Quelle est la longueur et la durée du sentier du Mont Bourda ?

Le sentier forme une boucle de 3,8 km qui demande environ 2h30 de marche, davantage si l'on s'arrête pour une baignade aux plages voisines ou pour un événement.

Peut-on voir l'océan depuis le sommet ?

Le Calvaire, au sommet, offrait autrefois une vue dégagée sur la plage des Salines, mais la végétation a depuis obstrué cette perspective.

Qu'est-ce que le Calvaire du Mont Bourda ?

C'est une croix en béton érigée en 1961 par une association catholique locale, au point culminant du sentier. Elle fait partie d'un Chemin de Croix dont les stations retracent la Passion du Christ.

Quand a lieu la procession ?

Chaque année, pendant la Semaine Sainte précédant Pâques, la communauté catholique locale organise une procession qui monte jusqu'au sommet en suivant les stations du Chemin de Croix.

Nature & sentiers★ Free accessCayenne

Randonnée au Sentier du Mont Bourda : Une Balade Nature à Cayenne

Free access

Distance3,8 kmDifficultéMoyen

Gallery

Overview

The Mont Bourda trail is an accessible hike located within Cayenne, in French Guiana. Mont Bourda is a 30-hectare forested massif rising to 114 metres above sea level and managed by the Conservatoire du Littoral. Surrounded by housing estates, it preserves a wooded area of trees and vines where birds and monkeys can occasionally be spotted. The trail forms a 3.8 km loop taking approximately 2h30 to complete.

Why Visit

The trail lets you walk through tropical rainforest without leaving the centre of Cayenne. Well maintained, it passes through coastal areas before climbing to the summit, where the Calvary stands. In the past, this vantage point offered an unobstructed view over Salines beach, but vegetation has since grown to block that view. The difficulty level is low to moderate. After the hike, visitors can head to the nearby beaches of Bourda or Zéphir.

History

The Calvary cross, made of concrete, was erected in 1961 by a local Catholic association. It forms part of a Way of the Cross laid out along the trail, comprising several stations depicting the Passion of Christ that can be seen year-round. Designed as a place of reflection for the faithful of Cayenne, the site hosts an annual procession during Holy Week, the week before Easter: participants climb to the summit following the stations, usually guided by a priest.

Practical Information

Length: 3.8 km loop. Duration: approximately 2h30, longer if you stop for a swim or attend an event. Difficulty: low to moderate. Parking is available near the trailhead sign, on the route de Bourda. What to bring: suitable footwear, water, a hat, and insect repellent, even in the shade of the forest. Best time to go: in the morning for cooler temperatures; for the procession, aim for Holy Week.

Getting There

From Cayenne, take the route de Montabo, then turn left onto the route de Bourda on the eastern side. Parking is available near the trailhead sign.

Wildlife

What you might see

Species most often reported by naturalists around this place. Nothing is guaranteed: wildlife comes and goes.

Bird
Tyran quiquivi
Pitangus sulphuratus
Photo credit
© Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová, CC BY · taken in Saint-Georges · iNaturalist
Bird
Tangara évêque
Thraupis episcopus
Photo credit
© Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová, CC BY · taken in Remire-Montjoly · iNaturalist
Bird
Merle leucomèle
Turdus leucomelas
Photo credit
© Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová, CC BY · taken in Matoury · iNaturalist
Bird
Buse buson
Buteogallus aequinoctialis
Photo credit
© Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová, CC BY · taken in Remire-Montjoly · iNaturalist

Observations: GBIF and iNaturalist. Sources and credits

Getting there

Location

Cayenne · Guyane

Google Maps Waze directions

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Mont Bourda trail and how long does it take?+

The trail forms a 3.8 km loop taking approximately 2h30 to complete, longer if you stop for a swim at the nearby beaches or attend an event.

Can you see the ocean from the summit?+

The Calvary at the summit once offered an unobstructed view over Salines beach, but vegetation has since grown to block that perspective.

What is the Calvary of Mont Bourda?+

It is a concrete cross erected in 1961 by a local Catholic association at the highest point of the trail. It is part of a Way of the Cross whose stations trace the Passion of Christ.

When does the procession take place?+

Every year during Holy Week, the week before Easter, the local Catholic community organises a procession that climbs to the summit following the stations of the Way of the Cross.