabic, rises majestically since 2019 in the popular district of Colobane. Symbol of the power of the Mouride, it culminates at nearly 80 meters high, and pays tribute to Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba, founder of this brotherhood. The interior is grandiose, with its Carrara marble walls, its string of columns and its Baccarat crystal chandeliers!

Like the French Institute, which promotes French culture around the world, the Goethe Institute's mission is to promote the German language and culture, while encouraging cultural exchanges between the two countries. The Germans invest in Senegal, among other 98 countries in the world, to develop numerous cultural projects between the country of Teranga and Germany. The institute offers to the public a quality program mixing visual arts, cinema and music. Conferences on literature are also organized.

Founded by Koyo Kouoh, a key figure on the Senegalese and international art scenes, Raw Material Company is an exhibition and residency space. It also organizes lecture series and has a specialized contemporary art library with free access. Big names from the contemporary art scene have already passed through here: Zanele Muholi, Kader Attia, Pascale Martine Tayou and Bili Bidjocka to name but a few. Be sure to check if there's an exhibition on before dropping in, and if there is, hurry there!

A smell of the past floats in this old counter as soon as you enter it. On the shelves are pressure lamps, carpenters' planes, 1950s bottles, shoemaker's tools, a Selmer trumpet, coffee grinders and a box of Mother Poulard's cookies. All these objects from another time were generously donated by the inhabitants of Podor to revive this trading post, created by Gaspard Devés in 1860. Then taken over by the Peyrissac galleries, it was later managed by one of the employees, Maodo Diop, who later transformed it into a hardware store. It is under the impetus of the association Podor Rive gauche, with the collaboration of Maodo Diop's family and other partners, that this eco-museum was created on the quays. Mamadou Diop, Maodo's eldest son, opens the doors of his family home to you, a place that has so much to tell...

A priceless treasure from this region of Africa, listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2006. Four major stone groups are spread over a 100 km-wide strip between Senegal and Gambia. Sine Ngayène, Wanar, Wassu and Kerbatch, the four groups, bring together 93 circles and numerous tumuli, funerary mounds - heaps of stones above a tomb - organized in two alignments generally known as the tombs of the king and the king's mother. Some have been excavated, revealing archaeological material that can be dated between the ^3rd century BC and the ^16th century AD. The Sine Ngayène site, actually located in Dialloumbere, 400 m west of the village of Sine Ngayène, near Nioro du Rip, is one of the most extensive. It comprises 52 circles with 1,200 megalithic stones and around a hundred tumuli. Twenty kilometers from Nioro du Rip, Senegal's second site, Wanar, is less extensive, but just as interesting. In the middle of nowhere, this necropolis comprises 21 megalithic circles, including one double circle. The site is characterized by the presence of numerous lyre stones, megaliths split in two and thought to have an astronomical function. A hundred meters to the north-west, note the stone, left unfinished, not far from the laterite cuirass. Some sixty bodies have been exhumed to date, some wearing copper bracelets.

With its unique biodiversity, the Dindéfello Community Reserve is one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in West Africa. Renowned as an exceptional ornithological spot, it is also home to an endangered species: the West African chimpanzee (pan troglodytes verus). The Jane Goodall Institute in Spain, a foundation created by the famous primatologist, has set up a research, conservation and training centre there with the aim of protecting this endangered primate.

Ibrahima is an experienced guide, very friendly, who knows his region well. After a guided visit to the Podor fort, he will be able to take you to the villages of the island in Morphil and their banco mosques in Sudanese style. Guédé, Donaye, Mboyo or Alwar, each village has its own charm, but the welcome of the people is always the same: warm! Bring plenty of water, it is very hot in the morning, as well as a picnic, if you wish to have lunch on site, by the river.

The Centres d'Impulsion et de Modernisation de l'Elevage (Cimel) were set up by the Senegalese government in 2004 with the aim of improving local production. The one in Makhana, specialized in milk production, is one of the 3 functional centres in the country. Here, local breeders come to breed their animals with local or European breeds, advised by passionate veterinarians. You will be able to see bulls of the Montbeliarde or Holstein breeds, sheep of local breeds and cross-bred mallard ducks.

