France's last North American territory

Downtownie · Jun 24, 2015

Last weekend a friend and I took the short trip to St-Pierre et Miquelon, France.

The archipelago includes three main islands: St-Pierre, Langlade, and Grand Miquelon, the latter two of which are linked by a famous (or, if you're a sailor, infamous) sandbar. Here you can see the islands, as well as their proximity to Newfoundland to their right, as well as their relation to the rest of North America:

I took over 1,000 photos so I'm really trying to narrow it down to just a few to share.

First, we left my city - St. John's - at sunrise and it was lovely:

Terre Neuve et St-Pierre et Miquelon by R C, on Flickr

Terre Neuve et St-Pierre et Miquelon by R C, on Flickr

The drive to Fortune, from which the ferry to St-Pierre departs, is 3.5 hours. Some of the towns along the way are cute.

Terre Neuve et St-Pierre et Miquelon by R C, on Flickr

Terre Neuve et St-Pierre et Miquelon by R C, on Flickr

And then, a short ferry ride later, we're in France:

Terre Neuve et St-Pierre et Miquelon by R C, on Flickr

Downtownie · Jun 24, 2015

A little more information about the islands:

They have a combined population of 6,080 (2011), of which almost 80% are locals (either Saint-Pierrais or Miquelonnais) and the remainder are relatively recent immigrants born in France.

Less than 1% of the population is what locals call "people from outside", meaning non-French. Most of those, in turn, are Newfoundlanders who have married locals and emigrated to the French islands.

The vast majority of the inhabitants live in the surprisingly urban town of St-Pierre (seriously, I can't stress enough how impressive this place is with such a small population - it feels like a few blocks of a larger city, not a town) with only a small number residing elsewhere, primarily in the dense farming village of Miquelon at the island's northern tip.

Accents and cultures from the Basque country, Normandy, and Brittany are present, with the Basque identity being the dominant one shared by most inhabitants. However, especially in the village of Miquelon, Acadian refugees from mainland Canada have also made their mark on the local sense of identity.

The proximity to North America has also had an impact with locals regularly visiting St. John's, Halifax, and Montreal for healthcare, shopping, and university. As one woman put it: "When I go to France, I think... wow, I am really North American. But then I go to Quebec and it's like... no, no, no, wow, I am sssooo French!"

And the islands, of course, follow the rules of the rest of their republic - stores are only open from around 9:30-noon and again from 2-5 p.m. on Monday-Friday. There are quirks - for example, they LOVE hockey, especially Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens.

Bars close at 5 a.m. Drinking age is 14. Pastries and French cuisine are the best, by far, in North America. People are sexy, skinny, and look far younger than the rest of us. They're insanely friendly - even shouting "Bonjour!" to you from INSIDE THEIR HOMES as you walk by on the street.

If you ever choose to visit, a few tips:

Bring your passport. If you're Canadian or American, you may not need it (they accept North American government-issued, photo IDs), but it's better to be safe. France Customs is quite easy-going, relaxed, and fast. Canada Customs on the return trip is endlessly long, tediously invasive, and slow.

Make reservations for EVERY SINGLE MEAL you want to eat. Restaurants base how much food they have available on their reservations. Even if it's almost empty, they WILL NOT have anything to give you if you don't reserve in advance, and they will feel really bad for having to send you away.

Keep in mind 24/7 doesn't exist. Buy everything you could possibly need during the short window that stores are open.

Prices are comparable to the rest of Newfoundland. We paid 118 Euros for our two-bedroom hotel room per night. Meals were 20-40 Euros including tip.

Derrel · Jun 24, 2015

Drinking age is 14....wow. Neat photos, of an interesting place I really have not heard hardly anything at all about! My family left France in 1732 and settled in what is now modern-day Pennsylvania's Huntington County area.

vintagesnaps · Jun 24, 2015

I wouldn't have realized it was that close - hop a boat and there you are?! wow. If they're fellow hockey fans that's all I'd need to know! jk or am I? But really the photos are great and so are the stories and info.