Iles Du Salut – “Salvation Islands”, also known as Devils Island

Devils Island from /Royal Island

Salvation Islands were so named because a load of missionaries fled a yellow fever outbreak on the mainland and were subsequently saved.  However they came to be used for the most notorious penal colony of French Guiana, used for a century until 1948

The three individual island names trnslate to Royal Island, St Joseph Island and Devils Island.  The book and film Papillon tell of one inmate’s experiences and escape here.  Royal Island was used by e main island community, prison wardens accommodation, asylum, hospital, church, etc were all here, as well as cells for the common law prisoners.  St Joseph Island was were the most troublesome convicts were sent for hard labour, solitary confinement and inprisonment in cages.  The smallest island is Devils island, which is virtually inaccessible by boat.  A cable and pulley were used to transport wardens and supplies the 200 metres between Devils island and Royal Island.  The sea surrounding the islands was full of sharks, enticed there by blood and gore from the slaughter house running straight into the water and the fact that convicts that died there were “buried at sea”.  According to my calculations that would be about 1200-1300 a year. 

This morning, we looked out of the porthole to see the idyllic scene of the islands surrounding by beautiful blue green water.  On the right, St Joseph’s island, Royal Island, where we were to be taken by tender, right in front of us.

When we got there and climbed out onto the pier, we looked around, amazed.  Royal Island is a paradise.  We had a quick look at someone else’s map and worked out we could walk all the way around the island (ship’s blurb said it would take about an hour), and then move into the centre of the island to see the buildings and remains later.

It is hard to believe this beautiful place could have been used for such a brutal, cruel system.  Now the islands are covered in palm trees.  (These had been removed in penal colony days, so that the convicts couldn’t use the wood to make boats). There are gorgeous flowers everywhere and we saw monkeys, palm rats (large guinea pigs) and birds.  The coastline was as expected, very rocky, with loads of crashing waves and surf, which sounded fantastic. In some of the calmer areas we were able to stand and watch turtles surface for air.   We often heard a curious high pitched, loud sawing noise, which would develop into a crescendo of sound before tailing off.  We’re told it’s the local beetles, rubbing their wings together.  Noisy creatures!  As we walked around the shoreline, we could see across the lovely green water to Devils and St Joseph islands.  It was all just stunning. (And no sharks in sight)

Then we got to the centre of the island, and the buildings of the penal colony.  There was so much to see, and so little time.  We did manage to get a look at the convicts quarters, and if the cells we saw were for the common prisoners, I would hate to see what they put the guys on St Joseph’s Island in.  Everything we’d seen in the film Papillon, was there before us. We could see the rails and the metal rings used to chain the convicts at night. 

The cells, five paces long, with only a hole in the ceiling for light. I think I even worked out where the guillotine was.  Horrific!  We wanted to see more, such as the church, the children’s cemetery, the asylum and the hospital, but we had run out of time and had to make our way back to the tender.

We really wished we’d had more time there, (and a map).  The place was so beautifully idyllic, you could spend hours just looking out to sea, or turtle watching, or feeding the monkeys.  And then there was all that history in the penal colony buildings.  So much to see and just not enough time.

If we get the chance, we would definitely, definitely come back again.  And so would every other passenger on this ship it seems, judging by what we’ve overheard.

Tomorrow is another sea day, and then we get to the Caribbean.  Sun, sand, sea and Bob Marley.  Class!


Isle De Salut 2013 - 1st Post
Isle De Salut 2013 - 2nd Post
Isle De Salut 2014