My trip to French Guiana / Devil's Island 2011

French Guiana was dubbed the Green Hell among the prisoners were serving his sentence here.
The Îles du Salut (in English: Salvation Islands) were used as a penal colony from 1852 onwards, earning them a reputation for harshness and brutality.
The islands are today restored and the visit of many tourists.
Foreign Legion also has a small base on one of the islands. They are responsible for maintenance and security.

[@mattm3729]

Can you imagine the solid mass of just ... biting misery that formed these concrete prison cells. I can hardly imagine the brutish, stifling suffering they had endured. One would never truly know.

[@bigdarshan]

Haunting and well documented. Thanks for posting

[@johngroll9186]

French Guinea becoming a tourist attraction? Who would have ever thought!!!

[@Gourgandise]

I'm reading the book and stopped your video because I still didn't read the end and don't want any spoiler :D Will come back to see the end! Great video, thank you so much for making this available to us.

[@dalegoodman8690]

If you go offshore and ring a bell the sharks still come up to eat, looking for dead prisoners dumped by the prison guards- even 75 years later !!

[@tB3o3tR9o9]

i don't think so

[@dalegoodman8690]

Too bad - it’s true

[@Opius321]

@@dalegoodman8690 got any sources that proves this?

[@Opius321]

@@dalegoodman8690 I tried to find something, but i was not able to. would be interesting to see.

[@Crazysummerdays]

The sharks are 75 years old?

[@kathykickingwoman9120]

Wow....I read Pappillons book years ago and I was quite fascinated with it and I have always wanted to go the islands and see where he had been. Thank u for sharing your video as I will never go there...It was interesting to see the 'note' stating that Pappllon pretty much exaggerated and lied when writing his book....regardless, Pappillon was in prison there and spent 2 years in isolation, which i can not imagine how someone could survive being in total darkness for that long....I enjoyed reading his book and I am still impressed with his inner strength to be able to survive. Again, thank u!

[@TheLaffen79]

Thanks for a nice response. The book Papillon is more considered as a novel than a biography, where Henri "Papillon" Charriere was inspired by former prisoners and their own experiences as a prisoner in French Guiana. I can recommend the book "Dry Guillotine, fifteen years on Devil's Island" by René Belbenoit. It is a more realistic autobiography, about his escape from Devil's Island. He fled with a forty-pound manuscript through the jungle in South America and on up to the United States.

[@freetrailer4poor]

In the new 2008 Papillon movie, Hunnam said he read this book to base his character on.

[@sammartin8009]

Great video...I also read Banco .not sure how much is true but they should do a second movie of papillon. Part 2 based on Banco...

[@m.printes6123]

Nice video and thanks for post it . I have the book and video of Papillon,and i was visiting French Guyana at long time ago,and my target was make the same trip as you.But i do not how to go until this right places. But now,i hope in the second time visiting this nice place i finnaly find the right direction.

[@caroline24764]

Music goes really well with the video

[@indergill89]

Thanks for the video and suggesting "Dry Guillotine." I enjoyed reading "Papillon" and it makes me feel good that i did not watch the video earlier or it would have killed the enthusiasm to finish the book :)

[@1955porsche]

i reccomend his 2nd book Banco... includes his stories w the natives etc.. well done utube

[@sammartin8009]

I read banco.its wonderful story..they should do movie .papillon part 2..Tom Hanks

[@mdibrahimhossain9541]

How frightening it is to merely imagine the limit of man's atrocities and inhumanity in the name of Punishment....

[@kingmiura8138]

It looks like a little paint and clean up could turn it into a tropical resort.

[@meekhinglim4829]

a very touching movie of Papilon

[@pepesanton]

Impresionante, amigo. Buen vídeo!!

[@caayotee]

Freaky background score 👻☠️

[@RSTI191]

Wow, would I love to see this in person...

[@nycboyforlife]

Music is awesome.

[@gag7236]

Man, the karma on these islands, especially St. Joseph, has to dark....

[@danielski4318]

wow 105 that's a long life at lease that didn't kill him good man

[@louminati4318]

Most of the stories told by Papillon were false according to Alan Whicker's documentary in the early 1970s. Truly awful place

[@bogusmogus9551]

Odd to think they are launching rockets into space from there now

[@raffaellouis4326]

Is this really the Real Life Attack on Titan Island of Devils

[@bluegreen988]

france specially the young,was shock when they read the book of papillon..

