ILE DU HAVRE-AUX-MAISONS, Quebec -- They have the look of the tropics sans palm trees, and a resort's joie de vivre without a trace of attitude. Located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Les Iles de la Madeleine (in English, the Magdalen Islands) are among Quebec's best-kept secrets.
Although vacationing Quebecois have flocked to these islands for years, their remote location -- about 135 miles from the Gaspe Peninsula, 65 miles from Prince Edward Island, and 60 miles from Cape Breton -- means that other travelers often pass up the Magdalens for the more accessible charms of Quebec City and Montreal.
But not for long. Every year brings a steadier trickle of bicyclists, bird-watchers, wind and water sports enthusiasts, and food lovers to charming island villages bright with orange, green, and purple houses.
Visitors hike towering red cliffs, swim off pristine beaches, and enjoy cuisine that compares to the best in Quebec's largest cities, ranging from homey pot-en-pot, a traditional seafood pie, to sophisticated international dishes.
Not surprisingly, seafood -- from lobster to mussels to crab -- dominates. And reflecting the islands' laid-back ambience, dinner in local restaurants is not just a meal but an event, often lasting for hours. Chefs work the room, explaining dishes, recommending wine, and chatting with appreciative diners.
A dozen islands and several small islets comprise the Magdalen Islands. Undulating sandbars, over which roads were constructed in the 1920s, connect six of the islands, giving the 40-mile-long archipelago a half-moon shape. Of the unconnected islands, only one, Ile d'Entree, is inhabited.
Most visitors explore by car or bicycle or on foot, although commercial tours are available. (There are no rental cars.) The mostly French-speaking Madelinots, who number about 14,000, are unfailingly welcoming. Most speak at least a smattering of English, and for 5 percent of the population -- largely of Scottish descent -- English is their first language.
Grosse-Ile: With more than 190 miles of spotless beaches, the Magdalens offer plenty of opportunity for fun in the sun. One of the most popular places for water sports is Grosse-Ile's 6-mile-long Old Harry Beach, the site of walrus hunts throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.
Europeans, who came here to cull the herd for the oil in the animals' dense fat, found basking walruses piled atop one another on the rocks. By 1799, the herd had been wiped out. The beach is peaceful, clean, and family-friendly.
Grosse-Ile is home to most of the Magdalens' English-speaking population. The Little Red School, a museum on the connecting road to the Ile de la Grande-Entree, traces the history of the English settlement.
The Wildlife Reserve of East Point, linking Grosse Ile with Ile de la Grande-Entree, is a prime spot for bird-watching. Guided boat tours take birders past the Rocher aux Oiseaux (bird rock) or to uninhabited Ile Brion, a conservation area. About 200 species of birds live on or migrate through the Magdalens, including the rare piping plover.
Ile de la Grande-Entree: This is the lobster capital of Quebec Province, with 100 lobster boats responsible for more than half the islands' annual catch. The 10-week lobster-fishing season began May 3.
From May through September, visitors to Ile de la Grande-Entree can rent canoes or kayaks at various places on the island, including Club Vacances Les Iles, a nonprofit organization developed to introduce travelers to the islands.
One of the most unusual adventures on the Magdalens begins with a short paddle to Grande-Entree's moist red cliffs, where mud can be scooped out for a facial or full-body mud bath. A snooze in the sun until the mud dries, followed by a rinse in the clear Gulf water, is an exfoliation treatment to rival that of an expensive spa.
In summer throughout the islands gray, harbor, and harp seals appear as if on cue for seal-watching boats and snorkelers. Beginning in late February or early March, for about three weeks, big-eyed white seal pups are born on the ice floes. Helicopter tours to view them have largely replaced the traditional but controversial hunt for their snowy pelts.
Isle du Havre-aux-Maisons: The ancient tradition of smoking herring, which had almost disappeared, has been revived in recent years at L'Fumoir d'Antan, a smokehouse located near the harbor at Pointe Basse, and it once again plays an important role in the island's economy. Guided tours allow visitors to observe various stages of the smoking process. The harbor itself is one of the best spots to photograph the vividly colored houses that help give the islands their jaunty air.
Ile aux Loups: The smallest of the six connected islands, Ile aux Loups is best known for two magnificent beaches that extend to Grosse-Ile. Although the Dune du Nord beach on the west and the Pointe-aux-Loups beach on the east are idyllic spots for picnicking and walking, swimmers must exercise extreme caution. The winds are strong, the tides tend to be high, and the currents can be treacherous. The scenery -- cerulean skies, white sand, blood-red cliffs, and indigo sea -- may make even the most fumble-fingered tourist long for an easel.
