- Îles du Salut
The Îles du Salut (in English: Safety Islands) are a group of small islands of volcanic origin about 11 km off the coast of
French Guiana (14 km north ofKourou ) in theAtlantic Ocean . Although closer to Kourou, the islands are part ofCayenne "commune" (municipality ), specifically "Cayenne 1er Canton Nord-Ouest".There are three islands, from north to south:
Île du Diable is better known to English speakers as
Devil's Island . The total area is 0.62 km² (62hectare s). Île du Diable and Île Royale are separated by "Passe des Grenadines", Île Royale and Île Saint-Joseph by "Passe de Désirade". The islands were used as a penal colony from1852 onwards, earning them a reputation for harshness and brutality. This system was gradually phased out and has been completely shut down since1953 . Nowadays the islands are a popular tourist destination. The islands were featured in the novel byHenri Charriere , 'Papillon'. He was imprisoned here for 9 years.External links
* [http://www.geocities.com/sy_nette/ruter/Iles_du_Salut.jpgmap]
* [http://sagnimorte.info/photo_plage.php#carnet_photo2 Photos des Îles du Salut]
* [http://www.lalegion.ch/picstore/thumbnails.php?album=133&lang=english Photos de Île Royale]
* [http://www.lalegion.ch/picstore/thumbnails.php?album=134&lang=english Photos de Île Saint-Joseph]
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