Trip to the Magdalen Islands
The Magdalen Islands are known in English as The Magdalen Islands (or the Maggies if you feel sassy). So what is the best term? They are in Quebec, so the French name prevails, even if it is rather a sip: the Magdalen Islands. Five syllables: AAL-duh-la-mad-LEN.
The first inhabitants of the Magdalen Islands were the native Mi’kmaq who hunted the once abundant walrus; until the after eighteenth century, walrus was browbeat with extinction in the area. In the nineteenth century, the first French settlers emigrated to the islands.
The people of the Magdalen Islands are called Madelinotes, and as Acadians, they generally have more in common with their neighbours in Atlantic Canada than with mainland Quebec. Expect to see many Quebec and Acadian flags stolen from the islands. The population is about 12,700.
The islands are 94% Francophone and 6% Anglophone. English-speaking Madelinots generally live in some of the most remote communities on the Magdalen Islands: Grande-Île, Île d’entrée, and Dirty Harry (yes, that’s his real name).
A windy and stormy Archipelago
When my zodiac lands on the Magdalen Islands, I am impressed by the wind. The islands are famously stormy, making it a hot spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing. It can throw visitors for a loop-some people are surprised at how difficult it is to ride a bike in the wind, and tent campers are often unprepared for the reality of sleeping outside!
We arrive at La Grave, a village with tiny gray cottages embellished with bright yellow and green moldings. The American flag, like a French flag with a yellow star in a corner, flies proudly through the village. It is a cloudy day and these colors bring to life the monochromatic landscape of gray and Beige.
But what I most want to see are the cottages—tthe bright and colorful houses that I saw in the articles about the islands. And as soon as we hit the road and drive to the other Islands, we see them-tiny purple huts nestled in corners, gorgeous yellow houses that guard the courtyard above the hilly landscape. In the distance, the red cliffs are crowned with lighthouses.
Being in the Magdalen Islands is like living in another era. Everything seems reduced to the basics—huts and fishing boats and honest living. Who needs more than that? If you had told me that the Internet existed here, I might not believe you.
However, the islands face major erosion problems. The surface of the islands is constantly changing, which leads to a continuous change in the total number of islands (sometimes two islands are connected, and sometimes not). While this has been the matter for centuries, the real concerns are how this low-lying archipelago will handle climate change and rising sea levels.
They are already feeling the effects of the strong storms that are rising on the east coast. After Hurricane Dorian in 2019, the Madelinots asked the province for more help to protect themselves from erosion; the province argues that they do not have enough money for this. For more information, click here.
It is not surprising that the islands have lost population over the years, as young people leave in search of opportunities elsewhere and arguably stronger ground.
But at the same time, there is hope. In the form of a Brewery.
Entering the shelter of the Storm, the beloved brewery of the Islands, I feel catapulted to the present. This funky bar with its modern decor feels like it’s somewhere deep in Brooklyn. And it was started by two young women who wanted to bring a modern business to their beloved Islands.
Is this the Future? More young people come back; more companies come to the islands? Will people continue to take action for funding to protect their environment? Will people believe in the tourist potential of their hard-to-reach Islands and make them even more attractive?
Maybe, according to a woman named Madelinot who works in a store in La Grave.
“Everyone always goes,” she tells me. “All young people go to study and do not come back. But now they are finally coming back. Six babies in my family were born here this year!”
Best things to do in Îles-de-la-Madeleine
There is so much to do in the Magdalen Islands. Whether you’re focused on outdoor adventure, camping on the beach, or exploring a pretty little village, there’s something for you. Here are some of the best Things to do:
Walk through the shops and boutiques of the village of La Grave. La Grave, located south of the Island of Le Havre-Aubert, is probably the most picturesque part of the Magdalen Islands.