Hightlight
- Historical Site / City
Saint-Louis is a city of faded colonial grandeur and vibrant maritime culture, situated on a narrow island at the mouth of the Senegal River. Often called the ‘Venice of Africa,’ the city is famous for its colorful, crumbling French mansions and the iconic Faidherbe Bridge designed by Gustave Eiffel. In the fishing quarter of Guet N’Dar, hundreds of brightly painted wooden pirogues line the shore, creating a bustling and energetic atmosphere as the daily catch is brought in. The city moves at a slow, graceful pace, especially during the annual international jazz festival that fills the streets with music. It is a place where history, art, and the rhythms of the river blend together to create a charm that is unlike anywhere else in Senegal.
- Where it is: Northern Senegal, near the Mauritanian border.
- What you can expect to see: Faidherbe Bridge, colonial mansions, and the bustling fishing quarter of Guet N’Dar.
- How much it is to get in: Free (Public City).
- What people say: Travelers love the ‘slow pace of life’ and the legendary Saint-Louis Jazz Festival.
- Interesting fact: The city was the first French settlement in West Africa, founded in 1659.
