Grand-Bassam

Grand-Bassam, a coastal town just east of Abidjan, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Côte d'Ivoire's most atmospheric places, the former colonial capital of the territory in the late nineteenth century. Its historic quarter preserves a poignant ensemble of grand but faded French colonial architecture, elegant administrative buildings, merchant houses and villas, now weathered and crumbling amid the sea air, several restored as museums and galleries. Set between a lagoon and an Atlantic beach, the town blends this evocative colonial heritage with a relaxed seaside atmosphere, popular weekend beaches and a thriving community of artists and craft-sellers.

History

The name may come from an old word for the mouth of the Comoé River, and the Nzema people have lived here since the 15th century, when the place grew into a fishing village and trading centre. In 1843, after a treaty with the local ruler, the French built a fort on the river, which became their main trading post in the region and, after the Berlin Conference of 1885, a base for exploring West Africa, and Grand-Bassam was the capital of the French colony of Côte d'Ivoire from 1893 to 1900. A yellow fever epidemic that decimated the town led the administration to move to Bingerville in 1899, though Grand-Bassam stayed a key seaport until Abidjan grew in the 1930s; at independence in 1960 the last offices left for Abidjan, and for years the town was inhabited only by squatters, until from the late 1970s it revived as a tourist and craft centre. In 2012 its historic centre became a World Heritage Site (Wikipedia, Grand-Bassam).

The main sights

• The colonial quarter - the faded French mansions and buildings.
• The National Costume Museum - the museum in an old colonial building.
• The beach - the Atlantic shore and weekend seaside atmosphere.
• The art and craft - the galleries and artisans of the town.

When to go

November to March, the drier season, for the best weather; the town is an easy day trip or overnight from Abidjan, busiest and liveliest at weekends when city-dwellers come for the beach. The historic quarter is best explored slowly on foot, ideally with a guide to bring its colonial history to life.

Good to know

Much of Grand-Bassam's colonial architecture is genuinely crumbling and faded rather than fully restored, which is its melancholy charm for some and neglect for others, and the beach, while pleasant, has strong currents and is more atmospheric than pristine. As an evocative, UNESCO-listed relic of the colonial past by the sea, with its faded grandeur and artistic life, though, Grand-Bassam is a rewarding and atmospheric visit.

Nearby

The economic capital Abidjan and the eastern coast are close by.

Key facts