NORTH AMERICA
Îsles de la Madeleine: The Canada You Probably Don’t Know (But Should) Kaleidoscopic variety of homes dots a small archipelago in Quebec. R O B I N S WA D O S ROBIN SWADOS
A dazzling array of colors characterizes the houses on Les Îsles de la Madeleine.
I
f the notion of getting away from it all without going terribly far away, of escaping to a small group of islands strewn with sandy white beaches, rugged cliffs, gently rolling mountains and bustling fishing ports without having to suffer the expense or overcrowding of Cape Cod or Martha’s Vineyard, you might wish to advise your clients to head up to Canada’s Magdalen Islands, known in their native language as les Îsles de la Madeleine, located a few hours north of Quebec City. Getting to this small archipelago in the Gulf of St. Lawrence requires a bit of patience and a few short plane rides—the bulk of which don’t even require deplaning—but the payoff is a big one. Stepping off the plane at the Îsles de la Madeleine airport is a little akin to Dorothy first arriving in Oz: it leaves the first-time visitor feeling as if they’ve left behind a world of black and white, suddenly embraced by brisk but gentle breezes, abundant sunshine, crystal-clear skies, and a landscape dotted with houses ranging from the simple to the very grand, many of which have been painted in an eye-popping variety of colors, the likes of which you may never have seen before. Driving around the island or simply standing on a bluff overlooking one of its lovely bays, it’s tempting to think that the colors of the houses might have been part of some grand plan, but the truth is far less complicated: the color scheme of many of the homes scattered across the islands are the by-product of the colors of the boats belonging to the fishermen who live in them, having used the same paint for their homes as they do for their boats. The result is unpretentious, visually ravishing, and—for those in search of it—flooded with romance. The Magdalen Islands actually comprise nine small islands, as well as a smattering of islets that can also be explored. With a land area of less than 80 square miles, the islands are easily navigated by car, motor scooter, or even bicycle. Centuries ago, native Americans visited the islands to harvest its abundant walrus population; now long gone, the walruses have been replaced by seals, and the islands are also home to more
12 • AUGUST 2010
than 250 different species of birds, including the endangered Piping Plover and Roseate Tern. Some of the islands’ populations of approximately 13,000 people are direct descendants of the survivors of more than 400 shipwrecks, but numerous lighthouses have since been built, although many old hulks still survive on the beaches and under the waters.
A Wealth of Activities Although fishing—especially for lobsters and mussels—is the primary industry on the islands, tourism comes in a close second, and in this regard, there are more activities available to tourists than one can count, among them hiking, bicycle camping, sea kayaking, windsurfing and kite surfing. Even during a one-week stay on the islands, it would be difficult to fit them all in—a pity, since they are all fun, challenging, and rewarding, no matter one’s degree of experience. At Aerosport, for example, 2001 world snow kiting champion Eric Marchand, who opened the first kite surfing school in Canada in 1998, offers multi-level classes in kite surfing—a combination of surfing in the water and using a kite to sweep you along—as well as in kite buggying, in which the use of a large kite is used to power a buggy around the beach, and sea kayaking, in which the visitor is allowed to explore the shore and the cliffs that border it without the use of motors, engines, or fuels, typical of nearly all the islands’ activities, which focus on exploring the environment while also protecting and respecting it. Aerosport, 866-986-6677, www.aerosport.ca For an activity of a really different sort, a visit to Vert et Mer (Green and Sea) won’t be easily forgotten. Located in the Arsènes valley on the island of Cap-aux-Meules, sheltered from the wind, and reachable only by a gentle hike up an unpaved road into the pine-scented woods, this outfit offers one of the more unusual places to stay: a group of yurts—tentlike dwellings consisting of a cylindrical wall of poles in a lattice arrangement with a conical roof of poles, both covered by felt www.travelworldnews.com • Travel World News
NORTH AMERICA
Unusual Places to Visit Lest you might think the Magdalen Islands are little more than a hub of physical activity, it’s also a fun place to shop, with many quaint and fascinating stores that contain locally made jewelry, mementos, and clothing (the fishermen’s shirts Travel World News • www.travelworldnews.com
ROBIN SWADOS
