Between 1852 and 1953, the islands were part of
a notorious penal colony for the worst criminals of France. The penal colony stretched along the border with
Suriname. Île Royale was the reception centre for the general population of the penal colony; they were housed in moderate freedom due to the difficulty of escape from the island. Saint-Joseph Island was the
Reclusion, where inmates were sent to be punished by
solitary confinement in silence and darkness for escapes or offences committed in the penal colony. Devil's Island was for political prisoners. In the 19th century, the most famous such prisoner was Captain
Alfred Dreyfus, held there from 1895 to 1899 after his conviction in mainland France for
treason. This penal colony was controversial given its reputation for harshness and brutality. Prisoner upon prisoner violence was common, tropical diseases killed many, and a small core of broken survivors returned to France to tell how horrible it was and scare other potential criminals. This system was gradually phased out and ended completely in 1953. Nowadays the islands are a popular tourist destination. The islands were featured in the autobiography
Papillon, by
Henri Charrière, who was imprisoned there for 9 years.
Joseph Conrad's short story
An Anarchist (1906) is largely set in Salvation Islands. As of 1979, the Salvation Islands are
protected areas managed by
Conservatoire du littoral. == Gallery ==