Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan

Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan is a recreational tourism municipality in the Minganie region, on the North Shore of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec. It is the gateway to the Mingan Archipelago, renowned for its rocky islands shaped by the sea, on the Route des Baleines and the Route Nature aux mille délices (gourmet route)

The main tourist attractions of Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan:

  • its immense beaches (27 km between the Saint-Jean River (to the west) and the Mingan River (to the east)) of fine sand on the coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence; a long wooden sidewalk delimits the beach at the height of the village allowing hiking with the gulf as an impregnable natural backdrop and the famous Anticosti Island in the background;
  • its boat trips on the gulf to the legendary Île aux Perroquets which offers a great history of navigation with its old lighthouse and outbuildings;
  • its boat trips to the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve and the other islands of the archipelago, to discover the artistic talents of the sea in sculpting the rocks of the islands of the archipelago;
  • sport fishing on the sea, on the Saint-Jean River or in the backcountry;
  • sport hunting (including trapping) in the backcountry;
  • its aerodrome located near Lake Patterson, which was a former military air terminal during the Second World War (1939-1945);
  • its immense and wild territory allowing you to practise snowmobiling or mountain biking, in an idyllic forest environment;
  • its trails or roads offering hikes in the great outdoors, including biking, hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing;
  • its marine mammal interpretation centre.

Understand

In 1976, the segment of Route 138 passing through the village was connected to the rest of the province's road network; this connection allowed a significant influx of travellers, especially tourists in summer. From now on, provisions and goods arrive mainly by land rather than by sea. In addition, the village is now served by the bus service from the north shore to Havre-Saint-Pierre.

This atypical municipality has an almost exclusively French-speaking population of 434 inhabitants in 2016.

Geography

The Jacques-Cartier Strait, located between Anticosti Island and the North Shore, is well frequented by fishermen, boaters and boaters visiting the rock islands sculpted artistically by the sea in the Réserve de Mingan Archipelago National Park.

La Longue-Pointe, located in the township of Mingan, between Mingan and Magpie, is the shortest distance (34 km) between the continental north shore and Pointe Nord (Cap-de-Rabast) on the Côte de la Discovery (north side) of Anticosti Island. To connect the two points, you have to cross the Chenal de Mingan (near the Côte-Nord coast), the Chenal aux Perroquets, the Îles de Mingan and the Strait of Jacques-Cartier.

History

The local history is rich in significant events: numerous shipwrecks, storms on the sea, fishing expeditions and caplan fishing, the hordes of tourists visiting the Parc national de l'archipel des Îles de Mingan, the arrival of Route 138 in 1976, the isolation of a remote riverside village, the period of supply ships, the telegraph, the arrival of the first car, the first plane, the snowmobile, electricity, telephone, television, municipal erection, seafood processing, and military airfield.

Thadée Leblanc was the first European to settle in Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan; he came in 1849 with his family from Anse du Cap (Cap-d'Espoir) in Gaspésie. The establishment of a hamlet was based on the economic vocation of cod fishing. This economic activity mainly attracted Gaspesians from around Paspébiac, Grande-Rivière and Port-Daniel.

On November 2, 1942 (in the midst of World War II), the PBY Catalina, an amphibious aircraft of the United States Air Force, crashed off the Canadian coast near the village of Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan. This tragedy occurred after the plane hit high waves after taking off from the airfield. The town's fishermen then braved the stormy waters of the Gulf to find four crew members clinging to the fuselage before the plane sank in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Five other Americans, including the pilot, were trapped inside the seaplane and lost their lives.

Get in

By bus

By car

The distance from Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan to the following major cities is:

Routes from major cities
TownDistance by road
(in km)		Route(s) to follow
Baie-Comeau401 East
Fermont668 South – East
Montreal1068/ East – North (Pierre-Laporte bridge) – East – East (includes ferry)
Ottawa1266 East – South – East – East – East (includes a ferry)
Quebec811 East – East – East (includes a ferry)
Saguenay722 East – East
Sept-Iles172 East
Trois-Rivières942 East – North – East – East (includes ferry)

Get around

The main road traffic route is Route 138 which runs along the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This road crosses each of the villages up to Kegaska to the east.

See
  • 🌍 Mingan Islands Research Station Interpretation Center (museum) (Centre d'interprétation de la Station de Recherche des Îles Mingan (musée)), 378, rue du Bord de la Mer, ☏ +1 418-949-2845. Free. (updated Jul 2022)
  • 🌍 Excursion to Parrot Island (Excursion à l'île aux Perroquets), 207, rue de la Mer (departure of excursions) (5 km from Longue-Pointe, in the village of Mingan, 20 km west of Grande Île and 30 km from the North Point of Anticosti Island.), ☏ +1-866-949-2307. This legendary island is the great guardian of the western entrance to the Mingan Archipelago; it is a sought-after tourist spot on the North Shore and a strong symbol of the region. Part of the Mingan Archipelago, Île aux Perroquets belongs to the Parks Canada Agency and access is limited. The Corporation de l’Île aux Perroquets (CÎP) has the mission of safeguarding, enhancing and reviving the resort of Île aux Perroquets. This island offers a distinctive spectacle of nature through the observation of marine and avian fauna. The visit to this island is a step back in history with the station of its legendary lighthouse, the story of the many shipwrecks, the evolution of lighthouse technologies, and the navigation of fishermen. Adventurers of a day will immerse themselves in the island and solitary life of the lighthouse keepers, as well as being inspired by the immensity of the gulf, the offshore wind and the waves which break by announcing the weather. Excursions offered through Les Entreprises Touristiques Loiselle inc, a boat tour agency. Free. (updated Jul 2022)

