Joal-Fadiouth

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Joal-Fadiouth

Joal-Fadiouth is a town and commune in the Thiès Region at the end of the Petite Côte of Senegal,  at about 114km south-east of Dakar.

Images along the road between Saly and Ndangane to Joal-Fadiouth, marvelous landscapes and villages we passed.

Joal lies on the mainland, while Fadiouth, linked by a 800m bridge, lies on an island of clam shells, which are also used in local architecture and crafts. The village has no motorised transport evidenced by the sign on entering. It has large Christian and Muslim populations with cemeteries on another shell island. Another attraction is granaries on stilts in the water. The population of the commune in 2013 was some 46,000. (source : Wikipedia) Joal-Fadiouth, this fishing village has a special characteristic: the land is covered with shells, this because the local inhabitants have consistently placed them here over the centuries.

Joal

Joal is the birthplace of the first president of the Sénégal republic, Léopold Sédar Senghor,  and there is also a memorial placed for him.

Léopold Sédar Senghor

The shell island has no motorized transport so the tranquility that the island radiates here is impressive. The shells you see here are also used in local architecture and art.

Fadiouth

Fadiouth has large Christian and Muslim populations with cemeteries on a second shell island where people from both religions are buried side by side. Visiting these cemeteries is a serene event that leaves a lot of impressions.


Another attraction here are the granaries on stilts in the water.



Senegal developpement durable


A project running since 2011 with the WHO is to stimulate the production of salted millet. Salted millet couscous from Fadiouth Island is the result of bringing together traditional cereals, cultivated since time immemorial on the inland areas, and the sea. Source: Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity

The largest Baobab near Fadial

In combination with a visit to the shell island of Joal Fadiout, we drove past Fadial where the largest baobab of the region can be seen.

This tree is called “Le Baobab Sacré“. This tree would be the largest baobab in Senegal. The trunk is hollow and has a circumference of 32m. In the past people were buried, “Griots”, those who did not work on land, such as wandering singers, musicians and storytellers. Now the tourists can take a look inside.

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