The most beautiful religious buildings French Guiana

The interior walls of this late ^19th-century church (dedicated to Saint Joseph) have been covered with original frescoes, justifying its classification as a historic monument since June 8, 1978. The paintings, the work of convict Pierre Huguet, a recidivist escapee under house arrest at Father Raffray's, cover some 600 m² of the church's interior. The work was carried out in 1892 and 1898. One day, Huguet, who was living in the presbytery, escaped. It was later learned that he perished in tragic circumstances. A historic stopover.

It is the spiritual heart of Catholic Cayenne. In 1823, the Prefect Apostolic and the Administrator of French Guiana decided to build a new church to replace the dilapidated and cramped Saint-Nicolas. In 1933, Guyana's largest church became a cathedral. It was once surrounded by magnificent palm trees, which must have given it a certain allure. Restored in the 1990s, it has since been declared a historic monument.

Built in 1938 by convicts, Mana's church stands out for its Wapa wood shingle roof flanked by a high bell tower. A timeless jewel in the heart of the village, its sky-blue façade is a must-see. In 1945, the convict Bourgeois painted the Christ of the starry vault. On the forecourt, the bust of Anne-Marie Javouhey, Superior General of the Congrégation des soeurs de Saint Joseph de Cluny and founder of the village of Mana, pays homage to the Reverend Mother.

Listed as a Monument Historique since 1993, the Saül church is the only religious building in French Guiana with two bell towers. However, in view of the natural deterioration that has intensified in recent years (xylophagous insects, bats, dampness, landslides), the church has been chosen by the Mission Patrimoine for total restoration, scheduled for completion by the end of 2023. The aim of this project is to restore this beautiful building to its former glory.

Renovated, the chapel is now open to visitors taking a guided tour (or asking for the keys). The chapel features frescoes by forger Francis Lagrange, who spent 18 years in prison. At the request of the bishop of Cayenne, he painted these satirical pictures in the chapel between 1940 and 1948, even though he is a firm atheist. Throughout his imprisonment, he painted some 250 canvases, all signed with the same unique name: Flag. Don't miss his fresco on the Place des Palmistes in Cayenne.

Founded in 1668, Loyola Dwelling was one of the most important European colonial farms of its time. It functioned as a multi-ethnic society, with the Jesuit fathers, site administrators, European workers, a large number of slaves from Africa and a handful of natives living side by side. Covering almost 1,000 hectares at its peak, the Loyola settlement established itself as one of Guyana's main production centers for cocoa, coffee and sugar, as well as, to a lesser extent, pottery and blacksmithing. In 1740, the Jesuits even introduced indigo cultivation.

Soon impoverished by falling cocoa and coffee prices, but also by a slowdown in soil production, the dwelling turned to molasses production and tafia distillation, before abandoning for good the sugar business, like indigo, and turning to cotton production. In 1763, King Louis XV ordered the expulsion of the Jesuits from the Kingdom of France. Declared bankrupt, the Society of Jesus left the dwelling, which was later requisitioned by the French army and played its part in the Kourou expedition.

During your visit, you'll follow a 4.6 km loop trail that leads to the remains of the dwelling: the master's house, the chapel, the sugar mill and the windmill. Gutted or low walls bear witness to a bygone prosperity.