Iles-de-la-Madeleine Beaches

This smaller beach can experience rough waters, making windsurfing and kayaking the most popular activities over swimming. Access is granted from the chemin du Bassin Est.

The fragile dunes of the Iles de la Madeleine have been created and destroyed over and over by the incoming and outgoing tides of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Each time the waters recede they enrich the soil with fertile materials that eventually blossoms into island plantlife. The plantlife stabilizes the dunes, and provides extra protection from seawater that may contaminate the islands' interior fresh water supplies. Please avoid walking directly on the dunes, as it may result in burying a burgeoning seed.

Popular with windsurfers, the Dune de l'Ouest Beach sees many sun worshippers strolling along on its white sands. Watch the waters on a windy day - they have a tendancy to become choppy and turbulant. Access from chemin Coulombe.

It is not advisable to swim at this beach, as the currents are often very strong and winds can howl. It is a beautiful spot for a walk, however, with panoramic views over the Gulf of St. Lawrence and plenty of sea-life to behold.

Perhaps the most popular beach of the islands, the amenities of the Grande-Échourie are extensive, with plenty of parking, a souvenir shop, showers and public toilets, picnic tables and a playground. It is also the only beach of the islands with a lifeguard on duty. It is not advisable to swim outside the supervised area.

With facilities for parents and children, this is a good beach for families. Water lines both sides of the gleaming strip of sand, with the east of the beach facing the Lagune du Havre-aux-Maisons, and the west facing the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Access is provided through the chemin de l'Hopital in Fatima.

The waters are almost always calm at the Dune du Sud. Equipped with toilet facilities and picnic tables, it is the perfect spot to while away a sunny summer day. At low tide cliffs and caves expose themselves, ready to be explored.

One of the islands' most recognisable beaches, Havre-Aubert's is where the Iles de la Madeleine's annual Sand Castle Contest takes place. Accessible by the chemin du Sable, a stroll to the Bout du Banc Point offers views of the solitary Ile d'Entree.

The waters of De la Martinique Beach are placid and fine for swimming. One of the Iles de la Madeleine's more popular beaches, there is plenty of parking for vehicles available. Route 199 provides access.

Near L'Etang-des-Caps, this beach is often used for picturesque horseback rides along the shore. High winds can make the waters difficult, so it is advisable to only swim during calm periods and with at least one other person.

Du Cap Beach is pleasantly sheltered and good for swimming well into the fall months of the islands. For the collector, a stroll along the sand may just reveal some interesting shells as well.