Ile du Trou Island is a small uninhabited island located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Quebec, Canada. The island is also part of the Gaspé Peninsula and lies east of Cap-aux-Meules. The island is privately owned by the Beaudoin family and has been used for fishing and hunting.
The island has experienced a population decline over the past few decades, mainly due to stricter hunting regulations. The Beaudoin family has tried to engage in conservation efforts by creating a nature reserve on the island and hosting educational initiatives for children.
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History
The island was first explored by Europeans in 1610. The island’s first inhabitants were the Mi’kmaq people who used it as a hunting ground. In 1836, Alexandre Beaudoin acquired the island and began to develop it as a fishing camp. The Beaudoin family has owned and operated the island for over 150 years.
Ile du Trou is located east of Cap-aux-Meules and 650m south of the Cap-des-Rosiers lighthouse. The nearest community to Ile du Trou is La Baie which lies on Cape Desrosier at the western tip of Basse-Côte de la Haute Gaspésie. Route 138 runs along its eastern shore and leads south through Les Escoumins, up Gilles Island Lake, across the Jacques Cartier Bridge into Gaspe Peninsula where it ends in downtown Gaspe.
Climate
The island is extremely cold due to its distance from both land and water. The sea surrounding the island remains free of ice all year round, even during winter storms at the end of December when more than 200 km/h winds lash it each time for brief periods with snow that lasts only a day or two.
Summers often exceed 30°C but temperatures can drop below -30°C in severe winters without wind. When the wind blows from an easterly direction, snowfall is common and can settle down to depths of 2m.
Ile du Trou has a frozen shoreline all year round, covered with glazed salt crystals when disturbed by winds or harsh temperatures.
Culture
The island is composed of granite and gneiss with a layer of marl, shale and coal over it.
The Ile du Trou Nature Reserve was created in 2002 to protect the natural environment on the island. The reserve covers an area of 132 hectares and includes forests, meadows, ponds, wetlands and cliffs. The reserve is open to visitors from May until September. The reserve is home to a variety of species including the grey wolf, North Atlantic humpback whale, black bear and several migratory birds.
Production activities are focused on fishing and lobster aquaculture. Oils from bunker are prepared for human consumption or biofuel production; beef cattle produce milk which also is used in fabrication industries in other parts of Quebec unique producing dairy products.
Politics
Ile du Trou is part of the riding of Gaspe-Nord. The Member of Parliament for this riding is Suzanne L’Allier. Lunenburgh Links Golf Club opened in 2006. It is situated on the south-west coast of Ile du Trou and offers a nine hole playing course designed by Craig Parry, and an eighteen hole course for amateur golfers.
Government services
The airport is located on the east coast of Ile du Trou. The hospital is centrally located in Quebec City. Tennis: A league named the Jean-Gilles Pellerin Tennis League is held in summer on Ile du Trou and several other well known tennis courts around Quebec.
Ile du Trou was a popular Christmas destination for many years, until it was struck by severe tropical storms during 1984-85 at which point most of the over 100 structures were destroyed. The island has been dogged by these same dangers since then and authorities are now taking preventive measures to prepare for future storms. This work is being funded by a group of private donors and sponsors including the Quebec chapter of Ducks Unlimited, Aqua-Time Canada and Performance Sports International (PSI).
Tourism
The island faces an uncertain future as the government of Quebec considers ways to reduce its dependency on tourism. The main threats are coastal erosion, which is caused by erosion of the shorelines; loss of freshwater through withdrawals for irrigation and drinking; and changes in climate that could lead to more frequent storms or even complete silting up of the bay. Part of the Ile du Trou has become an island, as a result of erosion.
Transport
The only means of transport to the island is by boat, and this can be very inconvenient in bad weather. Transport of goods is no longer permitted. Quebec Airports wishes to build a new airport on the island, with over 200 slots (at an altitude change of only , which should be sufficient for single-runways), but has run into controversy and objections from Acadian villages in nearby areas who fear their disappearance as part of what one front-runner described as “a way to force people out”.
Cuisine
The cuisine on the island is based on fish, poultry and game; tarts made with fruit or nuts are staples. There is also a small dairy industry. Traditional food includes oie allumette, a fish pie flavored with pork or chicken; crêpes au chèvre (goat’s cheese pancakes); rognons de porc à la Bretonne (“pig kidneys in yellow wine”)… In 2003 the Musée du poissonnier (“Fish Merchant Museum”) opened.
Wildlife
The islands support a wide variety of wildlife, including black bears, gray wolves, beavers and moose. The main threats to this are habitat destruction (by humans) and climate change. Other animals have already disappeared from the island, such as Canada goose and some birds. A few species of reptiles are still present in the Ile à la Charrette (“The Plow Boat”).
Conclusion
Ile du Trou Island is a small, uninhabited island off the coast of Brittany, France. The island is part of the Pays de la Loire region and is part of the Celtic Sea. It is a popular destination for scuba diving and windsurfing.
FAQ
- What Is The History Of Ile Du Trou Island?
Ile du Trou Island was first settled in 1723 by a group of Acadian exiles led by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne d’Iberville. The island originally served as a refuge for persecuted Protestants and was later used as a penal colony.
- What’s The Present Population Of Ile Du Trou Island?
Almost all over 7,000 people visit during summer at the moment because of vacations and cruise holidays.
- How Can I Visit Ile Du Trou Island?
You can sail to the Island or fly from France.
- Why Is Ile Du Trou Island An Essential Part During My Trip In Brittany?
Ile du Trou Island is an important part of the French West Coast region. It has an amazing environment with many monuments and natural attractions for tourists wanting to explore Brittany, such as Cavallermusè (200 m), Pont de Deuil, Donnieres-Mons brook or Berg Boulande Nature Reserve .
- What Can I Do On Ile Du Trou Island?
The island counts more than 40 square kilometers (1 square mile) but you can easily explore the entire island by foot or renting a car to aim at visiting other attractions, such as: museums and itineraries in Pont de Deuil (Guides), Donneres-Mons beauty spot with its impressive brook and Cavallermusè natural monument.
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