or skins. Vert et Mer offers beds and mattresses, sanitary services and solar showers, wood stoves (including wood), kitchens with propane cookers, sink and cook kits, an outdoor barbecue and campfire site, drinking water, and propane lanterns (BYOB, please). Prices range from $95 a day to $400 for six nights. Vert et Mer offers a unique combination of nature and cuisine through its trip by sea kayak at sunset (accompanied by professional guides), followed by a sumptuous dinner of crab and fresh local products. Among other activities, Vert et Mer also offers day-long expeditions with exclusive access to the Brion Island Ecological Reserve, which hosts less than 100 visitors a year. All in all, a very cool and unforgettable way to be at one with nature. Vert et Mer, www.vertetmer.com For those on a budget, the wonderful Parc du Gros Cap offers an incredibly economical place to stay both for young people in search of a youth hostel and for couples needing a bedroom (complete with double bed) without the added cost of luxurious surroundings—which is not to say that the accommodations at this auberge aren’t both immaculate and sparklingly clean. In addition to offering indoor accommodations, the park is also a campground with 100 places for people to stay. Immediately adjacent to a sandy beach, the site offers wireless Internet, free shower and laundry, and a grocery, restaurant and fish market nearby. Director Frédéric Côté is also a friendly, highly experienced instructor in sea kayaking, offering tours ranging from one-on-one to groups to threehour tours and two-day expeditions. The 27 private and shared rooms at the auberge include a self-service kitchen and range from $27 to $50 a night for couples occupying one room—a bargain by anyone’s standards. Parc du Gros Cap, 800-986-4505, www.parcdegroscap.ca La Salicorne is a lovely resort with beautiful rooms overlooking two different bays. It has a wonderful restaurant (reservations necessary) serving fresh fish—in particular beautiful, large lobsters caught that morning—and local produce. Under the direction of Robert St-Onge, La Salicorne is also a campsite, with 23 spots, seven of which come equipped with toilets and electricity. Most important, it is also home to a wonderful variety of day activities that include—depending on one’s age (minimum 14) and experience—cave explorations, mud baths, bird watching and geological expeditions, shell fishing (and making what you’ve caught for dinner!), and many different forms of kayaking under the expert direction of 23-year-old Emmanuel Longuépée Arseneau (and don’t worry about his youth; he’s been at it since the age of 17).
Dozens of quaint shops await visitors to Les Îsles de la Madeleine.
are particularly beguiling). One of the more unusual shops to visit is Artisans du Sable, which features many different toys, sculptures, and articles made entirely of local sand. Enjoyable for adults, the shop is particularly welcoming to children, allowing them to touch, wriggle their feet in, and look at sand in a completely new way. Artisans du Sable, www.artisansdusable.com For those in search of a treat for the taste buds, several destinations are essential to visitors to the Magdalen Islands. The Fromagerie du Pied-De-Vent, owned by Jérémie and Lucie Arseneau, is a local cheese making factory—the only one on the islands, in fact—and their specialties, two rawmilk cheeses called Piet-De-Vent and La Tomme des Demoiselles, are scrumptious (and not easily carried out of the country, so treat yourself on the spot and enjoy them here). And whether you’re a connoisseur or just in search of something new, a visit to Le Fumoir D’Antan, a herring smoking factory, is also great fun. A family tradition of the Arseneau family since the 1940s, the factory was renovated in 1996 with the reappearance of the herring shoals around the archipelago. Following the start of the herring season in April, the fish are taken to the plant for washing, brining, stringing, smoking over a fire of hardwood and sawdust, and finally packing—a painstaking and complex process that also yields fabulous amounts of smoked salmon and mackerel, all of which are incredibly delicious (and all transportable out of the country). Workshops are also available for those wishing to view the process from start to finish. Le Fumoir D’Antan, www.fumoirdantan.com And if these visits have sufficiently whetted your taste buds, you might wish to head on over to the local micro-brewery, À l’abri de la Tempête (In the Shelter of the Storm), located immediately adjacent to the stunning Dune de l’Ouest on Cap aux Meulnes island. Manufacturing eight different kinds (and strengths) of beer, guides lead the visitor through every stage of the brewing process in the plant, allowing him to taste the beers at each phase, from grain to finished product. There’s a warm and congenial pub upstairs from the plant where visitors can relax and unwind while savoring one of the delicious variety of microbrews they manufacture. There’s CONTINUED ON PAGE
14
AUGUST 2010 •
13
NORTH AMERICA FROM PAGE
13
ROBIN SWADOS
CANADA
also a boutique where the visitor can purchase any of the beers, as well as a range of souvenirs—T-shirts and sweatshirts, for example—emblazoned with the brewery’s logo, making for a cool souvenir.
