Communities
- Kegaska
- La Romaine
- Chevery
- Harrington Harbour
- Tete-a-la-Baleine
- Mutton Bay
- La Tabatiere
- St. Augustine
- Old Fort Bay
- St. Paul's River
- Middle Bay
- Brador
- Lourdes de Blanc Sablon
- Blanc Sablon
Kegaska
First village to encounter when arriving from the west.
Population: 155
History: In 1831, Hudson Bay Company established a fishing and trading post. In 1852, the first residents arrived: the Boudreaus, Bourgeois, and Harveys. Between 1898 and 1902, Courts, Kippens, Osbornes, Stubberts, and Foremans settled here. In 1976, a large cargo ship from the Magdalen Islands, the Brion, struck a shoal and sank one kilometre from Kegaska.
Historic Site: The Brion shipwreck.
Industry: Crab Fishing.
Attractions and activities:
Winter: Ice fishing, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing.
Summer: Trout fishing, salmon fishing, deep sea fishing, hiking, bird watching, and a one mile beach in front of the village.
The beautiful Foreman River, gives visitors a great opportunity to enjoy fly-fishing.
La Romaine
(COMMUNITY UPDATES)
In this village, the Montagnais, Québécois and the Malécites Community live in harmony.
Population:
Québécois: 90
Malicites: 60
Montagnais: 900
History: In 1700's, the French established a fishing and trading post in La Romaine. In 1865, the first residents arrived: Métivier and Guillemette. After Father Alexis Joveneau, an Oblate from Belgium, arrived in the early 1950's, the Montagnais built their reserves which consist of year-round homes.
Historic Site: The old village of Musquaro.
Industry: Montagnais carry-on their traditional activities, as well as maintain a fishing club on the Etamamiou River. Quebecoise and Malecite Community fish lobster, crab, scallops and work in surrounding fishing clubs.
Attractions & Activities:
Winter: Ice fishing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, carnival, and a volleyball tournament.
Summer: Trout and salmon fishing, bird and whale watching, fruit and berry picking, swimming in the Olaman River, island picnics, Fog Island Sanctuary, sport and commercial fishing, in June celebrate St. Jean Baptiste Day, and in August participate in the Blessing of the Montagnais canoes.
A great place to visit and learn the culture and traditions.
Chevery
Last village on the Lower North Shore to become established.
Population: 300
History: In 1931, William Anderson and his family arrived here to perform some experimental farming. In 1960, the first houses with year-round running water and also the first school and clinic. In 1964, Bobbitts, Ransoms, and Jones settled here. Until 1990, it was the Administrative Centre for the Municipality of the Lower North Shore. Today, the M.C.N.G.S.L. administers the villages of Kégaska, La Romaine, Chevery, Harrington Harbour, Aylmer Sound and Tête-à-la-Baleine.
Historic Site: In Wolf Bay from 1850's to the 1960's, members of the Jones family lived several months a year and then moved to winter houses farther inland.
Industry: Crab fishing, outfitting camps and seasonal work.
Attractions & Activities:
Winter: Cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, winter hiking, and carnivals.
Summer: Trout fishing on the Netagamiou and La Croix Rivers, St. Mary’s Island Sanctuary, Wolf Bay, foot path trail to the Netagamiou Falls, two outfitter camps, iceberg watching, whale watching, and seal watching.
Fall: Moose and duck hunting.
Visitors to Chevery will enjoy hiking to the majestic Netagamiou falls.
Harrington Harbour
In 1534, Jacques Cartier visited Old Fort Bay.
Population: 347
History: According to a chronicle of Jacques Cartier’s first voyage to North America, he planted a cross at Baie des Rochers, about fifteen kilometres southwest of Old Fort Bay. In 1700, Augustin Legardeur de Courtemanche, the first resident, built a fort in this vicinity, after receiving a ten-year concession from the King of France for seal fishing and fur trading with the Amerindians. In the 1800's, the Féquets, Haywards, McDonalds, Wellmans, Woodlands, and Buckles settled in Old Fort Bay. Traditionally, the economy revolved around the fishing industry.
Historic Site: Baie des Rochers.
Industry: Many villagers travel to northern Quebec and Ontario during the summer months to work as guides and cooks, but some remain in Old Fort Bay and work in the fish plant.
Attractions & Activities:
Winter: Winter hiking, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, a hockey tournament, and a carnival.
Summer: Whale watching, bird watching, seal watching, watching passing icebergs, dipping caplin, berry picking, big and small game hunting, fishing clubs, visiting Dog Island and the Culture Centre.
The community still holds it’s natural beauty, just as it did 300 years ago when it was founded.
Tete-a-la-Baleine
A village that was divided into two sections for many years: a summer village on Providence Island and a winter village on the mainland.
Population: 250
History: The first residents were William and Michael Kanty in 1820. Between 1830 and 1855, numerous French-Canadiens families from Quebec City such as the Maugers, Marcoux, Merciers, Bilodeaus and Nadeaus joined them. In 1895, Ste. Anne’s Church was completed. In 1980, the migration to the summer village on Providence Island ended when people acquired larger boats (Long Liners) to fish. Today, people of this community live on the mainland.
