Text and photographs by Mary L. Peachin
June, 2015 Vol. 19, No. 9
Speeding over a sandy beach in a kite pulled “buggy,” kayaking through surf to explore red sandstone cliff tunnels, bicycling along Quebec-owned Îles-de-la-Madeleine archipelago’s quiet roads with ocean views lined with beach front colorful cottages, not to mention delicious gourmet picnics is just a taste of the bicycling or adventure trips offered by Nova Scotia’s Freewheeling Adventures.
Îles-de-la-Madeleine, an isolated French-speaking Acadian culture is a sixty mile, five hour C.T.M.A Traversier ferry ride from Souris, Prince Edward Island. While motoring through the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the port of Havre Aubert, we knew that we were headed to a unique island destination.
Long, thin sand dunes, paved to connect six islands include Grande Entrée, Grosse Île, Pointe aux Loups, Havre aux Maisons, Cap aux Meules, and Havre Aubert. Two additional islands are also considered part of the archipelago: Entry Island, inhabited by English-speaking Acadians, located six miles east of Havre-Aubert, and Brion Island, fourteen miles north of Grosse Île.
The Islands’ visual attraction is accompanied by an interesting history. Jacques Cartier, the first European to visit the Islands in 1534, was preceded by centuries of journeys by Mi’kmaq Indians who arrived to harvested walrus. A number of their archaeological sites have been excavated.
In 1663, seigneur or Lord of the Island, François Doublet, named them after his wife, Madeleine Fontaine. By 1755, French-speaking Acadians living in Îles-de-la-Madeleine were excluded when the British expelled those who were living in nearby Canada’s Maritime Provinces. To this day, many Madelinots inhabitants fly the Acadian flag while considering themselves both Acadians and Québécois. Between 1763 and 1774, the islands were administered by the Colony of Newfoundland until joining Quebec at the signing of the Quebec Act.
Throughout early maritime history, the low lying islands were a hazard to ships plying the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Lighthouses were finally established to reduce the number of wrecks. Today survivor descendants from more than four hundred shipwrecks live on the islands which include some of Quebec’s oldest English-speaking settlements.
Until the 20th century, the Islands were completely isolated during the winter. Pack ice made the transverse to the mainland impassable by boat. Residents had no means of communicating with the mainland. During the winter of 1910, a newly established underwater cable permitting telegraphic communication broke. Floating messages in jars sealed tight with molasses, an urgent request was made for help. When one adrift message reached Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, the government sent an icebreaker ship offering aid. Within a few years, the Madelinots received a wireless telegraph.
The herds of walrus are now extinct, but the beaches still provide habitat for endangered piping plover and roseate tern. Today, fishing lobster is the primary economy along with salt and alabaster mining.
Our Freewheeling van delivered us to Chez Denis à François near the natural harbor at Havre Aubert, a setting surrounded by round hills called “Les Demoiselles.” The small charming Inn offered a popular restaurant serving French cuisine. Staying there for three nights, we cycled for several days with an optional day of kayaking. After a cycle over Chemin du Bassin’s rolling hills, seaside meadows, and sandy beaches, we explored the beach of Chemin de la Dune-de-l’Ouest.
Our kayak trip required a beach entry through two to three foot incoming waves to reach the lagoons edged by red sandstone cliffs in Gros-Cap, E`tang-du-Nord, a scenic destination where passageways are carved into the cliffs. Unfortunately high winds and three foot surf prevented our exploring them.
While the weather was both windy and rainy, Freewheeling guides offered shelter for their picnics of local cheese, charcuterie, fruit, and pastries. At l’abri de la Tempête (Shelter from the Storm) brewery, we toured the remodeled former crab factory. Hops and barley combined with heat and water require twenty five to thirty day to ferment to an ultimate taste, one that we enjoyed.
Our second hotel, Domaine du Vieux Couvent in Havre-aux-Maisons, was built between 1914 and 1918 by Father Samuel Turbide. More than five trips were required to bring the stones to the Island. When completed the Sisters of the Congregation Notre-Dame provided education to young Madelinots. It was nice to again have a three night stay.
Another day, while some of our twelve person group went by small boat to Anglophone I’le D’Entree Island to hike, we chose to explore Havre-aux-Maisons by bicycle. At distillery Le Barbocheux, fermented fruit is used including strawberries, raspberries, and cranberries. We indulged ourselves by stopping at a round yellow shack on beach to eat a lunch of handmade crepes, both salmon and cheese followed by a dessert crepe of banana with chocolate.
Heading northward to I’Ie du Cap aux Mueles we stopped in L’E’tang-du-Nord for a final picnic at Cap du Phare or Lighthouse Cape. This one included snow crab as well as the usual delicacies. Then it was off to try our hand at kite buggying. This was a new sport to all of us and required learning to fly a kite on a beach formerly used as the airport landing strip. Once that was managed, it was all about coordinating the direction of the buggy with the gusty wind. This was definitely a sport that required experience before it could be fully enjoyed.
The days had flown by quickly as we were forced to work around inclimate weather. But, that’s not a problem for Freewheeling. When they plan an adventure, they know how to do it.