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GRAND POPO TOWN-BENIN REPUBLIC

Written by @Beninfo24/7

 

GRAND POPO TOWN -BENIN REPUBLIC

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS BLESSED TOWN


Grand-Popo town – Benin Republic is a town, arrondissement, and commune in the Mono Department of south-western Benin. The commune covers an area of ​​289 square kilometers and as of the 2013 Census had a population of 57,490 people.

grand popo town

The town grew around the slave trade, but coastal erosion has now destroyed most of the old town. The town is now a center for voodoo and home to a Finnish – African cultural center, Villa Karo.

Grand Popo, due to its location between the sea and the Mono River, is also the ideal place to take a pirogue ride in the mangroves or watch the return of fishermen! Finally. The town’s main industry is fishing.

Grand Popo is a wonderful beach town in which to spend a few tranquil days. The village has plenty going on at the weekend when Cotonou residents come to decompress. Let yourself be tempted like the townspeople of Cotonou or Lomé by its magnificent sandy beaches bordered by coconut palms

 

 

The town inspired the name of the French electronic music duo Grand Popo Football Club, as well as the name of the iPad application creator Grand Popo LLC.

 

HISTORY OF GRAND POPO

grand popo town

The history of Grand-Popo relates to the Mono River estuary of the Bight of Benin and its surrounding areas. The present-day Grand-Popo District extends to the west as a sea-river lane to the Togo border. Just across the border is also the historic city ​​of Togo, Aného, formerly known as Little Popo, Klein Popo, or Petit-Popo, depending on the speaker’s language. Located east of Grand-Popo, where the Mono river joins the Gulf of Benin is called the “Bouche du Roi” (“the King’s mouth”). The narrow peninsula on the Gulf of Benin separates the chain of tributaries and lagoons flowing from the Mono river, stretching westward from Little Popo to the historic city of Ouidah. Depending on the amount of water, it was an important transport route in the region. To the northeast of “Bouche du Roi” is a rugged area formed by marshes, rivers, and lakes that protected the area against external enemies.

The Kingdom of Grand-Popo in Benin was not originally a united kingdom, but a collection of several villages with a sandy ravine that separated the lagoon from the sea. The center of Grand-Popo, Gbebco, was once located about 6.4 kilometers west of Bouche du Roi. Carrefour, the highway junction where the village center is now located, is 17 kilometers from the mouth of the river. On the other side of the lagoon is Hevé, which was originally a harbor area. Agbanaken was the king’s residence and capital. It was on the western bank of the Mono River, where the river expands into a lagoon. Agbanaken is located beyond the border of what is now Togo.

 

POPULAR RELIGIONS IN GRAND POPO-BENIN REPUBLIC

One of the early depictions of Europeans said of the settlement of the Grand Popo area: “A village where blacks have a white flag”.

grand popo town

Three Spanish Capuchin missionaries visited Grand-Popo in 1660-61. In the 19th century, Methodist missionaries became active on the Slave Coast, and in the 1840s and 50s missionary, stations were established in Little-Popo, Glidji, Agouée, and Grand-Popo town. At the same time, Catholic missionaries also came to the area. To their surprise, they noticed that there was already a significant Catholic community on the coast. They were known as “Brazilians”, or Agudas, who were Africans, often former slaves, who had lived in Brazil. About 4,000 of them had emigrated to the Gulf of Benin by the mid-19th century. They spoke Portuguese, practiced the Catholic religion, and used Brazilian names.

 

FISHING IN GRAND POPO TOWN -BENIN REPUBLIC

grand popo town

The economy of the Hula community was based on fishing and salt production. In addition to fish, crabs, shrimps, and oysters were also obtained. The fish were dried and shipped inland. Although the word hula means sea, they had no interest or technology in sea fishing. The lagoon and river were rich in fish. Sea fishing was not introduced until the 19th century. In some seasons, seawater also extended to the lagoons, when the water became saline, offering sea fish as well. Fishing equipment included canoe nets, fishing nets made of cotton twine and basket weaves, and later various spears, trawl nets and fishing rods, as well as hand fishing.

