Ébrié Lagoon, Coastal lagoon in Abidjan, Ivory Coast

The Ébrié Lagoon is a 130 km brackish lagoon running east-west along the Ivory Coast, separated from the Atlantic by a narrow sand strip and linked to the sea by the Vridi Canal, opened in 1950. It averages 4 to 5 m deep, reaches 20 m, and covers about 560 km², with a maximum width of 7 km. The Komoé, Agnéby and Mé rivers feed it, and Abidjan, Grand-Bassam, Bingerville, Jacqueville and Dabou line its shores; four bridges cross it, including the Philippe-Yacé bridge near Jacqueville.

In the 19th century the lagoon's economy centred on palm oil, with four ethnic groups dividing production, trade and fishing. The Vridi Canal, opened as a navigable channel in 1950, linked the lagoon to the Atlantic and allowed the port of Abidjan to reach the ocean. The Asagni Canal between the Grand-Lahou lagoon and western Ébrié was dug from 1912 to 1918.

The lagoon serves as a vital workplace for fishing families and local communities living along its shores. Daily activity revolves around boats coming and going, with fresh catches displayed and processed at the water's edge.

The best time to visit is in the morning when fishing boats are being prepared and the water is calm. You can access the lagoon from several points along the coastal towns that surround it.

Rare African manatees inhabit the waters, hiding among the vegetation along the shore. These remarkable animals are seldom seen but reveal the hidden diversity that this ecosystem sustains.