Vallée du Milieu

The Vallée du Milieu runs through the middle of Langlade, and because the sides give it shelter from the wind that flattens everything else on these islands, actual trees grow in it: balsam fir and spruce standing at proper height rather than the stunted heath of the exposed ground. A stream runs the length. Deer introduced to Langlade browse the valley and have changed the understorey. Langlade has no permanent population at all, and outside the summer months the whole island is empty.

What you actually see

• The standing forest - real trees where the shelter allows them.
• The stream - the watercourse running the length of the valley.
• The shelter - ground protected from the wind that flattens the rest.
• The deer - introduced animals browsing through the woodland.

When to go

June to September is the workable season. The valley is wettest in spring. Fog affects the interior often.

Honest expectations

There are no marked trails to speak of and navigation is by feel. The ground is wet and boggy in places. Getting to Langlade at all requires a boat or the road down the dune.

Nearby

Belle Rivière is east, and the dune is north.