Do
  • Hiking. Five marked walks are possible for hiking in Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan:
    • Hike to Île Nue de Mingan: travel 8.5 km on a drop of 57 m in the form of a loop all around the island. Landscape of wave-sculpted rocks and pebbles. Taxi boat transport for Lighthouse excursions.
    • Long Pointe de Mingan promenade (Promenade Longue Pointe de Mingan): a wooden sidewalk runs along the long fine sandy beach near the village. This walk along the beach reaches 5.6 km.
    • Parrot Island (Île aux Perroquets): 0.8 km trails on the island. Taxi boat transport for Lighthouse excursions.
    • End of the trail bench (Bout du Banc trail): 7.4 km trail between the village of Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan and the end of the sandbank which serves as a barachois at the mouth of the Saint River -Jeans;
    • Lake Trail at Louis-Boucher (Sentier du Lac à Louis-Boucher): 39.4 km forest trail heading north in a forest area to Lac à Louis-Boucher. Ideal trail for observing wild flora and fauna. (updated Jul 2022)

Buy
  • 🌍 Marché Omni, 864 chemin du Roi (located along route 138). Supermarket. (updated Jul 2022)
  • 🌍 SAQ Agence - Magasin chez Georges enr, 864 chemin du Roi, ☏ +1-833-587-2727. Liquor store. Convenience store. (updated Jul 2022)
  • 🌍 Magasin Atautshuap, 45, rue Mishta Meshkanau, ☏ +1-418-949-2920. General store, gas station. (updated Jul 2022)

Eat
  • 🌍 Dairy bar at Marina and canteen at Nat (Bar laitier chez Marina et cantine chez Nat), 1045, chemin du Roi, ☏ +1 418-949-2634. Ice cream counter. (updated Jul 2022)
  • 🌍 Café du port, 986, chemin du Roi (located along route 138), ☏ +1-418-949-0088. Cafe style restaurant. (updated Jul 2022)

Sleep

Cottages

Camping

Connect

Wireless high-speed Internet service is offered in Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan by several service providers, thanks to networks of ground relay stations; on route 138 outside the villages, this wireless service could be irregular or not accessible depending on the location. In addition, satellite communication services (e.g. Starlink) are accessible everywhere in remote territory such as the North Shore; they allow you to make video calls, play online games, view streaming video, and perform other high-speed activities.

  • 🌍 Canada Post, 252, Bord de la Mer. Post office. (updated Jul 2022)

Cope

Health
  • 🌍 CLSC, 870, chemin du Roi, ☏ +1 418-949-2402. M-F 08:00-12:00, and 13:30-16:00. Local community service centre. (updated Jul 2022)

Go next
Routes through Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan
New York State→Elgin ← Montréal ←  W  E  → Kegaska→(discontinued between Kegaska and Bonne-Espérance)→Bonne-Espérance → Blanc-Sablon→Labrador


  • 🌍 Mingan Mingan is an Innu Indian reserve inhabited by Innus from Ekuanitshit. Located 28 km west of Havre-Saint-Pierre, the Innus settled there permanently after the Second World War (1939-1945); 552 inhabitants lived there in 2016.
  • 🌍 Rivière-Saint-Jean (Minganie) Riverside municipality in the MRC of Minganie, located at the mouth of the Saint-Jean River and the Magpie River. Main tourist attractions: Rivière St-Jean outfitter, Rivière Saint-Jean church, celebration of the National Day of Quebec, Magpie belvedere, the seal strike around Magpie Bay, Magpie dam, barachois of the Saint-Jean river, hunting Fishing...
  • 🌍 Havre-Saint-Pierre This riverside town offering many services to travelers and many attractions: Mingan Archipelago (Archipel-de-Mingan National Park Reserve), a well-organized seaport, several rivers (e.g., Romaine), several plans water, fishing (e.g. snow crab, scallops, lobster, salmon, trout), its sea excursions, its resorts, its cultural centre, its gastronomy and its markets, its ability to accommodation and outdoor activities.
  • 🌍 Lac-Jérôme Unorganized territory of RCM Minganie, in Côte-Nord region. This territory is a hunting & fishing paradise under the aegis of outfitters, with access by seaplane. It can be crossed by snowmobile.
  • 🌍 Anticosti This natural island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence is the largest island in Quebec. It is known for its outdoor activities, fishing and deer hunting. Main attractions: falls of the Vauréal river, the Petit Canyon of the Chicotte river, Port-Meunier, observation of flora and fauna. The ferry L'Express Anticosti makes the connection between the island and Rivière-au-Tonnerre three times a week. See the island page for more information.
  • 🌍 Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve One of the four National Parks of Canada in Quebec. String of islands near the coast known for their monoliths and for birdwatching. The park is approximately 80 km (50 mi) east of Rivière-au-Tonnerre along Route 138, or facing Havre-Saint-Pierre.
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