Isle-aux-Grues

Île aux Grues, which lends its name to the entire archipelago of some twenty islands and islets in the St. Lawrence River, stands out as the only island in the archipelago inhabited year-round, perpetuating a traditional island way of life shaped by agriculture and fishing for generations. The island has earned an enviable reputation for cheesemaking, notably thanks to a local cheese producer whose fine cheeses are recognized far beyond the region's borders, leveraging island pastures to develop a distinctive terroir that is difficult to replicate elsewhere. From a natural perspective, the island and its surrounding archipelago form a major migration convergence point for snow geese, whose spectacular gatherings in both spring and fall create an ornithological spectacle comparable to that witnessed at the Cap-Tourmente National Wildlife Area on the opposite bank of the river. These migratory birds, traveling up to 4,000 kilometres between the American Atlantic coast and their nesting grounds in Canada's far north, make an extended stopover in this section of the estuary to rest and replenish their energy reserves, temporarily transforming the skies and mudflats of the archipelago into a breathtaking aerial ballet that attracts photographers and amateur ornithologists from throughout the province.