Port Guide | Canada | Worth a Wander

Sept-Îles

Isabella Moreno | Editor

Published on 2025-08-08

Ah, Sept-Îles-Canada's casual shrug to over-glossed travel brochures and Caribbean cliches. Congratulations, dear cruiser, you've arrived in earnest Canadian territory, where moose sightings trump mermaid myths and timbits are taken more seriously than tropical cocktails. Nestled on Quebec's ruggedly handsome Cote-Nord ("North Coast," for those whose French stalled at croissants), Sept-Îles translates charmingly to "Seven Islands," though spoiler alert, they're technically an archipelago-someone lost count back in the day, or maybe just liked the poetic ambiguity. On this laid-back stretch along the Gulf of St. Lawrence, rugged forests meet quietly spectacular shores, giving any visitor ample reason for a little hiking, birdwatching, or existential pondering. Skip tourist traps (there aren't many anyway), roam quirky local museums, snack unapologetically on seafood-rich local fare, or strike up a French-inflected conversation at any cozy cafe-for a small city, the friendliness here is wonderfully supersized. Your stay may pass quickly, but Sept-Îles is a perfect reminder that the best travel stories happen when you're open to the unexpected.