Canada Guide
Northern Québec
The Mingan Archipelago
Immediately offshore from Havre-St-Pierre, the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve ( 
www.pc.gc.ca ; $5.45) offers some of the most beautiful landscapes in Québec. Standing on the islands' white-sand shorelines are innumerable eight-metre-high rocks like ancient totem poles, with bright orange lichen colouring their mottled surfaces and bonsai-sized trees clinging to their crevices. But bizarre geology isn't the archipelago's only remarkable feature. The flora constitutes a unique insular garden of 452 arctic and rare alpine species, which survive here at their southerly limit due to the limestone soil, long harsh winters and cold Gulf of Labrador current. As for wildlife, other than the Gulf's whale populations, the permanent inhabitants of the national park include puffins, who build nests in the scant soil of three of the islands from early May to late August, and 199 other species of birds.
One of the best ways to see the islands is by sea kayak or two-man sail boats. The friendly folks at Expédition Agaguk, 1062 av Boréale in Havre-St-Pierre ( 
418/538-1588, www.expedition-agaguk.com ), organize one- to six-day excursions (May– Sept) for $79 a day, $129 a day if you want them to supply camping equipment and local cuisine. Even if you have your own gear, this is an excellent place for tips on currents and other conditions. On prior request, they will also organize backcountry trips to the lakes and rivers to the north.
Boat tours (June– Sept) around portions of the archipelago are available from the wharf at Havre-St-Pierre, but they must be booked in advance; La Relève II operates from kiosk no. 3 (3 daily; $33; 418/538-2865), while Tournée des Îles at kiosk no. 2 ( 418/538-2547, www.tourismecote-nord.com/minisite/tournee ) runs the Perroquet de Mer (3 daily; $33) and Le Calculot (3 daily; $33), a small boat whose captain's unrelenting commentary may spoil your trip. Cruises to see the puffins in the western sector of the park depart from Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan.
Camping is allowed on Île Quarry and five other islands ($14–16) but the only transport besides a sea kayak is the Bateau-Mouche sea bus ( 418/538-3427; $17–34 depending on destination). Obtain permits from the interpretation centre in Longue-Pointe or the wharfside kiosk in Havre-St-Pierre.