[@cameronwright8634]

I thought this island was closed to the public.

[@kristinapetrovic7931]

is it Krakauman?

[@TheLaffen79]

No it's Devil's Island in South America

[@thrummer1953]

The way they did things there, was very wrong-headed.

[@mrantoinemartel]

loved your video! i just got back from a trip to paris and I loved it! check out some of my videos and let me know what you think. keep creating!

[@bobbyflints9842]

Great acting by Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman, saw this movie countless times. Thanks for the upload.

[@Speedking1967]

Great. Thx for that. I read Papillon when I was 15 years old. Since then I always wanted to visit those places. Never made it. Maybe some day.

[@yesusafter11pm]

Count me in.

[@212Roger]

Me too. I got the butterfly tattoo on my chest. 🦋

[@dimitritkhinvaleli3139]

Yeah, me too. Maybe, someday...

[@shaunhunter5850]

Isn't it ironic how these days people would love to go there, and the opposite was true 80-100 years ago when it was a hell on Earth and people were desperate to escape

[@walkispacheco88]

Papi's name carved on the floor, amazing.

[@Coastie228]

Walkis Pacheco I know right! That is so awesome!

[@212Roger]

I would love to have a rubbing of it. 🦋

[@raekwon2609]

@@212Roger wtf Roger

[@212Roger]

@@raekwon2609 I not a weirdo. Many people do stone or tombstone rubbing. You take a piece of paper and a marker, like a crayon, and create a copy of the image. lol

[@raekwon2609]

@@212Roger ah okay I see 😂 I thought you meant have a rub of it lol

[@TheLaffen79]

Thanks for a nice response. I can recommend a trip to French Guiana and the places Papillon and other famous prisoners were incarcerated. There is a travel agency that has guided tour of all the famous sites, but you will have more time to look around if you travel around on your own. Can recommend staying at Royale Island. The island next to Devil's Island. There is also a museum where you can read the facts about the different prisoners serving their sentences in these islands.

[@christopherjamesjames1682]

Thank u . Good2 no.

[@212Roger]

Someday... I am now retired in Thailand where everyone calls me “Papillon” since I got same tattoo as Charriere’s. 🦋

[@wotan237]

Wow. The book 'Papillon' really inspired me when I was a teenager. I figured if this guy can hack the mess he's in, I can survive my dumb frustrating life too. Seems like the French authorities really crashed down hard on the poor guy for unpremeditated killing of a pimp. I guess the pimp must have been l well connected and provided hookers to top level judges and politicians Thanx for sharing.

[@paulclalchungnunga2052]

( Leave your comment in English ) RIP Papillon & Steve Mc Queen The greatest real adventure story ever read. How I wish to visit these French Islands ! The endurance was just great tbh What do ye say guys ?

[@markmonette7611]

You toured that place by yourself...I think I would actually shit in my pants doing that alone...Thanks for putting this up for us to see...fantastic work

[@TheLaffen79]

Thanks alot :-)

[@annamalaichinthamani3950]

@@TheLaffen79 Good one! is it psudo name?

[@johnphelan7403]

From a historical aspect another interesting book is Devil's Island:Colony Of The Damned by Alexander Miles.Belbenoit's account is fascinating.Another interesting chap was Charles De Rudio who escaped to America only to join Custer's 7th Cavalry & take part in the Battle of The Little Bighorn.Fortunately for him Custer disliked him & transferred him to the command of Captain Reno & De Rudio survived.Loved your video.

[@shaunhunter5850]

Wow that's some fact, escaped this hell then had a lucky escape just missing out on the Little Bighorn massacre

[@midnightteapot5633]

"how do I look ? , I feel pretty good but I need someone to tell me how I look !!"

[@robbiebob6267]

You look fine....

[@marcelomerchan9563]

Papillon killed the pimp as I was told by his Spaniard friend who had a restaurant in Caracas in the 1960....Papillon stolen stories were from Rene Belbenoit" Dry guillotine book" 1939 who was a prisoner in French Guyana in 1922. Papillon was still a great book (made in 1969) to read, they live in the same inferno!!!!!

