2024-2025 Official Tourist Guide of the Îles de la Madeleine

Features of the Region – Profile of the Region

Features of the Region

Going out to explore on foot, by bicycle, car or kayak, is a way to discover the varied flora, fauna and the charming countryside. A palette of wonderful colours brings the landscape to life, illuminating the variety of its vegetation and landforms.

The Islands The islands and islets of the archipelago are in fact the visible part of a shoal (a type of underwater plateau) on which the islands rest. The islands, connected by sand dunes, make up the archipelago. Each island is a rocky mass with bare, round hills, which the inhabitants call “buttes”. The hills are interspersed with valleys that form plateaus gently sloping toward the sea. The inhabitants, the Made linots, have established their homes and farms near these areas.

The Cliffs There are two types of rock in the cliffs on the Mag dalens: gray sandstone and red sandstone. The gray sandstone is more resistant to erosion and is found in some of the highest landforms. The red sandstone cliffs take spectacular shapes that offer a constant vision of wonder to the eye. This is sedimentary rock, 99% quartz covered with a thin layer of iron oxide, and it is this latter which gives the stone its reddish colour. The rock is highly friable, and suffers greatly from erosion. Created by the incessant battle between the sea and the land, visual wonders await the eye of the visitor all along the cliffs. The Sand Dunes Sandpits represent over 60% of the Islands’ coastline. The sandstone cliffs eroded, washed and transported by sea, lose their red colour with time to turn into white sand. This is how dunes and furrows (Sillons) are formed, and you can see a perfect example of these formations at Dune du Sud. Dunes are where you can see the true individuality of the Madelinot landscape. The maritime flora differs in many ways from those on the mainland and is not found in such concentrations anywhere else in Québec.

BEWARE: Never walk close to the edge of the cliffs, because the eroded areas are not always visible and they can be extremely dangerous. Stay at least 3 metres (10 feet) away from the edge, especially when you see this sign.

Use the wooden walkways to access our beaches to protect our fragile environment.

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