I visited Quebec's REMOTE Magdalan Islands (Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine) in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence

Far off the coast of mainland Quebec lies a secretive and hidden island paradise that is one of the true gems of La Belle Province. Tucked into the heart of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, halfway between Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island, the stunning archipelago of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine (the Magdalen Islands) are truly not to be missed. These are the Quebec Maritimes, far from the hustle and energy of Montreal and Quebec City, home to a rich Acadian heritage and some of the oldest Francophone communities in North America.
Imagine a place where rolling sand hills meet azure Atlantic waters; an island with towering red cliffs that spill down to red sand beaches. Here, roads are flanked on both sides by the crashing sea, with narrow spits of sand connecting the archipelago's six inhabited islands. On those islands you'll find welcoming Quebecois Acadian hospitality, offering some of the best local gastronomy this side of France; artisinal fromageries (cheese factories), fumoirs (fish smokeries), and brasseries (breweries) can be found everywhere, along with some of the freshest seafood in the Maritimes. Beyond filling your belly, the island is replete with amazing beaches (the best in Canada!) and some of the most incredible and accessible coastal hiking opportunities in the nation, along with several historic lighthouses.
In this video, I begin my journey around this amazing archipelago with a tour of the central and southern islands of Cap-aux-Meules, Havre-Aubert, and Havre-aux-Maisons. Come along with me as I take you to the historic Acadian fishing settlement of La Grave for a cappucino at the quaint Cafe de la Grave, visit the Fromagerie Pied-du-Vent for some local cheese, try some smoked herring at Fumoir D'Antan, and try some of the best microbrews on the island at Microbrasserie À l'abri de la Tempête. I also take you to the Phare Borgot and Phare Cap-Alright lighthouses, as well as check out some of the rugged red cliffs at Belle Anse & the Plage Dune de Sud beach. This vibrant destination is truly not to be missed, and I hope you'll put it on your travel bucket list!
00:00 Intro
00:57 Saint-Pierre-de-La Vernière Church
01:57 La Grave, Havre-Aubert
04:04 Cafe de La Grave
05:19 Plage L'Anse a la Cabane Beach
06:17 Havre-aux-Maisons gastronomy
08:31 Phare Cap Alright Lighthouse
09:22 Plage Dune de Sud Beach
10:05 Gampy's Lobster Roll
10:35 Plage du Nord Beach
11:18 Cap-aux-Meules viewpoint
11:48 Belle Anse (red cliffs)
15:00 Phare Borgot Lighthouse
16:53 Gourmande de Nature boutique
17:28 La Cote de L'Etang du Nord tourist village
18:17 Cafe d'Ete
18:58 Plage Corfu Beach & shipwrecks
19:44 À l'abri de la Tempête (brewery)
21:08 Outro
Episode 193 | #canada #Quebec | #magdalenislands | Filmed September 2023
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This video has been brought to you by the following sponsors:
Tourism Quebec Maritime - www.quebecmaritime.ca/
Auberge La Salicorne - www.salicorne.ca
Download the following music used in this episode with a free trial of Epidemic Sound! (www.epidemicsound.com/referra...)
Future Vibes by Qeeo
A Calming Ocean, a Common Notion by Staffan Carlen
Perfect Shimmer by Dip Diet
Mes Jolies by Trabant 33
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[@dominic.a5972]

I’m from Montreal and Les Îles de la Madeleine have become my #1 vacation destination for the past few years! Although the tour has obviously brought you to some nice spots, I highly recommend taking a full week-long retreat there to explore the archipelago on your own, so much to discover! Cheers

[@DrifterDave]

I would have loved to explore for a full week! This was a press trip, so I was working with the local tourism board and discovering the island on a set schedule. But, I definitely would love to come back and discover it on a longer trip sometime in the future - beautiful archipelago!

[@thekttravelshow0001]

Excellent and very informative video, well constructed, all in all an enjoyable watch. thanks for uploading.

[@DrifterDave]

You are more than welcome! It's a beautiful destination 🙏

[@KrenWenzelMage]

Enjoy your content. Have you ever considered going to the Haida Gwaii / Queen Charlotte Islands. They seem fascinatingly remote, however im finding it hard to access any information on the islands.

[@DrifterDave]

I visited in 2017, just before I became a vlogger! I wish I had filmed it as it’s an incredible part of Canada - now you’re making me think I need to head back there and film it! 👍

[@desiderataification]

Dave do you use Aeroplan to get to these far out Canadian places?

[@DrifterDave]

Sometimes! For this trip, I took the ferry from Prince Edward Island (check out last week’s video for that journey) and flew Air Canada to Montreal using Aeroplan on the way out (next week’s video) 👍 It was 9000 Aeroplan miles plus $9 taxes from the Magdalen Islands to Montreal, so not bad!

[@lisaarca1555]

Do Canadians not learn french in school? It hurts if you try to pronounce french words….

[@DrifterDave]

No, we don’t learn French. It’s technically mandatory until Grade 6, but I don’t remember a single class. And I don’t know a soul who speaks French where I live in Western Canada. Very few Western Canadians are bilingual as we are a half a continent away from any French influence. As for my pronunciation - be nice. At least I’m trying, rather than insisting on translating everything to English like many others would do 👍