Ouidah

Start your day in Ouidah, the iconic city of southern Benin, and dive into one of the most poignant chapters in African history: the slave trade. Start with a visit to the former slave market, a symbolic place where once captives were rounded up, sorted and sold before being led to the coast. Then continue along the famous Slave Route, a historic 4-kilometre trail that thousands of men, women and children were forced to travel. At each stage, monuments immerse you in the collective memory: The Tree of Oblivion, around which the slaves were forced to turn in a ritual aimed at erasing their identity; The Tree of Remembrance, a place reserved for women so that they can transmit the memory of their origins; Statues and memorial sites, recalling the pain and dignity of those who have gone through this ordeal.

La Porte Du Non Retour

Located by the sea, the Gate of No Return is one of the most emblematic places in the memory of the slave trade in Benin. An imposing and emotional monument, it marks the last crossing point for slaves before they are forcibly shipped to the Americas. Facing the ocean, it embodies the definitive separation from the homeland, families and roots. Inaugurated in 1995, the gate is decorated with frescoes and symbols that tell the tragic fate of millions of human beings. It is a place of silence, reflection and homage, where every visitor is invited to remember, feel, and meditate on the lessons of history.