Where to Eat, Where to Stay: The Choices Couldn’t be Tougher With so many places to visit, so many activities to partake in, and so many samples of regional specialties available to the visitor, one’s mind naturally turns to where to stay, and where to have a “real meal.” Not to worry—the islands are dotted with literally dozens of fabulous places to eat and beautiful places to stay. Stopping for lunch at La Maisonée des Îles is a great place to start. Don’t let its somewhat dinerlike façade fool you: inside this cozy family restaurant can be found a scrumptious array of lobster sandwiches, juicy hamburgers, and seafood dishes that will make your mouth water. For a truly memorable occasion (and a genuine splurge), no visit to the islands would be complete without a dinner at La Table des Roy. Run by chef-owner Johanne Vigneault, this ultra-high-end restaurant offers an incredible menu that rivals any restaurant a jaded New Yorker might be used to. Offering two two-person tasting menus, La Table des Roy then proceeds to unfold an à la carte menu featuring lobster, sweetbreads, risotto, pork, and a truly amazing bouillabaisse—the best this reporter has ever had. A dessert specialty is a maple syrup soufflé that lingers on the tongue long after the meal has concluded. Reservations strongly recommended. La Table des Roy, www.latabledesroy.com Another superb meal is to be found at l’Auberge Chez Denis à François, which doubles as a charming place to stay, with eight smoke-free rooms, each with their own bathroom, shower, phone and cable TV. Using lumber from an 1874 shipwreck, Edmond Brasset built himself this charming house, preserved more than 125 years later as an inn that won the Grands Prix du Tourisme in 2004. The food’s the thing here. The restaurant at Chez Denis à François is intimate, with a sophisticated menu that features mostly seafood products, highlighting regional dishes, as well as a carefully chosen list of fine wines.
More Places to Stay One of the Magdalen Islands’ most charming qualities is its preservation of the past by having converted historical buildings into contemporary places to stay. Open all year round, La Butte Ronde, a converted former schoolhouse run by life partners and co-hosts Ghislain and Guy, is a charming bed and breakfast containing five non-smoking bedrooms ranging from $100 to $145 a night, all with ocean views, wireless Internet, aromatherapy products, and hair dryer. Two free bikes are also available for clients. There’s a large living room, veranda and patio overlooking stunning 14 • AUGUST 2010
L’Auberge Denis a Francois: The Auberge Chez Denis à François, where gracious accommodations and fine dining have won the Grands Prix du Tourisme 2004.
sunsets each evening. It’s a lovely and quiet place to stay, with gourmet breakfasts personally served each morning by Ghislain and Guy. La Butte Ronde, info@labutteronde.com, www.labutteronde.com Another superb place to stay is Havre-sur-Mer, located 100 feet from the water and perched on a stunning bluff. It contains nine rooms and three studios. The rooms are flooded with light and offer dazzling views of the ocean or the bay and fishermen’s wharf. Some have patio doors that open onto balconies directly facing the water and range from $99 for a small room with double-sized bed and bathroom to $225 a month for a two-floor apartment, suitable for a family. It’s a dream-like place run by owner Thérèse Bergeron. Havre-sur-Mer, auberge@havresurmer.com, www.havresurmer.com Last but not least, attention must be paid to the Domaine du Vieux Couvent (The Old Convent), a stunning renovation of a building that took four years to build, from 1914 to 1918, and the only building made of stone on the islands. Over the course of the past century, the building has gone through numerous owners, until the present one, Réginald Poirier, took over in 1987. In the ensuing years, the number of employees at the Vieux Couvent has increased from nine to more than 40. The luxurious rooms, all facing the water, range from $150 to $275 a night. Its location, just a stone’s throw away from the beach, with its rugged cliffs and crashing waves, is a visual treat and a stunning way to remember the rugged paradise that is Les Îsles de la Madeleine. Domaine du Vieux Couvent, www.domaineduvieuxcouvent.com
How to Get There Air Canada offers flights from New York to Montreal, proceeding onward, with a few stops (but no deplaning), to Les Îsles de la Madeleine. Air Canada,(888-247-2262, www.aircanada.com
Quebec Tourism, Vicky Taylor, vicki.taylor@tourisme.gouv.qc.ca; Suzie Loiselle, suzie.loiselle@quebecmaritime.ca www.travelworldnews.com • Travel World News
CANADA
R E S O U R C E
D I R E C T O R Y
Travel to the top of the world
Our company has led countless tours throughout Manitoba, serving diverse groups, from expert birdwatching to general interest tours, from senior citizens to school groups.
