CFAO stands for the Compagnie Française de l'Afrique Occidentale, a big French trading company that built warehouses and shops across West Africa from the late nineteenth century, and its building at Albreda is the last layer of commerce in a place with many. By the time it was built, the slave trade was over, the French had given up the enclave to the British, and the money was in groundnuts, rubber and imported cloth, tinned goods and tools. The company's staff bought the crops from the farmers, graded them and loaded them on to river steamers, and in return sold a range of European goods, so the building was both a shop and a depot.
The structure is a straightforward colonial warehouse with thick walls and a veranda, standing on a low rise near the river. It has been partly restored as part of the heritage area, and its tall doors and shuttered windows give a sense of the heat and routine of the old trading day. Together with the other buildings at Albreda, it forms a small ensemble that shows how the Europeans lived and worked, from the earliest forts to the last trading houses, and it is one of the reasons the area is listed as a World Heritage site.
The village around it is peaceful, with sandy streets, shade trees and the sound of the river. Boats leave from the landing for the island, and local guides explain the history with the aid of a small museum, where displays include the chains and trade goods that tell the harsher side of the story. Every other year in the Gambia, the Roots Festival brings visitors, many of them from the African diaspora, to the village, and the atmosphere is both celebratory and reflective.
Reaching Albreda by motorcycle means crossing the river from Banjul to Barra by ferry, which can mean a long wait, especially at peak times, and then riding east on a flat, patched road through farms and villages. Animals on the road, minibuses stopping without warning and potholes are the main risks, and riding after dark is unwise. Fuel is sold at Barra and Essau, and cash is needed everywhere, as cards are rarely accepted. The nearest larger town, Lamin, is about six kilometres away, and the best months to travel are between November and March.