AGRICULTURE AND LIVESTOCK IN GRAND POPO TOWN – BENIN REPUBLIC

grand popo town

The nature of Grand-Popo town was poorly suited to agriculture and there were few tools. In the 1840s, yam or manioc, cotton and indigo were grown in the area. The corn was the main course of the Grandpopeans, along with the fish. The area is further growing sweet potato, ruokabanaania, banana, lablab bean- ( lablab purpureus ) and lentils, okra, shallots, cashew nuts, peanuts, pumpkins, pineapples, lime, and ginger. Pepper and oil palms grew in the area and by the 19th century, they were cultivated. Most of the crops came from outside Africa and originated during the transatlantic slave trade. Most of them came from the Americas.

Millet was grown, but by the early 20th century it was used only for ritual purposes until it was replaced by corn. Corn became an important crop from the 1780s onwards, yielding at least two crops in two rainy seasons.

From the late 18th century to the 1800s, Little-Popo and its neighbor, Ewe, had chickens, ducks, turkeys, goats, sheep, pigs, and cattle. Livestock farming was in Little-Popo in the 1840s in the Francisco Felix de Souza family quarter. With Europeans, demand for meat increased, but only the richest Africans could afford to keep cows.

PALM OIL REPLACES THE SLAVE TRADE -Grand Popo Town Benin Republic

grand popo town

Palm oil was exported from West Africa sometime before the 19th century. Broader exports of palm oil in the 1830s were started by the English company Messrs WB Hutton & Sons in London. Captain John Marman founded the company factory in 1836 in Little Popo, which was supplying palm oil, corn, and ivory. The Hutton factory expanded in 1838 to Ouidah and 1842 to Badgary (a coastal city in the present state of Lagos, Nigeria). The Ouidah plant was based on an arrangement made the previous year, in which Francisco Félix de Souza promised to supply Marmann with palm oil because of the poor condition of the slave trade. The Ouidah factory was destroyed in 1841 by a British cruiser.

 

Colonization-Grand popo Town  Benin Republic

Before colonialism, the international relations of Africa and Africans, especially with Europe, mainly traded relations. By the beginning of the 20th century, relationships changed from trade and exchange to control and subjugation. Europe’s conflicts of interest over African territories and the ensuing clashes of European powers led to the Berlin Conference in 1884 and 1885. There were no delegations from Africa, but it divided Africa among the European powers. The aspirations of the participants were expansionism and the economic benefits of non-European territories

grand popo town

The economic and political situation in the Slave Coast was influenced by the situation in the 1870s. Three colonial powers, England, France, and Germany competed in the division of Africa. Britain expanded its influence on the Western Slave Coast in the mid-19th century. Under the guise of anti-slave trade, the bombing of Lagos in 1851 and its incorporation into the English Protectorate, ten years later, took place. Britain closed the Slave Coast ports in 1852. The British annexed the Gold Coast Anson area (now southern Togo) as a colony in 1872. Under pressure from the King of Dahomey, the British enforced the entire Slave Coast shut down from 1876 to 1877. Due to the heavy-duty imposed on spirits and other imported goods in the Anlo area, merchants moved east. Smuggling into British territory became more common. To stop it, the British extended their territories eastward.

TOURIST ATTRACTION IN GRAND POPO TOWN-BENIN REPUBLIC

grand popo town

Grand Popo is a small place in Benin and can be easily explored within a day. There aren’t many things to do and attractions to visit in this town. Also, being a small town, there are fewer accommodation options. People usually consider making a quick stop here before heading to the neighboring cities. You can halt here for a quick snack and take a little break from your journey.

You can check out the list of the cities near Grand Popo and find out the top things to do in these towns. So, the next time you are in Grand Popo, you can decide which neighboring city to visit for a memorable trip.

 BEAUTIFUL HOTELS AVAILABLE IN GRAND POPO TOWN -BENIN REPUBLIC

-Auberge de Grand Popo- Benin Republic

grand popo town

Auberge de Grand popo is located in Grand-Popo, 600 m from Finno-Africain Villa Karo Cultural Centre, Auberge de Grand Popo provides accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, an outdoor swimming pool and a bar. With a garden, the property also features a private beach area, as well as a terrace. The accommodation features evening entertainment and free WiFi.

At the hotel each room is equipped with a desk and a private bathroom.

A continental breakfast is available daily at Auberge de Grand Popo.

Couples particularly like the location — they rated it 9.0 for a two-person trip.

We speak your language!