Cruise North Expeditions is owned and operated by the Inuit of Canada’s Arctic. Inuit have survived for centuries in the Arctic wilderness passing down knowledge and skills from one generation to the next.
Celebrating 25 years in Ecotourism
www.churchillnaturetours.com
866-263-3220 www.cruisenorthexpeditions.com
The more special your travel dream, the more we can help you get there. Frontiers North provides authentic adventures in Canada’s north. Since 1986 we have been creating unique itineraries and delivering amazing experiences for our guests. Our programs are geared to accommodate small groups of travelers with specific interests in experiential travel, photography, culture and adventure.
800-663-9832 www.frontiersnorth.com Maxxim Vacations is proud to be a second generation family business based in Newfoundland & Labrador. Maxxim Vacations has earned a solid reputation as a leader in the tourism industry within Canada, our product offering extends from St. John’s, Newfoundland to the Yukon and all points in between.
800-567-6666 www.maxximvacations.com
Our goal is to deliver above average and extraordinary choices to our clients. Our specialty is finding exclusive locations and activities to excite the most world weary traveller. For over thirty years we have worked with clients’ itineraries to virtually every corner of the world.
800.661.3830 www.greatcanadiantravel.com
Your Premier Source for Outdoor Adventures The Northwest Passage Adventure Programs are designed to be fun, enhance personal development, promote self-confidence and teach skills through adventure challenge while providing a safe and exciting environment for every participant. Join us on one of our Sea Kayaking trips, Hiking, or Rock Climbing Adventures and experience the beauty of the outdoors and the spirit of adventure!
800-732-7328 www.nwpassage.com
Our experience, extraordinary destinations, unique programs, and years of customer satisfaction appeal broadly to enthusiasts of wildlife, birding, photography, native cultures, and adventure. Join us for high quality travel to the ends of the earth.
800-574-3021
www.arcticodysseys.com
Brewster Vacations Canada offers independent and group vacations, tours and packages in Canada. Holiday packages including train vacations, motorcoach tours, and self-drive holidays in the Canadian Rockies and Western Canada can be completely personalized. With over 800 suppliers and 3,000 travel services coast to coast, Vacations Canada can develop and customize complex tour itineraries, travel plans and holidays in Canada.
877-791-5500 www.vacationscanada.travel
Whether it is extending a vacation with additional hotel nights in the Canadian Rockies or adding on a spectacular sightseeing tour to get the most out of a visit, our one-stop vacation consultation will ensure a journey worry-free and exactly what your client is looking for.
