Following the closing of the Devil’s Island prisons, many of the facilities were demolished or fell into disrepair. In recent years, however, an increase in tourism has spurred restoration of the buildings and landscape to the point where the Îles du Salut has become a real destination. On Royal Island, which was once the administrative headquarters of the prison system, several buildings have been restored, including one that has even been converted into a restaurant and hotel. St. Joseph Island, the final destination for the worst criminals, is still littered with solitary confinement cells and a guards’ cemetery.
