The Iles du Salut (Salvation Islands)

These three islands were first known to European navigators as the Triangle Islands and owe their current name and sinister reputation to two tragic episodes from the colonisation of French Guiana: the expedition to Kourou in 1763 and the inauguration of the Penal Colony in 1854. Nowadays the islands have acquired strategic importance for both Space activities and tourism.

Some basic facts

From 1763 onwards, France sent several convoys of settlers to French Guiana to colonise the region. Unfortunately, poor living conditions, lack of food and epidemics took a heavy toll. The survivors found refuge on the offshore islands which they named the Iles du Salut.

During the Second Empire, the Penal Colony was founded in 1854. In 1887 it was decided that notorious criminals could be condemned by the Assizes to transportation to French Guiana, along with political prisoners, spies and the most difficult cases. From Captain Dreyfus to supposed common criminals like Guillaume Seznec and Lagrange, not to mention the famous Papillon, several thousand prisoners were deported to the Iles du Salut.

The Penal Colony was finally abolished in 1939, and the islands were given a new destiny in the ‘60s when CNES came to Kourou. The Iles du Salut are located beneath the trajectory of the launchers and are therefore a strategic site. In 1965, they became CNES property.

CNES activity

After the abolition of the Penal Colony, the Iles du Salut were abandoned and soon overgrown by the naturally luxuriant vegetation until 1964, when General de Gaulle decided to install a Space Centre in French Guiana.

CNES has made great efforts to restore this part of our historic and cultural heritage, recalling a sombre episode in the history of France.

Since 1965 CNES has authorised the restoration of buildings on the Iles du Salut, particularly :

• the Dreyfus House on Devil’s Island
• the Director’s House (now the Penal Colony Museum)
• Guillaume Seznec’s hut
• the 27 cells for condemned prisoners
• the Chapel on Ile Royale

Made for tourism

In the 1980s, the islands found their vocation for tourism. CNES decided to preserve part of the Penal Colony as a heritage site, in order to encourage both tourist development and long-term protection of the islands.

The principal investments were: the building of a hotel, improved water and electrical services and a certain amount of maintenance. Despite the renovation and improvements, including the work done at the Church and the Museum, Ile Royale has kept its authentic period atmosphere. Every year some 50,000 tourists visit the Iles du Salut which makes it the most visited destination in French Guiana.

The tourist disembarking at the sailors' jetty on Ile Royale would never imagine the cost, the difficulties and the maintenance effort that these sites require. Difficulties with the water supply (only rainwater is found on the island), expensive power supplies and onerous building projects that are difficult to manage are serious handicaps, but have not prevented the group of islands from becoming a popular tourist destination.

The ambition today is to turn the island into a nature reserve for plants and animals with monkeys, agoutis (large rodents) and the reintroduction of certain plant species.

The Iles du Salut and Space activities

As a part of its primary Space mission, CNES has created several facilities on Ile Royale, particularly a cinetheodolite in 1968, an optical system for observing and tracking launchers across the sky, subsequently replaced in 1995 by a cinetelescope.

The K400 cinetelescope on Ile Royale is the most powerful tool CNES has for filming all the events that can happen to the launcher during its flight phase before it is lost to view, such as the jettisoning of the boosters, the separation of the stages and any anomalies which might occur. The various films produced in the visible and infrared wavebands are then analysed by ArianeSpace and the manufacturing partners.

For Ariane 5 launches, the most frequently visible event is the fairing separation (at 110 km) and occasionally the separation of the Principal Cryogenic Stage (EPC) and ignition of the Solid Fuel Stage (EPS), as well as ignition of the Cryogenic Stage on Ariane 5 ECA.

For further information
Download the Press file on the Iles du Salut (you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader)