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As a peninsula La Perouse has water views on both sides, with the pretty little Frenchman's Bay on the inside and a great spot for a swim. The ocean side is rough and wild, best left for the rock fishermen. It all sounds very French around here. You see, the area is named after the French navigator Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse (now that' a name) who landed on this the northern shore of Botany Bay in 1788.
Laperouse landed only about 8 days after the first fleet of convicts arrived in Australia from Britain. Not that the French were coming to 'claim' Australia or anything, but it is interesting to imagine Australia today as colonized by the French and not the English. We'd all likely be a bit more stylish with more developed taste buds, but maybe not quite as cordial!
As a day trip, Laperouse is well worth a visit. It is only 20 minutes from the CBD but like many parts of Sydney, feels a long way from big building and hustle and bustle once you're there. Sydney's main airport, Mascot is across the bay and it is fun to watch the big birds coming and going.
The other great attraction at Laperouse for over a hundred years was the famous snake man and snake pits. Up until very recently, the same family of snake handlers held daily shows in a simple little grass pit up there. No fees, just a hat passed around after the show. One could see all types of safe and not so safe snakes on display. Great fun and very educational. But it all ended a few years back when the last of the family retired without an heir apparent. Maybe someone will step into these scaly shoes one day and revive this great tradition.
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