Things to see and do Saint-Jean-Du-Maroni

Between 1887 and 1938, more than 17,000 inmates landed in the relégation camp at Saint-Jean, 17 km from Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni. On May 27, 1885, the vote on the law on the relegation of repeat offenders led to the internment of repeat offenders in the colonies for life. A distinction was then made between two types of regime: individual relegation, applicable to convicts with the financial means to support themselves and who had demonstrated exemplary conduct during their imprisonment, which authorized the relegated to work and benefit from a concession while assigning them to the colony; and collective relegation, which forced the relegated to forced labor supervised by members of the prison administration, while eventually allowing them to benefit from individual relegation.

The distinction between relegated and transported prisoners meant that they could not be interned in the same camp, which is why it was decided to create specific camps for relegated prisoners. In 1885, on the site of a former transport camp, abandoned due to insalubrity, the then Ministry built a settlers' village. Settled in four camps, the "relégués" were granted agricultural concessions and could sell their produce on the market. However, the first wooden huts built on the camp by the relegués quickly deteriorated under the Guyanese climate. The camp's insalubrious conditions led to the flight of many relégués. The authorities decided to reinforce control and sanitation by building 20 permanent huts, giving the camp the appearance of a penitentiary. The great need for manpower to rebuild the camp put an end to the system of individual relegation. The vast majority of those relegated were then assigned to forced labor in conditions akin to transport camps. The relegation camp was abandoned in 1943, and the French army moved in in 1961.

The volunteer association Meki Wi Libi Na Wan offers guided tours of this exceptional site, located 17 km from Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, as well as of the surrounding village. Passionate, responsive guides will explain how the village of Saint-Jean was created and became the capital of the Relégation. The organization of the camp, the regime of relegation and the daily life of these "undesirables" will no longer hold any secrets for you. To organize your visit with the association, visit the Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni Tourist Office.

Upstream from the falls, a trail leads to the Vieux Broussard falls, also known as the second Voltaires falls, which take around 2h30 to complete. The unsecured trail requires good physical condition and the ability to find your way through the forest. The falls are beautiful, rising 41 m above sea level. While the site is magnificent, the pools at Vieux Broussard can be dangerous: stay vigilant and keep an eye on young children when swimming!

The falls Voltaire - with a drop of 45 m spread over a length of 200 m - have a flow that varies according to the season and are a particularly popular site in French Guiana: it's best to enquire in advance at the Auberge about available places.

How to get there. From Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, at the traffic circle, follow the road between the stadium and the cemetery towards Saint-Jean (D11). After about 2.5 km on the Saint-Jean road, turn left at the large bend: you'll come to Lac Bleu. Turn right at the sign. Continue on route Paul-Isnard. You'll pass the rum distillery (on your right). The road will be asphalted for 10 km, before giving way to laterite as the track enters the forest. If you fancy a picnic, you can stop off at PK 27.5 at Tatou Creek. Pass the slaughterhouses that line the first few kilometers, and the sawmill at PK 32. You'll also pass a checkpoint. At around PK 46, you'll come to two tracks. Take the one on the right. At PK 67, you pass the Apatou crossroads, where you cross a camp (straight ahead). At PK 70, you'll come to the parking lot (an open area) of the Auberge Voltaire, where you can leave your car. 300 m further on, you'll find an information panel at the entrance to the ONF-marked trail. The path is on the left after passing the creek, where a bridge has collapsed. The trail to the falls winds for around 3.3 km (approx. 1.5 hrs walk) along Voltaire Creek.

Tatou Cove is a place to relax and swim in the middle of the forest, with three carbets for picnics and board games. In the immediate vicinity of the site, there's a 2.5 km trail for walkers. Those wishing to spend the night should bring a tarpaulin in case of rain, as there are no sleeping carbets. In the rainy season, the trail is inaccessible (if you're not sure about the condition of the trail, check with the Saint-Laurent tourist office). A good stopover before Voltaire Falls!