Subject: [History,Tourism,FG] St. Laurent du Maroni
Article:

During the first decades of this century St. Laurent was called one of the prettiest town in all of French Guiana. In fact it was called 'Petit Paris'. It had wide shaded avenues which were kept immaculate by the prisoners from 'le bagne'. The town had brick and mortar colonial architecture houses and buildings. The houses had flower gardens and the town was prosperous. This lasted not long because in 1938 'le bagne' was abolished and St. Laurent lost its reason to exist. Since then it never regained its prosperity. In 1967, a ferry service was started between St. Laurent and the Surinamese town of Albina [on the Maroni River]. Daily, trucks would use this ferry to haul rice, fruit and vegetables to Cayenne. [a quote from: Bilby, the making of the Aluku] Today St. Laurent du maroni is a decaying town in French Guiana. The iron roofs are now rusting. The sandy roads are dusty and you can feel the oppressive heat waves rising of these sandy streets. The wooden houses are decaying. Some of them are occupied and some are deserted. According to Alexander Miles...'you can see it all in ten minutes'. [quoted from: Alexandaer Miles, Devil's Island] **It takes more than ten minutes if you walk and study the history first before you visit St. Laurent [IMHO]**


Met dank aan Albert Buys