[@SilentKnight43]

Just finished re-watching Papillon...haven't seen it in decades. Thank you for the video tour of the prison(s) and the narrative. I'd love the opportunity someday to see the place for myself. Very interesting your information about Charles Brunier. Perhaps the real truth lies somewhere between Brunier and the author.

[@jimgarrison7340]

God only knows how many innocent men were sent to this place. We can hope that there is a special place in hell for judges, prosecutors and police who knowingly send the innocent to prison.

[@thomaslavin3640]

Wow. That a frikin hell hole that place must have been. .... The heat humidity. Rats dieses etc.. death in hell would be a vacation compared to there

[@marcelomerchan9563]

I knew the Spaniard (he was in his 70 year old ) that had a restaurant with Henry Charriere, "papillon" in Venezuela ( read Banco second book) This conversation happened in the 1990 in NYC diamond district 47 st. I asked him that Papillon was sent to prison for a murder that he didn't do, the Spaniard a real crook with a mean face stared to laugh and told me that Henry Charriere killed that person (pimp) in Paris and because of that he was sent to French Guyana ,he also mentioned that he was a playboy a womanizer even though he was a married man, that he had many confrontations because of that with Rita his wife. Papillon is still a great book to read, but the stories were taken from others prisoners especially from the book "Dry Guillotine by Rene Belbenoit", he took a vastly information from this book to make papillon. Rene Belbenoit came to French Guyana in 1919 and finally escaped in 1937 to south America and USA. He wote Dry Guillotine in 1939 and 1942 "Hell on Trial "long before the writings from papillon in 1968. Henry Charriere was sent to in 1928 or 29 until the French government closed the penal in 1945, to my personal opinion that is when he and many others prisioners just left the penal, there were no more control of the prision do to world war two. Thanks for the the videos from French Guyana it was very professional 👍

[@TheLaffen79]

Thank you very much

[@Coastie228]

Marcelo Merchan Wow thank you. You seem to really know your history. I also agree with your opinion, that most prisoners left, like you said, no control over the prison, plus WWII. Thank you.

[@212Roger]

What was the name of the restaurant?

[@mlgl9728]

@@212Roger Gran Cafe

[@tzkro]

very nice , james. u know, i read papillon more than 50 times over the past 30 years, i also read banco more than 30 times i think, and i also read a lot of other books..and for me henry is the real papillon, not like u mentioned this guy who woke up at 2005 etc,.. u chose a very good soundtrack here..

[@TheLaffen79]

Thank you so much. Very nice that you enjoyed it :-)

[@Justin1an]

I dont watch Pappilon first movie yet, and not read the book. But i watch Pappilon (2018) and it was amazing story i ever know! 👍🏻

[@markmarks7039]

First movie was better. Book is great

[@martinwelsford1353]

A fascinating video. Thanks. When Napoleon founded the Penal Colony it is said that he was asked "Who will guard the hard cases ?". He replied "Harder cases still". Its something of an enigma that France has kept the buildings as if they are still proud of their "achievement".

[@boink800]

It was Napoleon III, not Napoleon.

[@ratansingh7265]

Who is come here after Papillon movie

[@RobJohnsonpodcast]

Very interesting and the Stanley Kubrick style music worked really well. I'm going to read the book on the strength of this vid. Nice work

[@TheLaffen79]

Thank you so much, It was really nice. Enjoy the book :-)

[@steveb9527]

Doesnt look to bad, the weather is nice. Firm but fair

[@Gourgandise]

Yay!! Thanks a lot! I'll give Dry Guillotine a shot! ;)

[@christopherjamesjames1682]

If u can get hold of it . Its like knitting fog .not happening

[@kingmiura8138]

A pressure washer and a a paint sprayer could be used to fix this place up and put prisoners back in it.

[@JamesAH1]

One can only begin to imagine the true horror some of those places must have seen over the years.

[@kathykickingwoman9120]

I don't think I could begin to imagine the hell those prisoners went through, in regards to the ones that were there for small crimes...i.e. theft....the ones that were imprisoned there for murder, rape, molestion....etc. I hope they are still in their own eternal suffering and have no sympathy for them

Gerçekten insanoğlu çok boktan ve acımasız bir varlık.

[@daniel2016tw]

Thanks for upload this vídeo!

[@semsemeini7905]

Why do you completely ignore Dreyfus? That's what I am also interested in.

