Entry Island (Île d'Entrée)

Île d'Entrée holds a unique geographic and social position within the Magdalen Islands: as the only inhabited island still unconnected to the rest of the territory by a sand bar or road, it remains accessible solely by ferry service operated by Groupe CTMA, running daily except Sundays between Cap-aux-Meules and its small port aboard the NM Ivan-Quinn, with a crossing time of approximately one hour. This relative isolation has preserved on the island a strikingly pristine natural character, where visitors disembarking at the dock discover a landscape of rolling green hills and endless meadows, punctuated by a small Anglican church bearing witness to the predominantly English-speaking heritage of the resident population, whose primary economic activity remains fishing to this day. The ascent of Big Hill, the highest point of the entire archipelago at 174 metres elevation, rewards hikers with a 360-degree view simultaneously embracing Cap-aux-Meules, the distant Île de la Grande Entrée, and the vast expanse of the surrounding Gulf of Saint Lawrence—an experience considered by many visitors as one of the highlights of their stay in the Islands. Hikers can choose between a complete 7.5-kilometre loop circling the island or a more direct route to the summit via the village, then following the red sandstone cliffs down to the island's lighthouse, which traditionally marks the end of this memorable exploration of a truly exceptional territory.