The Québec maritime Blog

Winter Souvenirs of the Îles de la Madeleine
  • Meggy Turbide/Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine

Winter Souvenirs of the Îles de la Madeleine

4 Instagram Photos of Winter in This Region of Eastern Québec

When you think of the Îles de la Madeleine, you probably imagine red cliffs, rolling green hills and sandy beaches stretching out as far as the eye can see… But this archipelago in the middle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence is just as attractive in the wintertime! Here are a few Instagram photos of the Islands in the cold season to prove it!

Whitecoats

What winter activity makes everyone want to immediately book a plane ticket to the Islands? Harp seal watching! Every year, thousands of harp seals give birth on the ice surrounding the archipelago. Château Madelinot offers a package that includes a helicopter trip to admire the seals (which may include landing on the ice to see them up close if conditions permit). This unique experience is one of the reasons why the Îles de la Madeleine are on National Geographic’s list of best trips to take in 2020!

Colourful houses

Whether pink, red, yellow, blue or whatever other bright colour you can think of, the houses on the Islands have a charm all their own! Admire them as you stroll around Havre aux Maisons Island—or on Cap aux Meules Island, where this photo was taken—where they stand out against the white of the snow.

Cliffs

The steep red sandstone cliffs found mainly on the southern islands of the archipelago contribute greatly to this region’s magical scenery. In the winter, explore them on foot or on snowshoes! Be careful, however, since the cliff walls are extremely crumbly.

Lighthouses

Facing the sea, the lighthouses of the Islands embellish the landscape and still guide boats to this day. Six are found in the archipelago, although they are not all accessible or open to the public. The snowy scenery surrounding the Anse-à-la-Cabane, Borgot and Cap Alright lighthouses often lead to beautiful photos. Now it’s your turn to capture these sentinels of the sea!

What photos do you dream of taking during a winter stay in the Îles de la Madeleine?

Be sure to share your best souvenirs of our regions on social media and tag them with the hashtags #quebecbythesea and #quebecmaritime. Happy travels!

Québec maritime Instagram account: @quebecmaritime

Tags winter

Author Marie-Eve Lagacé

Originally from Gaspésie, Marie-Eve Lagacé loves both writing and her corner of the world, so she’s delighted to be able to combine these passions as a writer for this blog! Her favourite subjects are people, local culture and our regions’ unexpected (and sometimes unusual) treasures. Although she loves relaxing with a coffee and a good book, she also enjoys exploring new vistas and swimming with the salmon in the Matapédia River!

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