Quels sont les îlots de ce chapelet ?

Le chapelet comprend le Père, La Mère, Les Deux Mamelles (anciennement les Deux Filles) et Le Malingre, et se termine par l'Îlet de l'Enfant Perdu.

Où se trouve l'Îlet de l'Enfant Perdu ?

Il est situé à environ 11 km au large de Cayenne, au bout du chapelet d'îlots qui s'étend depuis l'embouchure du Mahury, au large de Rémire.

Quelle histoire est liée à l'Enfant Perdu pendant le bagne ?

On raconte qu'un phare s'y trouvait et que des bagnards y étaient laissés pour alimenter le feu la nuit. Oubliés par l'administration, ils construisirent un radeau pour rejoindre le rivage, où ils furent capturés et condamnés pour évasion.

Que dit la légende sur le nom Enfant Perdu ?

La légende raconte qu'une famille d'îlots fut surprise par un raz-de-marée près du Mahury ; le plus jeune enfant, entraîné par le courant, toucha le fond au large de Cayenne et y resta, gardant le nom d'Enfant Perdu.

Nature & sentiers★ Free accessCayenne

Ilet l'enfant perdu au large de Cayenne

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Overview

Off the coast of Rémire, near the mouth of the Mahury river in French Guiana, a chain of islets stretches across the sea: le Père, La Mère, Les Deux Mamelles (formerly known as les Deux Filles) and Le Malingre. This chain ends at the Îlet de l'Enfant Perdu, located approximately 11 km off the coast of Cayenne.

Why Visit

These islets stand out for their history and the stories attached to them. One tale recounts that during the penal colony era, a lighthouse stood on the Enfant Perdu: convicts were left there to tend the flame through the night. One day, the penitentiary administration forgot them. The lighthouse went dark without anyone noticing. Running out of food, the men built a wooden raft and made their way to shore; upon arriving in Cayenne, they were captured and convicted of attempted escape.

History

As early as 1604, the town then known as Armire was the main residence of expedition leaders. In 1862, the Compagnie Équinoxiale established its administration there. In the early 20th century, Martinican refugees fleeing the eruption of Montagne Pelée settled in the area. Legend has it that the islets — le Père and la Mère — were once walking with their two daughters and their son off the coast of French Guiana when a tidal wave stranded them all on the mudflats at the mouth of the Mahury. They held onto their two daughters, but the youngest child vanished; their servant, le Malingre, set off to find the child but collapsed from exhaustion. The child, carried away by the current, settled on the seabed off Cayenne and remained there, forever known as l'Enfant Perdu — the Lost Child.

Getting There

The Îlet de l'Enfant Perdu lies approximately 11 km off the coast of Cayenne, at the end of the chain of islets stretching from the mouth of the Mahury river, off Rémire.

Getting there

Location

Cayenne · Guyane

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Frequently asked questions

Which islets make up this chain?+

The chain includes le Père, La Mère, Les Deux Mamelles (formerly les Deux Filles) and Le Malingre, ending at the Îlet de l'Enfant Perdu.

Where is the Îlet de l'Enfant Perdu?+

It is located approximately 11 km off the coast of Cayenne, at the end of the chain of islets stretching from the mouth of the Mahury river, off Rémire.

What story from the penal colony era is linked to the Enfant Perdu?+

It is said that a lighthouse once stood there and that convicts were left to tend the flame through the night. Forgotten by the administration, they built a raft to reach the shore, where they were captured and convicted of attempted escape.

What does the legend say about the name Enfant Perdu?+

Legend tells of a family of islets caught off guard by a tidal wave near the Mahury; the youngest child, carried away by the current, settled on the seabed off Cayenne and remained there, forever bearing the name Enfant Perdu — the Lost Child.