France was the first country to ever lay claim to the Seychelles on the 1st November 1756. Forgotten for thousands of years, isolated and uninhabited except for occasional visits by the Arabs, Portuguese, and of course Pirates hoarding treasure, Seychelles was truly a lost paradise.
Formed during the break up of Gondwanaland, millions of years ago and torn between Africa (including Madagascar) and India, today the granitic islands of the Seychelles share many characteristics of these two distant continents.
The coral islands did not form until several thousand years ago, and many spread as chains of islands and atolls which sit on top of ancient submerged volcanoes.
Such isolation has made the natural environment on the islands as friendly as the people. While one of the world’s rarest birds, the Paradise Fly Catcher, mingles with children, the giant tortoise would command respect and patience whilst crisscrossing the tracks along the beautiful island of La Digue.
Nowhere is the environment more preserved than in the Seychelles. Watching a sea turtle lay its eggs and leave the beach without interruption, is the experience of a lifetime, knowing sadly that in many parts of the world these graceful creatures are still brutally harvested for their meat.
Please do not disturb - Sea turtle laying eggs (Starship)