Îles du Salut — The Hidden Message
Decipher the cryptic message left by Devil's Island inmates linking the penal colony's dark past to Kourou's space secrets. Uncover the truth before it vanishes forever.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In the shadow of the guillotine on Île Royale, a desperate convict carved a final message into the rocks of the Îles du Salut, hinting at a conspiracy that binds the brutal penal colony—once home to D
Îles du Salut — The Hidden Message
You are a colonial archivist in Kourou, French Guiana, in 1905, tasked with deciphering a secret message left by a convict before his escape from the Îles
Discover the penitentiary past and spatial future of Kourou, gateway to the Îles du Salut, where the history of deportees meets that of Ariane rockets.
The story that haunts this land
Your quest begins in Place Gaston Monnerville, named in honor of the Guyanese politician born in 1893, who served as President of the French Senate from 1947 to 1968. This central square in Kourou is the ideal starting point to understand the duality of French Guiana, between its penitentiary past and its role as the Gateway to the Îles du Salut. From here, you can already perceive the vibrancy of this constantly evolving city, near the seafront and the embarkation points for the archipelago, just 15 km offshore.
A short walk from Place Gaston Monnerville, the Kourou Seafront leads you towards the Atlantic Ocean. It is here, at Pointe des Roches or the fishermen's pontoon, that operators Tropic Alizés and Promaritime Guyane offer daily departures to the Îles du Salut starting at 7:15 AM. The contrast is striking between the departure of tourists and the image of convict convoys, among whom the famous Alfred Dreyfus was deported to Devil's Island. This place is an essential link in Kourou's history and its indissoluble connection with the Îles du Salut.
Your journey then takes you to the Saint-Michel Church of Kourou, built in the 1960s. Its modern architecture, adapted to the tropical Guyanese climate, testifies to the influx of population linked to the creation of the Centre Spatial Guyanais in 1964. This site, less than 800m from Place Gaston Monnerville, embodies Kourou's transformation from a small village to a city focused on the future, while preserving its history. The visible proximity of the Centre Spatial Guyanais, 2km from the city center, reinforces this vision.
Continuing along Boulevard des Roches, you reach Pointe des Roches, the main embarkation area for catamarans to the Îles du Salut. It is also 600m on foot from Place Gaston Monnerville where the Fish Market is located, at the fishermen's pontoon. This lively commercial spot offers a glimpse into daily life in Kourou, and serves as a departure point for the Albatros, a catamaran to Royale and Saint-Joseph Islands. The hustle and bustle of the area contrasts with the silence of the prison cells, reminding you of the long trail of Guyanese history.
This circuit in Kourou allows you to connect the penitentiary past of the Îles du Salut with the spatial ambition of the Centre Spatial Guyanais. From Place Gaston Monnerville to the Seafront, passing by Saint-Michel Church and the embarkation pontoons, you explore the many facets of this French Guiana city. You carry with you the hidden message, revealed by augmented reality clues, and a deeper understanding of Guyane, between its historical heritage and its projection towards the stars, a truly enriching thematic circuit for the whole family.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
The game downloads to your phone on start. Once the "✓ Downloaded" indicator appears, everything works without data — narration, AR, GPS and puzzles. Perfect abroad without a data plan.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
8 sites to explore by car within the day
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 14,90€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
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Practical info
Why this route?
The Space Adventure
Follow the trajectory of Ariane rockets and explore Europe's ambition towards the stars.
A Bridge Between Eras
Cross time, from the shadows of the penal colony to the light of space conquest, a unique contrast.
A Cosmic Secret
Decipher a coded message linking past destinies to humanity's future aspirations.
The stars carry echoes of the past. Listen to them.
Decipher the link between Earth and Sky.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01What's the difference with a regular indoor escape room?
Outdoor escape game format: no physical locks, no actor, no fixed time slot. You start when you want, progress through Kourou, between city and Space Center with your phone, and the city itself is the set. More immersive on local history, more flexible in pace.
Q02Can we take a break mid-trail?
Of course. Stop at a café, have lunch, resume later: your progress is saved. Many players bake a meal break into the trail, especially with families.
Q03Is Îles du Salut — The Hidden Message good for a hen / stag party?
Great fit: no costume required, the team really collaborates (it's not a linear path), and the final code earns you a souvenir photo. Pick a calm time slot — early afternoon usually.
Q04Is Îles du Salut — The Hidden Message stroller-accessible?
Depends on the exact route in Kourou, between city and Space Center. The vast majority of stops are downtown, on sidewalks or squares. If a stair or narrow passage is involved, it's flagged on the product page. Generally: yes, doable with a standard urban stroller.
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Your turn to play
Discover the penitentiary past and spatial future of Kourou, gateway to the Îles du Salut, where the history of deportees meets that of Ariane rockets.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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