Auberge de Grand Popo has been welcoming Booking.com guests since 23 Feb 2015.

Availability of popular facilities such as swimming pool, bar, beachfront, and private beach area

Also, this property offer currency exchange of your local currency on site.

Outdoors: Beachfront, Sun terrace, Private beach area, Terrace, Garden

 

Pets: Free! Pets are allowed. No extra charges.

 

Activities: Beach, Evening entertainment,

 

Food & Drink: Breakfast in the room, Bar, Restaurant,

 

Internet:
  • Free! WiFi is available in public areas and is free of charge.
Parking
  • Free!Free private parking is possible on site (reservation is not needed).

 

Services: Shuttle service, Airport shuttle (additional charge), Shuttle service (additional charge), Luggage storage, Gift shop, Currency exchange, Laundry Additional charge,

 

Safety & security

  • Safety deposit box

 

General
  • Air conditioning
  • Family rooms

-Hotel Village Vacances Awale Plage- Grand popo-Benin Republic

grand popo town

Hotel Village Vacances Awale Plage is located in Grand-Popo town, 5 km from Finno-Africain Villa Karo Cultural Centre, Hotel Village Vacances Awale Plage provides accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, a bar and a shared lounge. This 3-star hotel offers a private beach area and room service. The hotel features an outdoor swimming pool, evening entertainment and a 24-hour front desk.

At the hotel, every room is equipped with a patio. With a private bathroom equipped with a shower and free toiletries, rooms at Hotel Village Vacances Awale Plage also provide guests with free WiFi.

The accommodation offers a continental or à la carte breakfast.

Hotel Village Vacances Awale Plage offers a children’s playground. Activities such as hiking, cycling, fishing can be enjoyed in the surroundings, and guests can relax along the beachfront.

Couples particularly like the location — they rated it 8.9 for a two-person trip.

We speak your language!

Availability of popular facilities such as swimming pool, bar, beachfront, and private beach area.

grand popo town

Outdoors: Outdoor furniture, Beachfront, Sun terrace, Private beach area, Terrace, Garden.

 

Pets
  • Free!Pets are allowed. No extra charges.

 

Activities: Tour or class about local culture additional charge, Themed dinner nights Additional charge, Walking tours, Temporary art galleries, Beach, Evening entertainment, Cycling, Hiking, Children’s playground, Games room,  Fishing.

 

Food & Drink; On-site coffee house, Chocolate or cookies Additional charge, Fruits Additional charge, Bottle of water Additional charge, Wine/champagne Additional charge, Kid meals, Special diet menus (on request), Snack bar, Breakfast in the room, Bar, and Restaurant.

 

Internet: Free! WiFi is available in public areas and is free of charge.

Parking: Free! Free private parking is possible on site (reservation is not needed), Parking garage,  Secured parking.

 

Reception  services: Private check-in/check-out, Luggage storage, Tour desk, Currency exchange, 24-hour front desk,

 

Cleaning services: Daily housekeeping, Laundry Additional charge,

 

Business facilities: Meeting/banquet facilities Additional charge

 

Safety & security
  • CCTV outside property
  • 24-hour security
  • Safety deposit box

 

General: Shuttle service, Shared lounge/TV area, Airport shuttle (additional charge), Airport shuttle (free), Shuttle service (additional charge), Air conditioning, Shops (on-site), Car hire, Packed lunches, Soundproof rooms, Gift shop, Bridal suite, Family rooms, Facilities for disabled guests, Room service.

Wellness: Sun loungers or beach chairs, Pool/beach towels, Solarium,

 

 Pool 1 – outdoor
  • Free! All pools are free of charge
  • Pool/beach towels
  • Sun loungers or beach chairs

 

Safety features
  • First aid kit available
  • Process in place to check the health of guests
  • Hand sanitizer in guest accommodation and key areas
  • Shared stationery such as printed menus, magazines, pens, and paper removed
  • Staff follow all safety protocols as directed by local authorities

 

Physical distancing
  • Physical distancing rules followed
  • Cashless payment available
  • Contactless check-in/check-out

 

Cleanliness & disinfecting
  • Guests have the option to cancel any cleaning services for their accommodation during their stay
  • Guest accommodation sealed after cleaning
  • Guest accommodation is disinfected between stays
  • Linens, towels, and laundry washed in accordance with local authority guidelines
  • Use of cleaning chemicals that are effective against Coronavirus

