Grand-Bassam, Colonial town in southeastern Ivory Coast.
Grand-Bassam stretches along the Ébrié Lagoon, divided into the historic French quarter with colonial buildings and the commercial center of Nouveau Bassam. Both areas form a single town with distinctly different characters and purposes.
The French established Fort Nemours in 1843, making the area the first capital of Ivory Coast. A yellow fever outbreak in 1899 forced the government to relocate elsewhere.
The National Museum of Costume displays traditional Ivorian textiles, while local markets show handcrafted goods made by regional artisans.
You can explore both parts of the town through organized walking tours that start at the UNESCO World Heritage center and end at the beach. The best time to visit is during the drier months when the weather is more pleasant.
The N'zima village preserves memories of pre-colonial times through its traditional architecture and practices. This settlement shows how old ways of life continue to exist within the modern town.
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