Cayenne is one of South America's most pleasant capitals. It has a relaxed tropical ambiance and its French-colonial buildings lend it the atmosphere of the French Quarter of New Orleans. Cayenne is the administrative and commercial center of French Guiana and is home to 40,000 inhabitants. As well as interesting architecture, the city offers shopping, small museums, a 17th C fort and a traditional market full of exotic aromas.
Cayenne is located at the western end of a small, hilly peninsula between the Cayenne and Mahury rivers on the Atlantic coast. The French established their first settlement here after acquiring land from the Amerindian Chief Cépérou in 1643. The city is named Cayenne after another chief of the period. Cayenne's harbor is too shallow for large ships. Larger ships dock at nearby Degrad des Cannes. Cayenne is served by the Rochambeau airport.
Cayenne is one of the best places in French Guiana to experience the festive Carnaval which features Caribbean-style parades infused with a French flavor. Usually held in late February, Carnaval features festivities every weekend from Epiphany and for four days solid before Ash Wednesday.
Mainly Indonesian food stalls are found in the deceptively named market of Village Chinois (Chinatown). Nicknamed "Chicago", some of Cayenne's best music and nightlife are found in small clubs in the area.
Interesting exhibits about indigenous peoples, colonial history and the penal colony are displayed in this simple wooden building erected in the 19th C by the Franconie family. Of note are the large stuffed black-caiman and the Butterfly Room.
Address: Alexandre Franconie Departmental Museum, 1 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, Cayenne, French Guiana 97300, French Guiana
Cayenne's main vegetable market is named after the man responsible for ending slavery in French Guiana. A statue of Schoelcher unveiled in 1897 can be seen.
Cayenne's liveliest area is the Place de Palmistes where many cafes and outdoor food stalls surround a square in which a statue of Félix Eboué is centered.
The first Town hall of Cayenne was housed in a mansion belonging to a rich colonist who covered his floors with gold coins. The present Mairie was built in 1924
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