 

Food & drink safety
  • Delivered food is securely covered
  • Breakfast takeaway containers
  • Food can be delivered to guest accommodation
  • Physical distancing in dining areas

 

Languages spoken
  • English
  • French

-Résidence SAHOTY Hotel -Grand Popo Town-Benin Republic

grand popo town

Residence SAHOTY is set in Grand-Popo, 1.1 km from Finno-Africain Villa Karo Cultural Centre, Résidence SAHOTY offers accommodation with a shared lounge, free private parking, a garden and barbecue facilities. The property provides pool views, a children’s playground, a 24-hour front desk, and free WiFi is available.

All guest rooms come with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a fridge, a kettle, a shower, a hairdryer, and a wardrobe. At the guest house, all rooms have a private bathroom with free toiletries.

Résidence SAHOTY offers an indoor pool. You can play table tennis at the accommodation, and car hire is available.

Résidence SAHOTY has been welcoming Booking.com guests since 29 May 2018.

Most popular facilities in Residence SAHOTY  Hotel

1 swimming pool

Tea/coffee maker in all rooms

Beachfront

Bathroom
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels
  • Towels/sheets (extra fee)
  • Bath or shower
  • Private bathroom
  • Toilet
  • Free toiletries
  • Hairdryer
  • Shower

 

Bedroom
  • Linen
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Extra-long beds (> 2 meters)

 

View
  • Pool view
  • Garden view
  • Sea view

 

Outdoors
  • Picnic area
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Outdoor dining area
  • Terrace
  • Sun terrace
  • Private pool
  • BBQ facilities
  • Balcony
  • Terrace
  • Garden

 

Kitchen

grand popo town

  • Dining table
  • Cleaning products
  • Stovetop
  • Kitchenware
  • Electric kettle
  • Refrigerator

 

Room Amenities

grand popo town

  • Socket near the bed
  • Drying rack for clothing
  • Clothes rack

 

Pets

grand popo town

  • Pets are not allowed.

 

Activities
  • Tour or class about local culture additional charge
  • Walking tours
  • Beach
  • Badminton equipment
  • Beachfront
  • Library
  • Table tennis
  • Children’s playground
  • Games room

 

Living Area

grand popo town

  • Dining area
  • Sofa
  • Seating Area

 

Media & Technology
  • Flat-screen TV
  • Cable channels
  • Satellite channels
  • TV

 

Food & Drink
  • Bottle of water
  • Tea/Coffee maker

 

Internet
  • Free!WiFi is available in public areas and is free of charge.
Parking
  • Free! Free private parking is possible on site (reservation is needed).
  • Parking garage
  • Street parking
  • Secured parking

grand popo town

Transport
  • Airport drop off Additional charge
  • Airport pick up Additional charge

 

Services
  • Shared lounge/TV area

 

Reception services
  • 24-hour front desk

 

Entertainment and family services
  • Children television networks
  • Kids’ outdoor play equipment
  • Board games/puzzles
  • Board games/puzzles

 

Safety & security
  • Fire extinguishers
  • 24-hour security

 

General
  • Shuttle service
  • Airport shuttle (additional charge)
  • Shuttle service (additional charge)
  • Air conditioning
  • Non-smoking throughout
  • Tile/marble floor
  • Soundproofing
  • Private entrance
  • Car hire
  • Fan
  • Ironing facilities
  • Non-smoking rooms
  • Iron
  • Air conditioning

10 Unbelievable places to go while you take a trip-visit to the Republic of Benin

Wellness
  • Sun umbrellas

 

 Pool 1 – indoor
  • Free! All pools are free of charge
  • Open all year
  • Adult only  cv

-Ramaya L’Auberge Espagnole Hotel-Grand Popo.

grand popo town

Want to discover Benin? Communicating with its populations? Start at RAMAYA: the Spanish Inn of Grand-Popo. In Grand-Popo, an exceptional idyllic setting awaits you to discover the potential of a country that is becoming more and more in the world. Our rooms are suitable for your need. For your hiking, original means of transport, like bikes to contribute to the protection of the environment.