[@Coastie228]

Hey thank you guys, I have not heard of Dreyfus person! He sounds interesting, I’m going to read up about him as well. Thank you guys 🙏🏼

[@212Roger]

Is it possible to sit on Dreyfus’s bench?

[@rinho0001]

uma estória fascinante com uma rica lição de luta para sobreviver!! Papilon Parabéns muinto bom valeu pela lição de vida..

[@cudipato]

Please...the real Papillon was Rene Belbenoit...Henry Charrière has stolen Belbenoit's history...

[@gregblessing7036]

Are there guards there to prevent vandalism? I'm so shocked that papillon's name is still there. I figured someone would've tried to steal it.

[@adventurelifewithbob2960]

0 seconds ago Enjoyed your video. We were supposed to visit there yesterday, but the seas were too rough to land. Maybe someday we will make it.

[@aristideduplessis8151]

Some creepy sound effects you've got going there lol

[@bslbasu4404]

thank you so much for uploading. i read the book for so many times. Henri Charrière became a true inspiration for me in the days of difficulty. i personally want to visit all the places. meanwhile I am extremely thankful for your post.

[@TheLaffen79]

Thanks alot. Recommend you to go there if you like the story of Henri "Papillon" Charriere or anyone else who was imprisoned there. A book I can recommend is Dry Guillotine, Fifteen Years Among The Living Dead by René Belbenoît :-)

[@syedusmanfit1057]

I have just seen movie this real story

[@frank9712]

BSL BaSu he made up this story its fake .for the money

[@TW-3]

@@TheLaffen79 Thanks for great info. Dry guillotine is a pretty hard book to get without paying $$$$$

[@kylebrooks4147]

The greatest enemy a person has is other people. Whether it's a cop, soldier, judge, politician or whoever. They purport to own YOU. Freedom like privacy is an illusion.

[@00BillyTorontoBill]

A few years backk France was considering re-opening the island and prison.... for undesirables...like the us guantanamo.

[@bryancmcdonald3978]

🐎💨🔥🎃

[@gregblessing7036]

The first thing I'm gonna ask God when I get to heaven--assuming heaven is real, fingers crossed--is how much of papillon's story is true. I'm hoping most of it. I'm obsessed with french guiana stories. I've just bought hell on trial by the dude who wrote dry guillotine and I've also bought flag on devil's island. I'm gonna write my own book about it someday. Hopefully it doesn't suck.

[@yosrab95]

It was a romanced biography, some stories weren't true but it doesn't lessen the fact he was a hero and he was amidst the few ones who truly survived the brutality of this penal colony during 13 years without turning into an insane walking dead man, the risks of being murdered anytime by other convicts because he knows to fight and defend himself and his friends, the bad conditions, the filth, he risk of mortal diseases, the escape attempts, the long solitary confinement on st joseph island, then his réhabilitation and his business succes in vénézuela.

[@charlottegraham3232]

This is fascinating, thank you for sharing

[@hirschelbarr2614]

Maybe we bring back total isolation for today's criminal and no parole to protect the innocent. The Frenchmen might have been right. Today we have nothing but crime and criminal loose in the public.

[@elgrande8067]

Who's here after watch the Papillon movie in 2018?

[@shihochan615]

El Grande me :)

[@dcruzs1776]

Un forgettable poppilon by Steeve, for total recall of these places. Amazing movie & acting of McQueen &. Dustin...

[@annamalaichinthamani3950]

In India too a notorious prision large enough to hold 1500prisioners,in Andaman Island built by the British, Indian political prisioners were imprisioned for life, tortured, killed .It is intact till date and a great tourist attraction.

[@kniespel6243]

They said all the time what the nazis did. But french ,british,belgium did in colonies. ...silense. hipocrisy! Sometimes they was much worst then the nazis !

[@derycktrahair8108]

Good video. What terrifying place. It would have been a rotten posting for the Officials (most of whom were probably guys who no one got along with...that's how the Military works) but the cruelty was over the top. Great camera work, you got the mood of the place. Well done & thanks for showing it, but it makes us disappointed in how humans can treat each other like that.

[@duard1220]

Why add the horrible music instead of the actual sound??? It ruined the video!

[@susannerosen1250]

80 000 People died there! Thanks Human rights for today! 💓

[@hinspect]

The 2 (two) Books written by Rene Belbenoit ("Dry Guillotine" and "Hell On Trial") should be on the reading list by anyone who has ever read Charriere's Books ("Papillon" and "Banco") as there are too many coincidences of both men doing the same things.

