French Guiana
TerritoryAdministered by: France
“The European Union in the Amazon, with a spaceport in the rainforest”
French Guiana is an overseas department of France on the shoulder of South America — which makes it, technically, the largest region of the European Union and the only part of it in the Amazon basin. Around 96 per cent is rainforest, roads reach a fraction of the territory, and rivers do the rest.
Two things brought it fame. The penal colony, running from 1852 to 1953, sent tens of thousands of prisoners here and to the Îles du Salut, of which Devil's Island is the most notorious. And the Guiana Space Centre at Kourou, opened in 1968 because the equatorial latitude makes launches cheaper, sends European rockets up over the Atlantic — and the public can watch.
Highlights
A rocket launch
The Guiana Space Centre offers free public viewing sites for Ariane and Vega launches, booked in advance. Schedules slip; build slack.
Îles du Salut
The penal colony islands off Kourou, including Devil's Island. Ruined cells under palm trees, and monkeys and macaws everywhere.
The Maroni river
The border with Suriname, travelled by pirogue past Maroon and Amerindian villages — a different country from the coast road.
Turtle nesting at Awala-Yalimapo
One of the world's major leatherback nesting beaches, between roughly March and July.
When to go
JanShort rainy season.
FebBrief drier spell; carnival, which is exceptional here.
MarLong rains beginning; turtles start nesting.
Getting in
Checking your passport…
Before you fly
Passport Index dataset
What it costs
A day in French Guiana
Comfortable · sample day
≈ $130
Line items are real prices we track. The daily budget is an editorial estimate for this level, not their sum.
Where this sits among 55 countries we have costed
Carnival in February and the August–November dry season are the busy periods. Launch weeks fill Kourou completely.
Updated Aug 2026 · Editorial synthesis — CNES visitor information, French overseas price surveys (2025–2026) · confidence medium
Excludes international flights — they depend on where you fly from.
Regions to know
5Cayenne
The capital: the market, the Creole architecture and Fort Cépérou.
Kourou
The space centre, the launch viewing sites and the boats to the Îles du Salut.
Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
The penal transportation camp, and the river border with Suriname.
The Maroni and the interior
Pirogue country: Maroon and Amerindian villages, forest and gold.
Awala-Yalimapo
The north-western beaches where leatherbacks nest between March and July.
Practical guide
Getting there
Félix Eboué (CAY) has direct flights from Paris and regional connections to the Caribbean and Brazil. Land crossings reach Suriname by ferry over the Maroni and Brazil by the Oyapock bridge.
Entry formalities
Yellow fever vaccination certificate is mandatory for entry and checked on arrival.
Getting around
One coastal road runs from Saint-Laurent to Saint-Georges; everything inland is river or air. Hire a car for the coast.
Money & costs
Euro, French banking, cards in the towns and much less inland.
Safety
Cayenne and Saint-Laurent have real crime issues after dark, and illegal gold mining makes parts of the interior unsafe. The coastal circuit and Kourou are routine.
Health
French hospitals in Cayenne and Kourou. Yellow fever mandatory, malaria prophylaxis for the interior, dengue endemic.
SIM & internet
French networks with EU roaming along the coast; nothing in the forest.
Driving
The RN1 and RN2 are the only through roads and they end at rivers. Do not drive them at night — unlit, and the wildlife on the carriageway is substantial.
Rules change — verify with an official source before you rent.
No verified partners here yet — all 6 country seats are open.
Before you go
French GuianaFrequently asked questions
Do I need a yellow fever vaccination?
Yes. Yellow fever vaccination is a mandatory entry requirement for French Guiana for travellers over one year old, and it is checked. Malaria prophylaxis is advised for the interior.
Can I watch a launch?
Yes, and it is free. The space centre operates public viewing sites and registration opens some weeks before each launch. Dates move often, so do not build a trip around a single one.
Is it in Schengen?
No. It is France and the EU, but outside Schengen — a Schengen visa is not valid here and days spent do not count against Schengen.