July 20, 2026
By Jade Lemieux
I have always known the Magdalen Islands archipelago as a popular tourist destination and summer vacation spot for people both within and outside Qu茅bec. While I have not had the chance to visit myself yet, I have seen countless trip photos and can almost picture myself in the hilly, green landscape, looking down steep, red, rocky cliffs getting hit by wave after wave from the Gulf of St Lawrence. Situated off the continent, southeast of the Gasp茅 Peninsula and just north of Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton, the Magdalen Islands are home to a culturally mixed population of Francophone, Anglophone, and Acadian people.
First land of the Mi鈥檏maq tribe, then taken by French settlers, the archipelago became home to several Acadian families until 1755, when many were deported by English settlers. With even more French families coming to the Magdalen Islands from Miquelon in 1793, the archipelago was already becoming home to a culturally varied population. It is not until 1822, however, that the English-speaking communities of the archipelago firmly established themselves when the Islands were handed to an English admiral. Today, certain islands in the archipelago鈥攏amely Entry Island and Grosse 脦le鈥攑ersist as English-speaking enclaves even in a predominantly French region. Both Entry Island and Grosse 脦le鈥檚 communities were formed predominantly by individuals originally from the Scottish Highlands, as well as some families who moved from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
| Fun Fact: The Magdalen Islands are home to over 300 different types of bird species, making it a particularly attractive destination for birdwatching. |
Their self-sustaining nature as fishing villages and their isolation from the bigger francophone communities on the province鈥檚 mainland have allowed Entry Island and Grosse 脦le to maintain their specific linguistic and cultural identities throughout the last two centuries. The latter, with its approximately 500 residents, is the biggest anglophone community in the archipelago. Grosse 脦le still remains one of the most remote sectors of the Magdalen Islands. Along with its small fishing village, it is recognized for its natural preservation with two natural reserves and sanctuaries, both holding a vast array of wildlife. If you travel to Grosse 脦le today, you can learn more about its history by visiting its historical heritage complex and the Little Red School museum, where tour guides offer insight into the English-speaking community and its history on the Magdalen Islands.
Although the Magdalen Islands are primarily known for their natural beauty, which leads to their population tripling during the summer months due to tourism, Grosse 脦le also has quite a dark history. From 1832 to 1837, Grosse 脦le was used as a quarantine station responsible for public health at the Laurentian gateway. More than 4 million immigrants passed through the station in its history. The first few decades of the station鈥檚 existence are defined by constant outbreaks and virulent epidemics due to ill-equipped facilities unable to accommodate the sheer quantity of immigrants coming in from Europe, where epidemics were raging throughout the continent at the time. 1847 marks one of the darkest years in its history, as thousands of Irish immigrants attempting to escape the Great Potato Famine died from a Typhus epidemic on the Island. Grosse 脦le houses the largest Irish Famine burial site outside of Ireland.
In 1974, the Canadian government recognized Grosse 脦le as a site of national historic significance. If you ever make your way to the Magdalen Islands, make sure to take some time visiting the Irish Memorial National Historic Site on Grosse 脦le to learn more about this Anglophone community鈥檚 history. Much is hiding beyond the island鈥檚 natural beauty, and it is left for you to discover.
References
Cummings, Don, and Serge Occhietti. 鈥淕rosse 脦le and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site.鈥 The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2006, . Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
l'卯le imagin'air. 鈥淒iscover Grosse Ile 鈥 a Wave of Traditions.鈥 YouTube, 10 Mar. 2016, . Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
Mailhot, Pierre, and Jean-Marie Dubois. 鈥溍巐es de La Madeleine.鈥 The Canadian Encyclopedia, 7 Feb. 2006, . Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
McNaughtan, Pamela. 鈥淕etting to Know the English-Speaking Communities of Eastern Qu茅bec.鈥 Qu茅bec Maritime, 29 Jan. 2025, . Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
S茅vigny, Andr茅. 鈥淭he Evolution of the Historic Role of Grosse 脦le.鈥 Government of Canada, 1995, . Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.