In the heart of the magnificent Aïda Gardens, within the Miam Miam restaurant, the MAHICAO (Museum of Art and History of West African Cultures) is an exceptional museum presenting works of African art from different eras, all authentic. Sculptures, masks, archaeological pieces, traditional jewellery, textiles, ancient costumes... a total of nearly 500 objects retrace the history of West Africa, from the distant period of the Saharan Neolithic to the middle of the 20th century. They come from the personal collection of Reginald Groux, expert and professor of African art, as well as from many donors who have participated in this cultural project. In a Sudanese style building, the visitor walks through beautiful shell alleys and discovers unique pieces, arranged chronologically and enhanced by beautiful lighting. Explanatory panels mark out the route and allow visitors to better understand the history of West Africa. One of the rooms contains some forty photographs of masterpieces of African art donated by the Barbier-Müeller Museum in Geneva and a beautiful library presents numerous works on African art and culture, with illustrations for children. A museum that is highly recommended for its singular pieces and its pleasant setting. You can then enjoy the place at the restaurant le Miam Miam which offers a delicious cuisine with various influences.

Nicknamed the "teeth of the sea", the house of Léopold Sédar Senghor was converted into a museum in 2014. He lived there with his wife Colette, after his presidential term, from 1981 until his death on December 20, 2001. As you walk through the front door, you are plunged into the intimacy of the president-poet, from the reception room to the "pink room" where he received his guests. On the shelves, books and travel souvenirs. A touching visit, frozen in time.

Frédéric, a former guide of the region, has decided to open in 2012 a museum of the Diola tradition with the traditional objects he recovered from his family. In the heart of a flowery garden, the museum is housed in a palm-roofed hut and is full of tools, musical instruments, kitchen utensils and all sorts of objects used by the Diolas. A veritable Ali Baba's cave! Next door, there is a small bar where you can refresh yourself with a delicious local juice.

Under the aegis of the La Somone protected nature reserve, an ecological trail has been created. After crossing the lagoon by boat, this small and instructive 1.2 km long walk is done on foot in the heart of a lush mangrove swamp, thanks to explanatory panels. Here nests about a hundred species of birds that you can observe from a watchtower. For young and old. Entrance tickets are on sale at the reserve office located on the beach.

A Malian dugout canoe, 15 m long, equipped and comfortable, is taken in Saint-Louis to go up the Senegal River, within the framework of a circuit of 8 days, according to its desires. Lunch, toilet on the pirogue and bivouac on the banks for the night. You will discover the kingdom of the Toucouleurs, the Sahelian fauna and flora as well as bush villages. A great opportunity to get off the beaten track and soak up an authentic Senegal. From 2 to 6 people. An excursion proposed by Sahel Découverte in Saint-Louis.

Just north of the Langue de Barbarie, this beach looks like a vision of lost paradise. A handful of filaos trees in the middle of the sand, facing the breakers of the ocean. When you consider that the beach continues for hundreds and hundreds of kilometers to the north, the coasts of Mauritania and Morocco lose their name of border in favor of infinite sand and the end of a continent facing the ocean. The walk from Ndar-Toute (accessible by cab) is short, barely a quarter of an hour. Bring plenty of water and sun cream.

It is the highest point of the park, a high plateau (311 m), which can be reached only by a difficult road, practicable only in 4x4. Once at the top, the panorama is lunar, and the animals, often the rarest of the park, are all the more appreciated. Chimpanzees and Derby elands, the largest antelopes in the world, live mostly here, and if you have to see elephants (probably a miracle), no need to look elsewhere. The place lives up to its position, difficult to access, and it is no coincidence that it is a favorite of many researchers.

A subsidiary of the French group Geocoton, Sodefitex (Société de développement et des fibres textiles) produces between 15,000 and 20,000 tonnes of cotton fibres per year. This quality fibre, of immaculate whiteness, is sold today only abroad following the crisis that hit the Senegalese spinning mill in the 1980s. In Tambacounda, its ginning plant supports the local economy. It employs more than 400 seasonal workers from December to April, when it is operating at full capacity. This visit is possible with the Tamba Tourist Office.

The return of the fishermen every day at the end of the afternoon is a striking and colourful spectacle. Dozens and dozens of colourful pirogues loaded with freshly caught fish land on the beach in a lively effervescence. The fish is unloaded, cleaned, cooked and sold on the spot by the women or loaded into refrigerated trucks by the men to be sold afterwards inside the country, in Europe or even in Asia. Not to be missed!