Historic Sites: Kanty Island is the site of the first home in Tête-à-la-Baleine. Providence Island is the location of Ste. Anne’s Chapel, the oldest chapel on the Lower North Shore.
Industry: Scallop fishing, crab fishing, and lobster fishing.
Attractions & Activities:
Winter: Winter hiking, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and carnivals.
Summer: Hiking, bird watching, boat rides to Providence Island and to St-Mary’s Island Bird Sanctuary.
Tête-à-la-Baleine makes for a wonderful stay, any time of the year.
Mutton Bay
A village that is surrounded by mountains and is facing a serene bay.
Population: 192
History: The first resident was Francois Michel in 1845. In 1860, Jos Hebért, the famed mailman, who travelled the Lower North Shore by dogsled delivering mail, settled here. Later settlers were the Galliots, Browns, Buffitts, Dubbons, Organs, Greens, Styles, Vatchers and the Yarns.
Historic Site: St. Clement’s Church was designed by Thomas Evans and built in the 1920's.
Industry: Fishing crab, lobster, and scallops.
Attractions & Activities:
Winter: Winter hiking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, broom ball tournament, and carnival.
Summer: Hiking, trout fishing, deep sea fishing, and bird watching.
It makes for lovely sightseeing as the rocky scenery provides a rugged beauty beyond comparison.
La Tabatiere
The home of the largest fish plant on the Lower North Shore.
Population: 499
History: In 1700's, the French, established a fishing and trading post here. In 1760's, after the British took possession of the region, a Quebec City based company called the Labrador Company took over the post. In 1821, the bankrupt Labrador Company gave the post to the first settler in La Tabatière, Samuel Robertson. Then came the Gallichon, Blais, Gallibois, Gaumond, Lévesque, Bilodeau, Willcott, McKinnion, Organ and Collier families. Until 1930's, the people here were mainly seal fishermen.
Historic Sites: The Robertson’s family cemetery is the burial grounds of several generations of Robertsons, including pioneer Samuel Robertson. The Robertson’s seal foundry was once the largest seal-fishing operation on the Lower North Shore.
Industry: Fishing crab, scallops, lobster and shrimp.
Attractions & Activities:
Winter: Winter hiking, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, a hockey tournament and a winter carnival.
Summer: Hiking, trout fishing, deep sea fishing, bird watching, island tours, Robertson Lake power dam, and boating.
Fall: Labour Day Celebration, hunting and fishing.
Having no roads to the outside, visitors will experience a world of pleasant solitude.
St. Augustine
St. Augustine is surrounded by 6 rivers where salmon, speckled trout and arctic char are abundant.
Population: 791
History: François Margane de la Valtrie was the first resident to arrive in 1720 to harvest seals and set up a fur trade. In 1823, Matthew and Andrew Kennedy purchased the post from the Labrador Company. By 1870's, the Kennedy, Nadeau, Gallibois, Lessard, Lavallée, McKinnon, Martin, Belvin, Maurice, and Driscoll families came to settle here. Traditionally, fishing and fur trapping were the main source of income. In 1950, many families moved to Sept-Îles to work in the iron-ore mines.
Historic site: St. Augustine’s seal fishery operation was located on St. Augustine Island.
Industry: Fishing haddock, mackerel, salmon, trout, and various shellfish.
Attractions & Activities:
Winter: Winter hiking, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, a hockey tournament and a carnival.
Summer: Hiking, trout fishing, salmon fishing, smelt fishing, deep sea fishing, bird watching (eagles), mammal watching (seals, whales, etc.), picking bakeapples, and a scallop farm in Shekatica Bay. There are miles of sand beaches surrounding St. Augustine, ideal for swimming and other activities.
Fall: Moose, rabbit and partridge hunting.
The rumble of the St. Augustine River is a pleasant sound to any passerby.
Old Fort Bay
In 1534, Jacques Cartier visited Old Fort Bay.
Population: 347
History: According to a chronicle of Jacques Cartier’s first voyage to North America, he planted a cross at Baie des Rochers, about fifteen kilometres southwest of Old Fort Bay. In 1700, Augustin Legardeur de Courtemanche, the first resident, built a fort in this vicinity, after receiving a ten-year concession from the King of France for seal fishing and fur trading with the Amerindians. In the 1800's, the Féquets, Haywards, McDonalds, Wellmans, Woodlands, and Buckles settled in Old Fort Bay. Traditionally, the economy revolved around the fishing industry.
Historic Site: Baie des Rochers.
Industry: Many villagers travel to northern Quebec and Ontario during the summer months to work as guides and cooks, but some remain in Old Fort Bay and work in the fish plant.
Attractions & Activities:
Winter: Winter hiking, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, a hockey tournament, and a carnival.
Summer: Whale watching, bird watching, seal watching, watching passing icebergs, dipping caplin, berry picking, big and small game hunting, fishing clubs, visiting Dog Island and the Culture Centre.
The community still holds it’s natural beauty, just as it did 300 years ago when it was founded.
St. Paul's River
The river is known for its rich salmon population and good fishing.
