Magdalen Islands' Best Beaches
How I miss these islands already!
You might all know that a part of my family lives on a small archipelago of islands located in Eastern Canada. If not, I invite you to read this blog post where I explain it all. I just came back from 7 days in this little paradise, and I wanted to show you some of the most stunning beaches you'll find there.
Sandy Hook
This beach is a white sand beach located on the island of Havre-Aubert, the Southern tip of the islands. From the sky, it really looks like a long sandy hook. Every year, the municipality hosts their annual sand castles contest there. What I love most about this beach is that the dune seems like it's never going to end, but eventually it does. If you're brave enough to get to the end (1.5-hour walk) or find a local that can take you there, you'll be amazed to be surrounded by water on both sides of the beach.
Pointe-aux-Loups
This one is my personal favourite. There are two beaches near the island of Pointe-aux-Loups; one just before you get there, and one right after you exit this mini island. I've always been to the first beach coming from Havre-aux-Maisons. You can't really miss the parking lot. It's located right after a small bridge, and there are usually a lot of kite surfers out in the laguna. To get to the water, you need to walk up the dune. They now have built a little path to help people reach the beach, and to protect the dune from erosion. The beach is stunning, and most of the time: empty!! It's also where you'll probably find the warmest waters on the islands. Be careful though, like most beaches on the Magdalen Islands, currents can be really strong!
Old Harry
If you've already read my first blog post about the Magdalen Islands, you've probably seen these photos. I'm reusing them just because I think they are the most representative of this beach, and the ones I took this year are poor quality. The beach of Old Harry has been voted the most beautiful one on the islands many times, and I can definitely see why! It is located in the Northern part of the islands in Grosse Île. When the wind is facing the beach, you'll probably find some surfers there. Indeed the water can get very agitated, and it's usually not recommended to swim when windy. However, when there's no wind you'll find some of the calmest and bluest waters.
Dune-du-Sud
That's the beach you need to go to if you want to get the typical Magdalen Islands picture. Let me explain. This beach is the perfection combination of two things: red rock formations mixed with a long white sandy beach. Try to go there during low tide, and don't be afraid to step in the water with your stuff to get around the cliffs. You'll likely come across tiny hidden beaches, and have the place to yourself!
Gros-Cap
If you're staying on the island of Cap-aux-Meules, I would say the most accessible beach is located in Gros-Cap. There's a pedestrian/bicycle path that you can take. It starts from the port and goes until the police station. The photos below were taken right behind the police station, but there are beaches like this all along Gros-Cap. At the tip of Gros-Cap, there's a camping where you can rent kayaks and SUP boards to go explore the caves!
La Bluff / Bassin Ouest
Lastly, these are two beaches located at the tip of Grande-Entrée. They are interconnected by a little path along the edge of the cliffs, where you can really enjoy the beauty of the red rocks. You might even wonder what planet you are on. If you feel adventurous, l'Auberge de la Salicorne offers excursions to go explore its underwater caves.