Property Amenities Available In Ramaya L’ Auberge Espagnole Hotel

Free parking

Free High-Speed Internet (WiFi)

Bar / lounge

Beach

Bicycle rental

Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)

Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )

Car hire

Air conditioning

 

Contact and address

Onkihoue en Face de l’Eglise Pentecote de Grand-Popo, Grand Popo Benin

Nearby restaurants

Boca del Rio

Nearby attractions

Villa Karo

LANGUAGES SPOKEN
English, French, Spanis

-Hotel Paramondo-Grand Popo

grand popo town

Set in Cotonou, 13 km from DRC Embassy, Hotel Paramondo offers accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, a bar, and a terrace. The property is located 13 km from Angola Embassy, 16 km from UNDP Office, and 23 km from Congo Embassy.

Contact

Godomey Togoudo, Route de Lita, Abomey-Calavi Benin

 

Nearby restaurants

La cabane du pecheur(Seafood)

 Jaaba – Grill & Bar (African)

Les Nouveaux Alizes(African)
Wado-  Seafood

 

 

Nearby attractions

Jammin

SITE ATTRACTION IN GRAND POPO TOWN-BENIN REPUBLIC 

-VILLA KARO

Villa Karo is a Finnish-African culture center and artist residence in the coastal village of Grand-Popo, Benin Republic. Its task is to build a bridge between Finnish and African artists and cultural figures. The primary task is to offer a possibility to reside in Africa for Finnish artists, researchers, teachers, and other professionals in cultural and social fields. In addition, African professionals in culture are encouraged to visit Finland.

Periods for application into residence are twice in a year. The fall residencies applications are due on 15 March, and for the spring residencies, applications are due on 15 September.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GRAND POPO

HISTORY OF VILLA KARO GRAND POPO-BENIN REPUBLIC

Villa_Karo_front

When writer Juha Vakkuri traveled in the region in the 1990s´, he fell in the idea of establishing a cultural center into Grand-Popo. He set up a non-profit organization to promote the idea. The name Villa Karo derives from the deceased son Karo of Juha Vakkuri.

STUDENT ACCOMMODATION IN BENIN REPUBLIC

The hearth of the center is a colonial, Afro-Brazilian style old hospital that was renovated into the main building. It was opened in 2000. The site was selected because Grand-Popo, a tranquil fishing village offers a good set for creating. Benin is one of the most stable and democratic countries in the continent.

VILLA KARO LIBRARY:

grand popo town

There is a public library in Villa Karo, which includes about 3.000 volumes of literature in Finnish, French, English, and Swedish.

ACTIVITIES DONE IN VILLA KARO:

Villa Karo offers the following free cultural services for local people and visitors.

Musée Karo In Villa KaroA small museum was opened in 2001, where art and objects related to West African culture and Animist religion are displayed. The museum collection reflects both influences of European culture in Africa, understanding of Europeans of Africa, and reflections of African culture in Europe.

grand popo town

A new museum Musée Karo was opened in 2015 in the former bank of the village.

THINGS TO DO IN GRAND POPO TOWN-BENIN REPUBLIC

BAKOLO TOUR

There are several interesting and engaging things that can be done in Grand Popo Town. You can take a tour of Villa Karo or even a tour of Bakolo.

Here is a brief review from JEFF who experience “Bakolo tour” as he had a fascinating holiday in Benin.

grand popo town

“I had a fantastic holiday in Benin and Togo with ‘Bakolo Tours’. I wanted to explore both countries, see the interesting sights, and to learn more about the Voodoo religion. My tour guide (Julien Bavi) made sure my trip was tailored to my interests and was friendly and professional throughout.

The highlights of my trip included: participating in authentic voodoo rituals and initiations; visiting a voodoo market; going on a boat trip on the Mono River on a pirogue boat; visiting the Temple of Pythons; exploring the Sacred Forest and learning about the slave trade through traveling the slave route.

If you want to have an interesting cultural experience, then I strongly recommend using ‘Bakolo Tours’ as your tour company.”

 

About the author

@Beninfo24/7

www.beninfo247.com Is a Benin Republic information portal dedicated to providing relevant information to
all to Africa and the world about the coastal city of republic of Benin. www.beninfo247.com also know as Benin Info publish information on all aspects of Benin Republic such as politics, sports, education, lifestyle, places,travel business, carrier opportunities, entertainment, people and culture etc.

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