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Archipelago of Quebec, Canada
Photo: Isabelle Cliche, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Quebec's Îles-de-la-Madeleine (occasionally Magdalen Islands) are an island chain in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, off the coast of Prince Edward Island and the Gaspé Peninsula. Acadian culture is strong and vibrant in this mostly-francophone region.
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La Grave historic site
The first community on the island began as a fisheries village where the fish was dried, salted and packed. It was largely deserted by the 1960s and many buildings were abandoned as economic activity shifted to Cap-aux-Meules. Preservation efforts began in the 1980s. The historic district was restored to house a collection of artisans, boutiques and a marina. The former general store is now the Café de la Grave.
Museum of the Sea
Permanent exhibition on the « Laboureurs du Golfe », temporary exhibits on different themes, works of local artists, genealogical documentation.
Kitesurfing, mountain biking, sea kayak, snow kite, buggy and equipment rental.
The one local cinéma, all films shown in French. A&W (hamburgers) and Subway (sandwiches) with Wi-Fi in the same building.
Marine excursions to Entry Island, Brion Island and Bird Rock. Caves and cliffs, lagoon and seals, fishing trips and expeditions.
Kayak instruction and rentals, kids camp and French-language immersion, bird and seal watching. Rooms and campsites for rent, cafeteria.
Kitesurfing lessons.
Bicycle rental, clothing and accessories, activities.
Bakery with fresh baked bread, cookies, pies; coffee; hot food, prepared meals and some grocery items.
Upscale restaurant with wi-fi.
Seafood,
(Shelter from the storm)
Microbrewery and brew pub, patio and dining room. Beer is bottled here for sale in most restaurants, grocers and corner stores throughout the islands. Their beers, made from local ingredients, are very good: rousse (red), blonde (pale), blanche (wheat beer), noire (milk stout) and some special brews. "Belle Saison" is a lager flavoured with herbs and flowers from the islands.
Popular restaurant-café-bar, good food, service variable. Bistro near the port in Cap-aux-Meules. Dine, buy a drink or a coffee and watch live entertainment.
Reasonable, laid back, superb little café-bar in the historic port of La Grave in Havre-Aubert. Warm atmosphere, taste great food or just go for a coffee or a beer in the afternoon.
Le Moulière restaurant, Chez Gaspard event space and bar. Twelve-room hotel with Wi-Fi, breakfast, in-room fridge. Dining hall for 105 people, meeting facility for up to 200.
Restaurant-bistro at the Havre-aux-Maisons marina.
Village Inn
Four rooms in the inn and eight motel rooms with kitchenette, 1km from la plage de l'Hôpital. Continental breakfast included. 2 stars.
120-room hotel on the sea, 3 km from la plage de l'Hôpital. Isle Margaulx restaurant on site, meeting rooms, accessible for disabled people, full breakfast included. 3 stars. Various packages offered, including the observation of whitecoat baby seals.
Eight bedrooms and three studios. Located 0.1 km from the beach (la plage de l'Ouest). Full breakfast included. 3 stars. One September package includes spa and sauna access; rates from $120 in shoulder season and $110 off-season. On Facebook.
Seasonal (Jul-Aug). Four rooms, two with private bath. Bicycle rental ($20/day), guided and unguided bike tours. Substantial penalties for reservation cancellations.
Campground, cabins, hostel (formerly HI-Îles-de-la-Madeleine). Beachfront park, sailing, sea kayaking, equipment rental. Wi-fi, continental breakfast. Extra charge for laundry. June 1-mid Sept.
Groups 17 local artists, artisans and galleries. Signage identifies the individual vendors and work as locally-made.
Creations from the sea since 1981; various artisanal and artistic objects created with the sand of the Islands and other materials, workshops.
Storefront promoting a group of thirty local food and agricultural producers; various local foods sold in souvenir, assortment or "gift box" packaging. A music listening station promotes local Madelinot musicians in collaboration with la Corporation Arrimage, who run the local "Circuit arts..." promotion.
Local cheese factory. A 90-minute guided tour (10:30-12:00, $15/person, kids $5, maximum 15 people) is offered most days from mid-June to end-September; visit a dairy farm, stop by the factory to learn how the cheese is made and sample the finished product.
Small shopping centre with a few shops, a Hart discount department store, and a grocery store.
While each island is quite small, the distances between them along the connecting dunes are greater and these areas are isolated. Cycling is possible, scooters can be rented, as can automobiles.
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Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine · Regional · YGR
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