Population: 468
History: In 1774, the first settlers were Philip and Nathaniel Lloyd. Later in the 1800's; the Goddard, Buckle, Parker, Antel, Dunns, Keats, Roberts, Thomas, and Spingle families also settled here from Newfoundland. (Goddards from England) Among the families who settled in St. Paul’s River, William Whiteley stands out for his invention of the Cod Trap. First school teacher on the Lower North Shore, Jane Brodie, in 1860. Ten World War II Veterans came from this small village.
Historic Sites: Behind Jane Brodie’s house was a steep hill, which was named Miss Brodie’s Hill after her. On Bonne Espérance Island William Whiteley built a home and established a cod-fishing business.
Industry: Crab Fishing.
Attractions & Activities:
Winter: Cross-country skiing, ice fishing, snowmobiling, carnival, and the hockey tournament.
Summer: Hiking, trout fishing, salmon fishing, deep sea fishing, bakeapple picking, whale watching, bird watching, St. Paul’s Fishing Clubs, War Memorial Monument at the top of Blue Berry Hill, Whiteley Museum, and digging for clams at Salmon Bay Bottom.
Come visit the beautiful look-out, one kilometer east of St. Paul’s River.
Middle Bay
It is a small village, surrounded by hills and a beautiful bay.
Population: 102
History: As early as the 1500's, the fishermen from the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain were familiar with this site. The Basque Whalers once came to this region to catch cod and to harpoon whales. In 1849, Joseph Morency became the first settler. Arriving in 1870's were the Atwood, Jones, Etheridge, Griffin, Harris, and Roberts families; they all moved from Middle Bay in 1900. Today, it is home to surnames such as Lavallée, Buckle, Burke, Blanche, Hobbs.
Historic Sites: At Smith’s remains of the Basque whaling station can be found. Belles Amours was once a small fishing village, today it consists of summer homes.
Industry: Crab and Caplin Fishing.
Attractions & Activities:
Winter: Winter hiking, ice-fishing, snowmobiling, and skating on an outdoor rink.
Summer: Swimming in nearby Peter’s Pond, in June watching the caplin roll onto the beach, and visiting Five Leagues.
Ideal for leisurely sightseeing or recreational activities.
Brador
A village that is unique for its open country scenery.
Population: 136
History: The first settler was Captain Randall Jones who bought the fishing post in Brador Bay. Reports that in 1862, over 250 schooners anchored in the bay of Brador during fishing season. In 1870, Newfoundland families such as the Etheridges, Hobbs, Lettos, Harts, and Goudies arrived here in search of better living conditions. In 1902, the Joncas settled here also.
Historic Sites: At Jones Point, on the eastern shore of Brador Bay, Captain Randall Jones built a home. Bassin Island was once an active cod-fishing station.
Industry: Fishing crab, whelks and lobsters.
Attractions & Activities:
Winter: Winter hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling.
Summer: Whale watching, bird watching, hiking, trout fishing, salmon fishing, deep sea fishing, watching passing icebergs, berry picking, Brador Falls, Brador Bay Sanctuary, and clam digging.
Visitors will find the beautiful scenery of the Brador Falls breathtaking.
Lourdes de Blanc Sablon
This village which is set on a peninsula of land between Brador Bay and Blanc Sablon was, for years, named Long Point, and it is home to the only hospital on the Lower North Shore.
Population: 750
History: Founded in 1824 by Odule Guay. Between 1830-1855, several French-Canadian families; the Beaudoins, the Joncas, the Lavallees, the Dumas, and the Labadies settled here. Over time, the French population became anglicized and today, most of the families in this community are totally bilingual.
Historic Site: Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes Shrine: It is a wooden statue of the Madonna that was carved in France and was erected on Crow’s Hill in 1916.
Industry: Some residents follow their roots and are involved in the fishing industry, while others work at the hospital, bank, post office etc.
Attractions & Activities:
Winter: Skating in the arena, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, carnival, and sports weekend.
Summer: Whale watching, bird watching, hiking, trout fishing, salmon fishing, deep sea fishing, watching passing icebergs, Iceberg Festival, Greenly Island, Perroquet Island, Bishop Scheffeur Museum, St. Jean Baptiste Bonfire, sandy beaches.
This community offers an excellent sojourn for those who love nature and the rugged outdoors.
Blanc Sablon
It is nestled between Good Child’s hill on one side and Mont Parent hill on the other.
Population: 325
History: Founded in 1820 by Martin Parent. He was later joined by Thomas Lavallée, Octave Letemplier, and their families. In 1927, Blanc Sablon changed from Labrador territory to becoming an official part of Quebec. In 1928, the Bremen, a German plane attempting the first East-West transatlantic flight, crashed in this area.
Historic Sites: Île au Bois was once a cod-fishing and seal-fishing station. Greenly Island is the site on which the Bremen crashed.
Industry: Fishing crab, scallops and lobster.
Attractions & Activities:
Winter: Tobogganing on Good Child’s hill, winter hiking, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and ice fishing.
Summer: Whale watching, bird watching, hiking, trout fishing, watching caplin roll in June, berry picking, water falls, and Black Rocks.
Come and see all that it has to offer.