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The Tour Dreyfus stands at Pointe des Roches in the town of Kourou, French Guiana. This small telegraph tower is a historic relic and a notable tourist attraction, located at the point where the Kourou River meets the Atlantic Ocean.
The tower is appreciated for its historical character: its slight lean gives it the look of a miniature Leaning Tower of Pisa, in a picturesque setting between river and sea. Nearby, visitors can also discover the remains of the prison bakery and enjoy Kourou's beaches for a stroll or some exploration.
Inaugurated in 1856, the Tour Dreyfus dates from the era of the former Kourou penal colony, an agricultural-purpose establishment. Its name honours Alfred Dreyfus, the most famous prisoner of the French Guiana penal colony, although Dreyfus himself was never actually held at this specific location. Its original function was that of a semaphore tower, enabling communication by optical signals with Île Royale, one of the Îles du Salut — a crucial method before the advent of radio. In the mid-twentieth century, when the penal colony was closed and most of its buildings demolished to make way for the Hôtel des Roches, the tower remained one of the few surviving vestiges of that era.
The Tour Dreyfus is located at Pointe des Roches in Kourou, French Guiana, where the Kourou River meets the Atlantic Ocean. GPS coordinates: 5.1585701, -52.6265501.
The Tour Dreyfus dates from 1856, when it was inaugurated as part of the former Kourou penal colony, an agricultural-purpose establishment.
No. The tower is named in honour of Alfred Dreyfus, the most famous prisoner of the French Guiana penal colony, but he was never actually held at this specific location.
It served as a semaphore tower, enabling communication by optical signals with Île Royale, one of the Îles du Salut, before the arrival of radio.
You can discover the remains of the prison bakery and enjoy the surrounding Kourou beaches for a walk, at the spot where the Kourou River meets the Atlantic Ocean.
« Endroit magique, on a vu deux toucans en arrivant ! Sentier bien balisé, parfait pour la matinée. »
« Super site, l'eau est cristalline. Petit bémol : prévoir des chaussures qui tiennent bien, ça glisse. »
« Tip BTK validé : on y est allés à 8h, on était seuls. Vers midi c'est beaucoup plus fréquenté. »
« On a passé l'après-midi ici en famille, les enfants ont adoré la baignade. Vraiment un coup de cœur. »
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