www.rockymountaineer.com
NORTH AMERICA GREAT CANADIAN TRAVEL COMPANY OFFERS CHANCE TO MEET POLAR BEARS UP-CLOSE
The Great Canadian Travel Company has introduced a one-week program to Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge, the only tourist camp along a 100-mile stretch of Hudson Bay coastline, and maybe the best place in the world for close encounters with polar bears. During the warm months they socialize and prowl the shoreline, many within a few miles of Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge. During an average season, up to 400 pass by the lodge. What makes this population so unique is the high concentration of mothers and cubs. Many have never seen a person before, so they have the calm demeanor of bears that haven’t learned to fear people. The adventure begins with an overnight at Four Points Sheraton in Winnipeg. Guests then depart for Gillam, Manitoba, via Calm Air International, and transfer to a private charter for a one-hour flight to Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge (with aerial photo-taking possibilities). A full day awaits with lunch, gourmet dinner and orientation, including an interpretive walk on the inland Palsa Bogs, Tundra Ponds and Taiga Forest. After dinner there’s an informative lecture or slide show. Lights are out at 10, generator off. On clear nights one may view the aurora borealis—“Northern Lights,” as the spectacle is known. Breakfast is generally at 8, with outings starting at 9:30. If there are bears near the lodge (and this happens often!), the tour may be delayed to take advantage. Days 3 to 5 otherwise include nature trekking, polar bear spotting and photo ops. Outings rotate through the following (with lunch and a tea boil around a campfire): ATV coast tour to the tidal flats and Bay shoreline; full-day photo tour to the coast to photograph bears, other wildlife and landscape; and staying close to the lodge to photograph bears as opportunities arise (lunch is served at the lodge this day). The seven-day/six-night program is $6,095 ppdo, with departure dates still remaining for August 23, August 30 and September 20. Included are six-nights’ accommodation (two in Winnipeg, four at the Lodge), roundtrip airfare [Winnipeg/Gillam] and roundtrip charter flight [Gillam/Nanuk Lodge], plus all required transfers and most meals. The Great Canadian Travel Company, 800-661-3830, www.greatcanadiantravel.com 16 • AUGUST 2010
MONT-TREMBLANT SUMMER FLIGHTS AVAILABLE ON PORTER AIRLINES Porter Airlines has begun summer service to Mont-Tremblant and the Upper Laurentians for the first time, with two flights per week between Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Mont-Tremblant International Airport. Flights continue through September 6, 2010, on Thursday and Sunday each week. These flights improve accessibility to Tremblant and the Laurentian region. Porter has provided winter seasonal service between MontTremblant and Toronto City Airport since 2007. The announcement of summer service follows three successful winter seasons. This past year’s winter schedule included as many as eight flights weekly, up from two flights in the first year of service. Popular music and summer fun festivals, like Les Rythmes Tremblant and the Tremblant Summer Festival currently running, are seasonal attractions. Outdoor enthusiasts can also hike, bike, golf, lounge by the lake or find other opportunities to pass the time. Custom golf packages, including Porter flights, can be arranged by Ultimate Golf Vacations. Porter Airlines is Canada’s third largest scheduled carrier, based at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. Frequent flyers earn a free flight after as few as five one-way trips on their VIPorter program. Porter Airlines, 888-619-8622, www.flyporter.com; Ultimate Golf Vacations, www.ultimategolf.ca
‘BIENVENUE’ TO ST. PIERRE AND MIQUELON WITH MAXXIM VACATIONS With seafood dinners magnifique and its narrow streets full of peppy Peugeots, the islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon just off the coast of Newfoundland are a feast for the senses. Thanks to their curious history, the tiny islands (population 5,000) remain an integral part of the French Republic. The local currency is the Euro, TV shows are beamed in from France and the latest issue of Paris Match is always available. And with a flying time from St. John’s, the capital of Newfoundland, of only 45 minutes, the islands are perfect for a weekend getaway to Europe—without jetlag. Knowing these fascinating islands well, Atlantic Canada travel specialist Maxxim Vacations offers clients two tempting packages including airfare from St. John’s. The St. Pierre and Miquelon package includes two or three nights’ B&B accommodation with continental breakfast, one three-course French cuisine dinner with wine, a guided tour of the town of St. Pierre and admission to the local museum. For explorers wanting also to combine a visit to St. Pierre and Miquelon with a stay in Newfoundland, there’s the popular weeklong A Tale of Two Islands itinerary which also includes three nights in St. John’s, one each in Harbour Grace and Burin or Marystown, a whale watching boat tour, and a rental car. St. Pierre and Miquelon getaways start at approximately $482 including airfare from St. John’s—and Maxxim has access to low-cost airfares from across North America. And the team at Maxxim is always willing to customize a package. Maxxim Vacations, 800-567-6666, www.maxximvacations.com www.travelworldnews.com • Travel World News
