Kourou, the second-largest city in French Guiana, is a charming modern town surrounding a more traditional colonial core.

The region experiences a typically tropical climate with dry summers and a six-month rainy season; summer is certainly is great time to visit.

With a population of approximately 20,000 inhabitants, Kourou is home to diverse groups of people: indigenous, French, and foreigners.

Prior to the arrival of the French in the late 17th century, which ushered in an era of colonialism, Kourou was merely a small village.

It is now home to the busiest commercial space centre Centre Spatial Guyanais (Guiana Space Centre) that dominates the country’s economy, accounting for 25% of the GDP and employing around 1,700 people.

The island city of Cayenne is the capital of the French overseas region of French Guiana. The city lends its name to cayenne pepper, a spicy con...