The tourist region of the Magdalen Islands

This beautiful island offers unique tourist attractions as well as some attractions that are common to most tourist regions. Some of them are: museums, parks, plays, golf courses, horseback riding, bird watching, hunting, fising, sea cruises, scuba diving and windsurfing.

A pleasant countryside

The landscape of the Magdalen Islands is composed of islands and sand dunes. Magnificient gold beaches contrast with fery red cliffs. The maritime climate offers mild winters and temperate summers. With the longest frost free period in Quebec, it's great for windsurfing, sea kayaking and other nautical sports.

The dozen of islands (the archipelago) that form the Magdalen Islands are located 215 km from the Gaspé Peninsula and spread over 65 km.

The main Islands are:

Grande Entrée

Grosse Île

Wolf Island

House Harbour Island

Grindstone Island

Hamerst Island

Brion Island

Entry Island

Other small Islands and Islets:

The Bird Rock

The Seal Island

The Pigs Island

"Corps Mort" Island

Accommodations

The church below is the second largest wooden church in North America.

The accent of the "Madelinots" is original, surprises the ear and arouses curiosity. After only a few sentences, one is under the charm of this melodious language rooted on ancestral languages. Residents are of Acadian, Quebecois and other origins. The islands beauty and charm enticed some survivors of the numerous ship-wrecks to make this land their home. The hospitality of the islanders is without equal; they like their islands, the people, life and one can feel it! On the islands, the life is more relax, the stress of urban life does not seem to have contaminated this region. A tranquil atmosphere permeates the islands; days fade into the richness of the seasons.

This archipelago has known great isolation in its history. Islanders have developped a deep sense of community and greet each other as they pass on the streets. Isolation has tought islanders to be self-sufficient. Today, fishing, agriculture, poultry farming and salt mining contribute greatly to the local economy. The ever-increasing popularity of the region made tourism its second greatest economic activity.

What also distinguishes the Magdalen Islands is the vivid colours of the houses; brilliant greens, blues and reds among others can be found. Viewed from afar, splashes of colours make one think of immense flowers blooming under the sun’s rays. At first glance, the orientation of the houses is surprising, but they are built to withstand the strong winds that sometimes sweep the islands. The average speed of the wind varies from 17 to 40 km/hour (9 to 22 knots), with predominant by south-westerly in summer and north-westerly in winter.

If you decide to visit the Magdalen Islands, note that they are in the Atlantic time zone (one hour later than in Quebec).