By Philip Briggs, photographs by Ariadne van Zandbergen
WHY VISIT?
Politically stable, not quite six hours by air from Paris and blessed with an idyllic Atlantic coastline and long dry season that starts in November, Senegal has long been a go-to destination for French sun-seekers taking refuge from the chilly European winter. But, as evidenced by a tally of seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, this culturally and ecologically diverse country offers far more than a stock beach holiday. Contrasting with the heady modernity of Dakar (a city sometimes dubbed the Paris of Africa) are the time-warped Île de Gorée and ancient megaliths of Sine Ngayène. And while wildlife viewing doesn’t compare to East or southern Africa, a network of national parks protects more than 650 bird species, from colourful parrots, rollers and bee-eaters to the millions of migrant waterbirds that settle seasonally at Djoudj.