Just a three-hour drive from Montreal, you can spend the day or weekend in a maritime postcard setting, at L’Islet-sur-Mer (or l’Islet, as the village is now called).
This seaside village, steeped in the atmosphere of the waterfront since the 18th century, is the perfect road-trip destination to wear your spring rain boots and forget the soggy city for a few moments…
A picture-postcard seaside village
L’Islet has preserved its maritime heritage incredibly well – for generations, its inhabitants have carried on the traditions of the sailors and pilots of the St. Lawrence.
This gives the village a unique vibe , imbued with the spirit of life by the water, almost Breton, and you can already feel the river wind in your hair…
Today, the village is listed as one of the most beautiful villages in Quebec, and two of its churches are classified as historic monuments.
We’ve heard that at the end of the Islet shoreline, if you’re lucky, you can see thousands of snow geese during the spring and autumn migrations.
A museum of Quebec sailors
The world-renowned Musée Maritime du Québec has exhibits on the history of sailors in Quebec, as well as temporary exhibits that turn us into a bit of Captain Nemo; right now, it’s underwater archaeology and superstitious maritime beliefs.
There are also ships you can see up close, and even visit: an icebreaker and a hydrofoil (a sailboat with a hull that acts a bit like the wings of an airplane… we understand) from June to Thanksgiving.
An eyeful, a bellyful
L’Islet is also a village renowned for its natural beauty and traditional square houses, and we recommend a long stroll through the village and a detour to the next-door village of Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, where you can spend the night in Quebec’s cutest bed & breakfast, Maison de l’Ermitage.
For a hot meal after a long day exposed to the river’s invigorating air, head to the Auberge des Glacis (where you can also spend the night) and try their specialties: quenelles and black pudding, with a bit of local duck foie gras and meat from nearby farms.
Le Rocher Panet
If you’re going to l’Islet and only have time for one walk, you’ll want to go to Rocher Panet. It’s a fairly short stroll, because it’s near the village quay, but it’s well worth the detour – especially at sunrise or sunset…
Legend has it that “on a moonless evening, Curé Panet delivered the soul of a wretch who had dared to sell her immortal soul and eternal bliss to the devil”.
So, go on a moonlit evening or during the day, just in case…
We’ll return from l’Islet with our hair damp, our heads full of sailor stories and our hearts soothed by life on the water…