LE CASTEL

It's often the first place you go, at the southern tip of the island, to the 34-metre-high hilltop, to enjoy the beautiful view over Dakar and the entire harbour. The path leading to the summit is lined with colorful paintings by Senegalese artists, which you'll be happy to take the time to admire. With the arrival of the Dutch, the site became a military site where a fort was built. It was then passed from hand to hand before being occupied continuously by the French from 1817 to 1964. At the western end stands Fort Saint-Michel, built by the French in 1892 and the site of the modern Slave Memorial, representing the hull and sail of a ship, which was inaugurated in 1999. Behind it, a telemeter dating from 1907, used to measure the distance of ships in order to adjust cannons. On the other side of the castel, two large cannons with a range of 14 km. These were used only once, on September 23, 1940, by Vichy France, to sink a British ship during the Battle of Dakar. The wreck still lies there, several meters underwater. A buoy marks the danger for boats, which is why the longboat that brings visitors to the island makes a wide turn before entering the harbor at the pier. At the time of Senegal's independence, the French sabotaged the cannon so that it could not be used again. Before you leave, enjoy the breathtaking ocean views and take a deep breath of iodized air!