There is something that makes the city of Saint-Louis, Senegal, different from the cities in Africa. It will remind you of Havana, New Orleans, and Cartagena. It might be the French influence in its history and culture, whatever it is; the city is unusually charming and laid-back.

Located near the mouth of the Senegal River in the country’s Saint-Louis Region, the city was established as a French settlement in the uninhabited island called Ndar by French traders in 1659. It was named after the French king Louis IX. It was Louis Faidherbe, the Governor of the Colony of Senegal in 1854, who envisioned Saint-Louis to be a force to reckon with in terms of development and progress. Although there was a time in its history that it lost its magic, Saint-Louis today, is a tourist destination, and the home of a number of cultural exhibitions and international music festivals. There is no major airport in Saint-Louis so you have to fly into the Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport located in the city of Dakar. The airport is 264 kilometers from the city. From the airport, you can take a bus or a car to Saint-Louis.

The best way to explore its numerous attractions is to go around in a bicycle or scooter. Its top attractions include the Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary, Parque Nacional de la Lengua de Barbaria, Galerie Ethiopiques, Le Camee, and the Musée de l’Aéropostale Jean Mermoz.  If you would like to shop, you must drop by Rama diaw, a clothing store that showcases the city’s African and European influences through its clothes. The city is a proof that music is a universal language being the host of the Saint-Louis Jazz Festival, an annual music event which draws in jazz luminaries and thousands of jazz lovers from all over the world.

Excited to visit Saint-Louis? Consult your travel agent for more details.