Vieux Bourg is the old quarter of Kourou, hugging the rivermouth where the Kourou River meets the Atlantic. It predates the space centre era and has a noticeably different character from the grid-planned districts built to house ESA contractors: older houses, a working waterfront, and the kind of informal commercial life that the newer parts of town lack.
The fish market here operates every morning except Sunday — it's small but lively, and the catch is brought in directly from the coast. The dock at the end of Vieux Bourg is also where the boats to the Îles du Salut depart, so if you're making the crossing you'll pass through regardless. In the evenings the quarter picks up: there are bars and small restaurants scattered along the waterfront, and it's the part of town most likely to have something happening on a Friday night.