From Toubacouta, near the village of Bamboung, in the heart of the eponymous reserve, don't miss a trip to the island of Sipo, home to this picturesque little bush village of around a hundred inhabitants, once ruled by a queen like no other, Fatou Mané. Died in April 2022 at the age of almost 100, the Queen of Sipo was a bubbly, funny personality who received visitors from all walks of life with a smile. Legend has it that she was kidnapped by djinns at the age of 5, who transmitted mystical powers to her. Today, her eldest son Insa Touré has been crowned King of Sipo. He is now the guardian of the sacred wood and in charge of the Serer prayer sites on this island, which used to be a stopover for piroguers. Their family history is closely linked to the creation of the village in the early ^20th century, since it was founded by the late queen's grandfather, who was fleeing with others from the Islamization of Guinea. They were later joined by Malians, and later by another ethnic group from northern Senegal. They lived harmoniously by gathering oysters, the shells of which were then burned to produce lime. Today, the village lives from agriculture, fishing and tourism. Don't forget to bring your bathing suit! And don't forget to buy rice, tea or pens for the children to donate to the village and thank them for their welcome.

Between the ocean and the Saloum arm of the sea, this reserve was created in 2001 in parallel with a reflection on ecotourism, with a view to protecting the fauna and flora that make this area so special. Covering an area of 10,340 ha, it can be visited on foot or by cart. On this occasion, you will be able to observe the processes of saliculture (salt harvesting) around the many wells with coloured reflections, various species of birds and also hyenas.

Grouped in GIEs, the ecoguards of the Saloum Delta National Park offer several circuits throughout the region. You will be able to visit among others the Bird Island, the Hyena Island or the Small and Big Amazonia. Thanks to their solid knowledge of the environment, these well-trained ecoguards will guide you and explain to you this still wild nature. You will find them at the entrance of the village of Missirah, on your left. It is best to get there early in the morning if you wish to enjoy the visit.

This cemetery has a soul along with the remains of some great names. Aristide Protet, an infantry captain buried standing according to his own wishes, is by far the one with the greatest reputation. He worked hard to widen the space of colonial domination, pushing it as far as Guinea-Bissau, before being driven back to Kafountine. Having said that, the cemetery is indeed the island's cemetery and you will find there, in addition to this strange sense of history sweating through, tombs with dates and names that defy time. Not to be missed!

The Breton church, the third oldest in the country (19th century), is not to be outdone in terms of history. It seems that one enters through the gates of the past, near and far at the same time. Its bell tower is said to have been financed by a countess of the French aristocracy. On one of the bells, fallen and largely chipped, one can read its origin (Villedieu France) and its quality: a gift from a certain Mrs Wintz de Hocfelden, an Alsatian, to her son in 1897. Long abandoned and renovated in 2017, the church has now regained its former splendour.

This structure offers information and some leaflets on eastern Senegal. It also houses the guides' office where you will be warmly welcomed by Mamadou Camara, a permanent member of the union and an approved guide. He is in charge of informing and guiding those who are looking for qualified guides and also of organizing 2 to 5 day tours in the region. Possibility of bivouac in the park of Niokolo Koba, stays in Guinea and visits to the city of Tambacounda. Also car rental.

Created in 1983, the National Art Gallery is a space for the promotion, diffusion, multiple exchanges and development of the plastic arts. Attached to the Ministry of Culture and Communication, it regularly hosts exhibitions of Senegalese and foreign artists, young hopefuls and recognized creators. It is always interesting to take a look at it when you walk near the Kermel market. But beware, the exhibitions are quite uneven, you can see very beautiful pieces as well as less interesting works!

Built in 1931, it is THE museum of primitive arts of Senegal and even of all West Africa! It is also known as the IFAN (Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noire) museum, which is located within the Cheikh Anta Diop University. The permanent collection presents, on the ground floor, pieces from all over the continent: masks of the Diola from Casamance or the Senoufo from Ivory Coast, statuettes of the Bambara from Mali, musical instruments. Dance helmets, clothing, wood, fibre, cowries, raffia, feathers, etc., are also on display. The West may have plundered Africa of its artistic riches to put them in its own museums, but there are still some beautiful pieces to be admired. The originality here: small staging of traditional life, which, far from being kitschy, seem very much alive - the celebration of harvests among the Gourounsi of Burkina Faso, entertainment and social control among the Géré of Côte d'Ivoire, the appeasement of mothers among the Yoruba of Nigeria, the initiation of women among the Mende of Sierra Leone, etc. - are all original. It is a pity that all this is sorely lacking in explanations. On the walls, a few signs give indications on the history and social organization of these different tribes, but in such an austere way that one quickly stalls. Upstairs, more modern temporary exhibitions are organized, often in collaboration with western museums.