Ile du Cap-aux-Meules: The Magdalens' rugged charms attract the young and adventurous, among them a youthful dynamo with a perpetual tan named Eric Marchand who alighted a few years ago in Etang-du-Nord on the western side of Cap-aux-Meules. The former Canadian half-pipe snowboarding champion and world champion in snow sailing runs Aerosport, a recreational tourism company teaching traction kiting. The sport takes advantage of the islands' constant winds, which generally blow between 9 and 22 knots.
Traction kites can be attached to a dune buggy, a specially designed land-surfing board, a kayak, a surfboard, or downhill skis in winter for an unusual -- and literally breathtaking -- way to explore the Magdalens' natural beauty.
The harbor at Etang-du-Nord is packed with fishing boats and ringed with small restaurants and shops selling island crafts. Among the most intriguing is the tea lounge and gallery Le Flaneur, whose owners sell not only tea and pastries but also whimsical handmade dolls in tucked and ruffled garden-party outfits.
The often-photographed cliffs at Belle-Anse, among the most spectacular on the Magdalens, are in Fatima, also on the Ile du Cap-aux-Meules. Here, as elsewhere on the islands, surf has worn away at the cliffs, and hikers must avoid getting too near the edge.
Ile du Havre-Aubert: Every August, sand-castle enthusiasts trek to Ile du Havre-Aubert, the largest island. Teams of seven construct elaborate sculptures using only sand and water. This year's competition is scheduled for Aug. 8-10.
The island's La Grave district is a designated historical site with a distinctive bohemian air. Artists and craftsmen including glassblowers, sculptors, jewelers, potters, and painters work in unpretentious studios. Many incorporate indigenous materials such as shells, sand, alabaster, and sea grass into their work. After hours, La Grave's funky cafes are among the best places to meet Madelinots at play.
Ile d'Entree: Unconnected to the other Magdalen Islands (and not to be confused with Ile de la Grande-Entree), this island offers a glimpse of the traditionally isolated lives of the islanders. About 130 English-speaking citizens live on the tiny island lying 6 miles east of Havre-Aubert. It can be reached by ferry, but once there, visitors must get around on foot or by bicycle. Amenities are limited to a tiny restaurant, a convenience store, and a seasonal B & B. Most visitors come to hike along the cliffs and to enjoy what may be the best views on the islands.
On a recent ferry trip from Souris, Prince Edward Island, a Madelinot returning home addressed passengers straining for their first view of the islands.
"Everyone should have the joy of visiting the Magdalens at least once in a lifetime" he announced cheerfully.
For many visitors, once may not be enough.
Karen Hammond is a freelance writer who lives on the coast of Maine.
How to get there
An Air Canada affiliate, Air Canada Jazz (888-247-2262 or 418-969-2888; www.aircanada.ca), serves the airport on Ile du Havre-aux-Maisons with daily flights from Quebec City, Montreal, and other cities. From Boston, round-trip fare on Air Canada and Air Canada Jazz, connecting through Montreal, starts at $286. Ferries from Montreal and Souris, Prince Edward Island, dock at Ile du Cap-aux-Meules. From there, visitors can arrange for boats to Ile d'Entree.
Resources
Magdalen Islands
www.ilesdelamadeleine.com/tourism.htm
418-986-2245
Quebec Province
800-363-7777
Where to stay
Prices in US dollars. Some voice-mail messages are in French.
Hotel Chateau Madelinot
323 Route 199, Ile du Cap-aux-Meules800-661-4537
www.ilesdelamadeleine.com/hotels
Open June through September; reopens in late February or March for seal-watching trips. Call for details. Doubles, $78 and up.
Auberge de la Petite Baie
187 Route 199, Ile du Havre-aux-Maisons
418-969-4073
www3.sympatico.ca/auberge.petitebaie
Doubles from $48-$65, including breakfast.
Club Vacances les Iles
377 Route 199, Ile de la Grande-Entree
888-537-4537
Open May-September. Outdoor recreation center with 24 rooms accommodating 1-4 people per unit. Rate for two people, $47-$55, including breakfast. Campsites from $10.
Where to eat
Prices in US dollars. Unless otherwise indicated, restaurants are open year- round, although it is always wise to check. Hours vary widely with the season and number of customers. Reservations are highly recommended for evening dining.
Auberge de la Petite Baie
(See above)
Charming restaurant and inn in 100-year-old former customs house serving seafood, especially lobster, fish, and seal. Nightly specials from $20.
Auberge Chez Denis a Francois
404 Chemin d'en Haut, Ile du Havre-Aubert
418-937-2371
Open 7 a.m.-9:30 p.m. for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Closed in January. Paella, local seafood potpie, and seal; dinner entrees from $17.
Chez Diane
355 Chemin Petitpas, Ile du Cap-aux-Meules418-986-4686
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with emphasis on local specialties. Open daily 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Dinner entrees from $14.