NORTH AMERICA SPARKLING HILL RESORT OPENS ITS DOORS IN CANADA
North America (minus 166-degree temperatures). North Americans will discover what Europeans have been enjoying for years: total body cold therapy. Hans-Peter Mayr, CEO and General Manager, predicts it will become one of North America’s premier wellness destination resorts. “Once you have experienced Sparkling Hill, you will be back every year; it will become a lifestyle choice,” he says. Sparkling Hill Resort sits in a hub of year-round activities. The valley is recognized for its majestic mountains, refreshing waters, lush vineyards and world-class golf in one of the warmest climates in Canada. Sparkling Hill Resort, www.sparklinghill.com
ROCKY MOUNTAINEER OFFERS FREE HOTEL NIGHT AT FAIRMONT VANCOUVER
Carved into a granite hillside, with its brilliant $122-million construction incorporating Swarovski crystal, Sparkling Hill Resort officially opened this May in the Okanagan region of British Columbia. The resort is owned by Gernot Langes Swarovski, patriarch of the famed Austrian crystal family. The atrium involves an assembly of 15 large glass triangles with different dimensions, sloping in different planes. The structure is over 42 feet wide and stands more than 55 feet above the second floor, its top edge more than four stories high. Air travelers’ eyes catch reflections from the crystal over 12 miles away, and those on the ground marvel at the light it displays. The European-influenced resort is organic and modern both, with cool colors, natural fibers and creative use of $10 million in Swarovski crystal. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer stunning views of Lake Okanagan and the Monashee Mountains. KurSpa is its focal point—over 40,000 square feet celebrating whole body wellness. An entire wing has 48 treatment rooms and a multitude of saunas and steam rooms with different temperatures and scents, textures and stimulants. The Kneipp Waterway pool is designed for strolling knee-deep in changing water temperatures. The outdoor infinity pool creates an illusion of dropping off toward Lake Okanagan. Many treatments are offered, most notably the first cold sauna in Travel World News • www.travelworldnews.com
Rocky Mountaineer is welcoming guests to enjoy a free hotel night in the stunning coastal city of Vancouver as a part of their awardwinning Western Canadian rail vacation. Guests booking a Rocky Mountaineer tour in GoldLeaf Service of three nights or more or a RedLeaf service tour of five nights or more from now until August 31, 2010, will be treated to an additional free night at a luxurious Fairmont hotel in Vancouver either at the beginning or end of their trip. “As a Vancouver-based company, we know that there is so much for our guests to experience and take in while in Vancouver,” says Hubert Wat, Vice President, Marketing of Rocky Mountaineer. “It’s a city unlike any other, and we’re delighted to give travelers an opportunity to extend their vacation in beautiful British Columbia with an additional night’s stay on us at one of Vancouver’s magnificent Fairmont properties.” Western Canada offers some of the most spectacular scenery in the world and Rocky Mountaineer provides the perfect way to see the Canadian Rockies. To qualify for the additional free night’s stay at a Fairmont hotel in Vancouver, visitors must book a Rocky Mountaineer vacation package in GoldLeaf Service of three nights or more or a RedLeaf service tour of five nights or more for at least two adults. If travelers opt for GoldLeaf Service, they will travel in a custom-designed, two-story glass dome coach with panoramic views. With RedLeaf Service, guests can settle back in roomy, reclining seats with large picture windows providing passing views of British Columbia and the beautiful Canadian Rockies. Rocky Mountaineer packages on which this offer can be redeemed include the popular Canadian Rockies Adventure. This sevennight/eight-day trip includes a two-day, all daylight rail journey aboard the renowned Rocky Mountaineer and several sightseeing tours in Banff National Park. Guests can venture out on a Glacier Helicopter tour, Summit Helicopter Flightseeing, as well as experience the unique Columbia Icefield Excursion. The offer is based on double occupancy by August 31 for travel between June and October 2010 and only valid on new bookings. Further restrictions may apply. Rocky Mountaineer, 800-665-7245, www.rockymountaineer.com AUGUST 2010 •
17