[@marioavila9296]

Gracias! por la recomendación.

[@DontStopBrent]

The music ruined an otherwise good video.

[@forcanera]

Nice video. Thank you.

[@TheLaffen79]

+Capitan Decoy . Thanks :-)

[@liamkisbee8117]

Wait What so who is the real papillon? Charles Brunner or Henri Charrière

[@Pladderkasse]

That's undecided. We will never know, unless some new evidence appears. However there are several inaccuracies in the book, that suggests that's it is doubtful whether Henri actually experienced everything he described or he included some stories he heard about other prisoners. I'm guessing if I was an escaped convict I would not write a book about it. I personally think Brunner is the real deal. Admitting to the fact close to his death, where it no longer matters. I bet he was happy about the book, because now the attention was no longer on him, but on Henri

[@liamkisbee8117]

@@Pladderkasse I wish I thought it was one guy again lol.

[@Sameoldfitup]

“A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.”

[@just888another888ide]

Good video. I like how you recorded the brief literature/info that was behind some glass (at the end.....looked like a small museum or entrance to the island)..... 7:42 .

[@richiecheval9528]

I was on Iles Saint Joseph avery eerie felling and extremely hot.

[@williameckford1095]

at last something interesting of utube....well done...............10/10.

[@imisstheoldearth7640]

This is totally bizarre & the only reason I’m commenting, but right after the camera left papillons cell, I got a strong whiff of men’s cologne & my usually quiet dog started barking her head off. I’m alone so it was very strange. The smell reminded me of my grandpa who was born in 1923- a very “old” scent.

[@logiic8835]

Isn’t it not allowed to visit that island?

[@TheLaffen79]

You can visit two of the islands but the third island is closed to tourists. The third island is protected

[@slipknight1]

Im here after watching Papillon

[@KCcrew]

I believe that Henri Charriere is Papillon. Why ? If you look at the 1973 version of the Papillon film, at the end of the film is an extra Featurette about the making of Papillon. Henri Charriere was on set giving his input to the director . You saw him several times ,complete with the old tattoo on his chest. If you look at "the making of papillon" on you tube ,you can see it too. The 2nd reason. The book Papillon was written in 3 months. I can't believe Anyone could make up a story this long and this detailed in this length of time if it didn't happen to them.

[@umitnurlu7547]

Nice music

[@christopherjamesjames1682]

Yea solitary wsableak old existence. Couldntwashhis hair look in the mirror.clean histeeth.shave .bat or shower.changehis clothes.cuthis nails .wipehi as.silence.filtand starvation .enoug2 do any1sheadin

[@ryana4263]

So Charriere, Belbenoit or Brunner?

[@00powells]

A very insightful video. Thank you for uploading. I hope that engraving of ‘Papillon’ in that cell floor was actually him and not someone making a prank. It’s quite eerie!

[@christopherjamesjames1682]

This went on from 1853 to 1947 . 75000 mn killed digracefullol5 % iihdthere setene

[@birdman1843]

Thanks for sharing this video with us .

[@TheLaffen79]

Thanks

[@sirphineasluciusambercromb9114]

Megadeth wrote a stupid good song about Devil's Island in 1986.

[@petrstanek9953]

mela by to francouska vlada zprovoznit

[@andrewchung9647]

Does anyone have any info on the Indo China prisoners or war who were in Devil's Island 1940s up to closure in 1953?

[@DIANNEELEE]

Man treating man inhumanly, however evil he may be, he himself becomes worse than an animal. This trip is interesting but creepy.

[@dildo1975]

Veramente molto bello il video, posto sensazionale da visitare come turista, un pò meno come condannato o prigioniero.

[@andybawn1]

why do people feel the need to put god awful music over there video's!!

[@frank9712]

pappilion its a fake story

[@yolandacervantes6926]

I think so too.🤪

[@frank9712]

Yolanda Cervantes never proof he was there

[@yolandacervantes6926]

@@frank9712 true..it was sad that if you tried to escape..guillotine for sure he escape was send back and lived..really??? Was he that special???🥺

[@dreamdrummer5]

@@frank9712 it's not fake, read it, study it.

[@petrstanek9953]

a

[@ThePatriotPoet23]

CREEPY