Sept-Îles
Quebec's largest port city on the North Shore. Boat tours of the Seven Islands archipelago spot seabirds and whales, while the Innu museum and old trading post tell the history of the North Shore.
Sept-Îles is the largest city on Quebec's North Shore (Côte-Nord), with about 25,000 residents. It sits in a nearly circular deep bay on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and seven uninhabited islands scattered at its mouth give the city its name. It is one of Canada's largest iron ore export ports and is home to the Innu community of Uashat mak Mani-utenam, where an industrial port city meets Indigenous culture and island nature.
The best season is June–September. Tour boats and water taxis are operating, seabirds nest, whales enter the bay, and summer markets and performances take place in July and August. Winters are long and severely cold, often below -20°C, with snowmobiling and cross-country skiing as the main activities. The aurora is occasionally visible.
The core activities are: take a tour boat from Vieux-Quai Park around the Seven Islands, view the Corossol Island seabird sanctuary from a distance, or take a water taxi to Grande Basque Island for hiking and camping. In town, visit the Old Trading Post, the Shaputuan Innu Museum and the Côte-Nord Regional Museum. At Monaghan Beach, Rapides Lake and the Cap Noir Trail, enjoy the sea and the forest. Heading east, you can visit the mouth of the Moisie River, a famous salmon river.
Getting there: from Quebec City, drive about 650 km east on Route 138 (8–9 hours), or fly to Sept-Îles Airport. There are also a railway to Labrador and cargo-passenger ships from the Lower North Shore. A stay of 2–3 days is suggested. Note that sea weather changes quickly, and tours may be cancelled due to wind and waves. Bring a windproof jacket and insect repellent in summer.
Top sights
- Sept-Îles Archipelago – Seven uninhabited islands, which give the city its name, lie across the mouth of the bay. Boat tours around them offer views of seabird col…
- Île Grande Basque – The closest and most developed island, with more than 10 km of boardwalk trails, beaches, and campsites. It makes a perfect day trip.
- Corossol Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary – A migratory bird sanctuary island at the southern tip of the archipelago, where tens of thousands of seabirds nest on its cliffs; an old li…
- Vieux-Poste de Sept-Îles – A reconstruction of an 18th- to 19th-century fur trading post on its original site, where costumed guides tell the story of Innu dealings w…
- Shaputuan Museum – A cultural centre run by the Innu community of Uashat, presenting the hunting and gathering life and traditions of the Innu through the fou…
- Musée régional de la Côte-Nord – A regional museum on the downtown waterfront whose permanent displays cover North Shore archaeology, Indigenous history, whaling and iron m…
- Parc du Vieux-Quai – A downtown waterfront marina and boardwalk park where cruises and water taxis depart; summer brings markets and performances.
- Plage Monaghan – A long stretch of fine-sand beach east of town, good for walks, sunrises and views of the islands, with barrier-free access in summer.
- Lac des Rapides – A drinking-water lake north of town, with a loop trail and lookouts over the forest and lake; canoes can be rented in summer.
- Parc Aylmer-Whittom – A forest park northwest of town with two lookout towers overlooking Père-Coquart Island and Sept-Îles Bay, suitable for light family hikes.
- Sentier de la Pointe Noire – A coastal trail on the Marconi Peninsula on the west shore of Sept-Îles Bay, with clifftop viewpoints over the islands; whales are sometime…
- Jardin du ruisseau Bois-Joli – Said to be the northernmost botanical garden in Quebec, with a 4.5 km stream-side trail through northern plants and flower beds, open free…
- Moisie River & Village – The mouth of a river famed for Atlantic salmon, about 25 km east of town; the small village at the mouth has a beach and an old church, and…
Where to eat
- Les Terrasses du Capitaine – A seafood restaurant attached to Soucy Fish Market, serving seafood sourced directly from the market. It ranks No. 1 in…
- Fisherman’s Snack Bar – A summer seafood snack bar on Fishermen’s Wharf, with a dining area shaped like a giant lobster trap. The snow crab hot…
- La Compagnie Brewpub – A local Sept-Îles brewpub that opened in 2018. Its house-brewed beer and tasting flights are the highlights, served wit…