The Magdalen Islands

The Îles de la Madeleine sit in the middle of the Gulf of St Lawrence, closer to Prince Edward Island than to the Quebec mainland, and they are barely islands at all: a dozen rocky hills joined by long thin sand spits, so that driving the length of the archipelago means running for kilometres with water on both sides. The rock is red sandstone, cut by the sea into caves, arches and stacks, and the houses on the treeless hills are painted in strong colours, a habit said to have come from leftover boat paint. The wind is relentless, which is why the islands became a centre for kite sports. The seafood, lobster above all, is the other reason to come.

What you actually see

• The sand spits - long dune roads with sea on both sides.
• The red cliffs - sandstone caves, arches and stacks, best seen by kayak.
• The painted houses - strong colours scattered across treeless hills.
• Lobster and smoked herring - the islands' seafood, in season from May.

When to go

June to September is the season; the lobster season runs from early May for about nine weeks and is when the islands are at their liveliest. Winter is severe and most services close, though a small number of visitors come for the ice and seal-watching in late winter.

Honest expectations

Getting there is the main obstacle: a five-hour ferry from Prince Edward Island that books out for vehicles months ahead in summer, or a flight that is expensive for the distance. Accommodation is limited and must be reserved early. The wind is constant enough to affect beach days, and the water is cold. Everything is in French.

Nearby

Prince Edward Island is the ferry terminus; Gaspé is the other Quebec sea link.