All About French Guiana Penal Colonies – A Tourist’s Guide


french guiana penal colony

French Guiana is a destination that is located on the eastern coast of South America. Its name is derived from the French word which means “Island of the imprisoned”. It is the largest colony in South America and is considered to be one of the largest penal colonies in the world. Its total area is almost five hundred thousand square kilometers and it has approximately one million people who are incarcerated in its penal colonies. The convicts are transported here from all over the world to serve their sentences.

An Overview

A group of people walking in front of a building

A number of nations have sent their criminals to French Guiana to serve their sentences here. Among them are nations like Russia, Germany, Japan, USA, England, Canada, Bolivia and Peru. Among these countries, Canada is known for having the maximum number of convicts. There are many different penal colonies located in French Guiana and each of them have various penal settlements. In fact, there are more than twenty penal settlements located in French Guiana alone.

One of the most popular characters that can be found in the French Guiana penal colony are the so-called “zebra striped pants” or the movie papillon. These colorful pairs of leotards are made from nylon and are used by the inmates to create an attire that is similar to what they would wear while dancing in the streets. The movie papillon is one of the most famous outfits in the French Guiana penal colony. There are also other pairs of leotards that look like pants and which are designed to form the skirt used by the inmates of the penal colony.

Tourist Guide To French Guiana Penal Area

A colorful bird perched on top of a wooden bench

There is also the so-called “corset choli” which is considered to be the traditional dress of the French. In fact, it is not uncommon to see convicts, whose profession prohibits them from wearing skirts, in the streets with these types of dresses on. As a matter of fact, this practice is also common among the prison inmates of the penal colonies. They are also referred to as “corset gowns”.

The second type of clothing that can be found in the French Guiana penal colonies are the leotards that are used by the female inmates of the colony. In many cases, the leotards serve as a form of punishment, as opposed to being worn for everyday attire. For instance, the women of the penal colonies are prohibited from wearing tight jeans, and any other clothing that may appear to restrict their movement. At the same time, the leotards are often seen together with tight pants that cover the lower part of the body. In addition, the leotards are frequently combined with long sleeves, and a head scarf, which is meant to keep the eyes closed. Although the design was designed to prevent convicts from exposing their skin during the summer months, it has also been found that women often wear these leotards throughout the cold months.

The third variety of clothing that can be found in the French Guiana penal colonies are called the bib shorts, or simply bikinis. These are commonly seen along with tight fitting swimming trunks, or on the beach at night. The bib shorts are commonly used by the women of the colony as a means of protection against the sun as well as sand and water. Many of these bikinis have been found to transport convicts across the island in search of fresh air and water in the colder months.

The final type of clothing commonly found in the French Guiana penal system are what are known as the “jeans”. These particular garments are commonly referred to as khakis by the residents of the penal colony, due to the fact that they resemble them, more or less, to the popular style of khakis commonly worn by individuals throughout the United States. During the warmer months, many citizens prefer to wear jeans during the day while they work in the fields, and continue to wear them after hours as they spend the night chilling out in the offices. This is due to the fact that the jeans are warm and comfortable and do not create a great deal of unnecessary friction with the skin of any unfortunate French prison inmate who happens to be spending the night in the same cell.

Bottom Line

One of the most unique aspects about the French Guiana penal colony is the fact that all of the inmates are required to wear a white sash around their ankles. Although the sash is usually dyed a dark color, it is a relatively common sight for the inmates to see one that has been splattered with red paint. The reason for this is due to the fact that the punishment for the inmates of the colony for wearing a white sash around their ankles, is basically the same as that of the prison wardens in the outside world. Thus, if an inmate is caught doing so, that person will be subjected to a lengthy punishment, ranging from a small slap on the wrist to a large fine. While the exact penalty for this offense may vary, it is important to understand that the punishments meted out to those who break prison rules are designed to be as deterrent as possible.

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