Founded in 1961 by a dozen monks of the Order of Saint Benedict from a Benedictine abbey in Sarthe, the abbey now has about forty members from different countries. In addition to being a "house of God" where the religious's quest for contemplation and the spirituality of the lay faithful rubs shoulders with the search for serenity or the thirst for curiosity of other visitors, it is also renowned for its broiler chickens, its cheese factory and the various products from its farm. But its international reputation is mainly due to its locally made koras and its magnificent Gregorian chants. The story goes back to 1964, when a Senegalese priest gave a kora to the community, which then began to make this traditional instrument in wooden keys, and to compose liturgical songs inspired by African music, under the guidance of one of the founding monks, Father Catta, who received the Albert Schweitzer Prize in 2003. The latter, who died in 2018, was even elevated two years before his death to the rank of Living Human Treasure, recognised by UNESCO. Today the monastery is renowned throughout the world and has almost twenty CDs in its discography, in addition to several international awards. Even if you are not a practising Catholic, try to attend a Keur Moussa mass where kora and balafon accompany the liturgical chants. This musical harmony, so singular, can touch everyone.

You'll be amazed by the stature and nobility of this building, now decrepit but reminiscent of the splendor of a fallen empire. Baron Jacques-François Roger, first civil governor of Senegal (1822-1827), is said to have built this château for the beautiful eyes of a beautiful Senegalese woman, Yacine Yérim Diaw, whom he later married. The Baron would spend weekends with his wife in this residence reminiscent of the "folies", small ^18th-century châteaux. You can imagine his weekends in this residence, lost in the greenery, built on an island in La Taouey. Baron Roger is associated with the colony's agricultural development policy and its gardener, Richard, who gave his name to the town (Richard Toll means "Richard's fields"). The idea at the time was to compensate for the difficulties caused by the abolition of slavery with pickaxes. Governor Schmalz had launched the movement, negotiating agrarian concessions with the brack (king) of Walo in 1819. Feeling unsupported, the baron returned to France for a time. On his return to Senegal in 1822, he took up the post of governor. The king asked him for help, as the local population feared raids by Mauritanians intent on capturing Senegalese and selling them as slaves. The St. Louisans, who had made their living from hunting and fishing, became farmers, and the technicians who had come for the occasion, all concentrated first on growing potatoes, vines and olives, then, after a dismal failure, on cotton, silkworms and cochineal. In 1824, the Société agricole du Walo was born, acquiring new land and bringing the total to nearly 1,200 ha. Ill, at the end of 1826, the Baron left the colony with a sense of duty accomplished. Richard-Toll was established as the center of the agrarian effort. His successors, Gerbidon, Jebelin and then Brou, reduced production figures and liquidated Baron Roger's enterprise. Faidherbe decided to cede the building to the nuns, who turned it into a church. In 1960, the "folie" became a school, then offices. Today, the old colonial building, listed as a National Historic Monument, seems to long for visitors. Almost nothing of the splendor of the past can be seen, the castle being reduced to its own pale yellow walls. Rehabilitation projects have long been mooted, but in the meantime, the decrepit edifice...

Built in 1744 by France, the first fort served as a store for the storage of goods. It was then in the hands of the English, before being taken over by the French. Abandoned for 66 years after the French Revolution, it fell into ruin. Then the Holy War, led by El-Hadj Oumar Tall, worried. The French came back in force and the old store became this war fort under the supervision of Faidherbe. It is prudent to try to contact the curator, Thiam, before considering a visit, as there is often a closed door. The building was officially inaugurated in March 2006, after some restoration work financed by France. But there is still a lot of work to be done to give it a real facelift. The fort is home to a museum that traces the past and shows some photos by Oumar Ly, a Senegalese photographer who died in February 2016. Unfortunately, the museum is not maintained and it has been almost abandoned for a few years. It is also very difficult to visit the fort except on the day of the stopover at Bou El Mogdad where the curator is present. Climbing up to the attic of the fort gives an idea of the strategic location of this citadel. The view extends to Mauritania and embraces the entire valley of Podor. The atmosphere of the fort, the skirmishers of Governor Louis Faidherbe, the surrounding forest that isolated it, all this is within the reach of the imagination, very close, once inside the walls of the fortress.

