Franceville

Franceville is one of the four largest cities in Gabon, located on the Mpassa River and at the end of the Trans-Gabon Railway and the N3 road. It arose from a village called Masuku when Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza chose it to resettle former slaves. The city was then called Franceville.

The town has a Church of St Hilaire (built-in 1899), a large statue of President Omar Bongo, a primate medical research institute, and a golf course. Its airport is 20 km to the west, in Mvengué.

There is a market where you can buy many items, including clothing, fruits and vegetables, electronics, and meat. The market also sells bush meat, including African rock pythons, monkeys, and local species of animals.

Franceville's infrastructure is generally of better quality than the rest of the country, largely probably due to the city's importance. There are a few hotels, the most famous of which is the Hôtel Poubara, which overlooks the President's vacation home.

Franceville also has many waterfalls. One of the best known is the Poubara Falls, located alongside a hydroelectric power station that supplies uninterrupted electricity to the area. President Omar Bongo was interred in Franceville on June 18, 2009.

Location: Mpassa River, Gabon