It was founded by Sheikh Makhone Diop, the country's first sculptor and foundryman. Today, it is his son, Issa Diop, who has taken over this famous foundry. After perfecting his skills at the Modern Patern Foundery in Los Angeles, he went to meet the traditional foundrymen of West Africa to learn from their techniques. Here, they are working on bronze using the lost wax technique. The sculptures mainly represent knights, warriors or the kings of Baol or Djolof and are often very expensive.

You enter through the library door on the east side and exit on the opposite side through the west door. Licensed guides (ask them for their maps) give interesting information about the mosque and the Mouride brotherhood. Entrance is free, but you have to think about the guide at the exit... Be careful! Pants for men, headscarf and long skirt for women. We can also provide what you need on the spot. Facing the mosque, all in white and pink marble, stucco and teak, gives an idea of the size of the brotherhood and the influence it can have on its followers. The building was built between 1927 and 1963, before being enlarged in 1987. It has a central minaret 87 m high, four corner minarets and a total of fourteen purple domes. The minarets each represent the five pillars of Islam. In the main dome is the tomb of Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba, the founder of the Mouride brotherhood. Five other mausoleums house other important khalifes. Every Friday, 800 carpets are installed for the great prayer. About 10,000 Muslims gather there, and men and women are of course separated. But the devotion of the faithful is most noticeable during the annual pilgrimage to Touba, due to any good mouride: the Grand Magal. Established in July 1928 by the sheikh's first khalif, the Magal glorifies the triumphant return of Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba from his exile in Gabon. It seems then that a part of Senegal is emptying to come and populate the city.

Offshore, on the mangrove side, an unusual curiosity: Diorom Boumak, certainly the largest of all these island clusters of empty shells that once served as a burial place. Diorom is a pile 400 m long and 300 m wide, and is said to have served as a tomb for 7,000 bodies between the 7th and 13th centuries. By the way, don't miss a detour to the nearby bird sanctuary at the shell island, where you can observe hundreds of birds (cormorants, egrets, kingfishers, pelicans...).

On the road to Saint-Louis, you'll see the Compagnie Sucrière Sénégalaise and its chimneys emitting thick white smoke on your left as you enter Richard-Toll. It used to be possible to visit the factory to see the cane being burned, between November and June, but the visit has been suspended for safety reasons. Nevertheless, if you're curious about the techniques and production process, you're sure to meet a local who works there and who can give you all the information you need. It's also a great opportunity to make a new friend!

The island of Fadiouth is home to a predominantly Christian church, Saint-François-Xavier, built in 1981. Its roof, now made of sheet metal, had to be rebuilt after the great storm of 1999. Christians and Muslims got together to rebuild the building. There is nothing exceptional about the building itself, but people come here especially to attend masses in Gregorian, French, Serer and Wolof, accompanied by percussion and religious songs.

With the fishing port, the artisanal market is the second Névralgique nerve centre. You will not have any difficulty in moving from one to the other. If you have the patience of slalomer between the various canteens, visit the Mbour market, a good opportunity to discover the atmosphere of a typical Senegalese market. At 7 a. m., this is the agitation. Women pick up the stalls that are overflowing with fruits and vegetables (aubergines, tomatoes, beans, oranges…). In the day, the activity intensifies and the market looks like a souk: fabrics, spices, meat, fish, we find everything. Your local guide will take you after the fishing port, with its merchant friends, and will be very insistent that you buy souvenirs, fabrics… to become painful. Keep patience, don't give up or divide prices by three: Mbour market benefits from the proximity of Saly to abuse prices.

The two rooms of this small museum, created in partnership with the city of Toulouse, are located in the Gouvernance building and bring to life the adventure of l'Aéropostale and its heroes, led by Mermoz and Saint-Exupéry. But don't expect any extraordinary visuals. Here, the richness is iconographic and above all textual, with excerpts from letters by the author of The Little Prince. The whole thing is really fascinating, well-written and, if you take the time to read them, the visit takes on the allure of an epic.