Sept-Îles

Sept-Îles (French for "Seven Islands") is a city in Sept-Rivières on the North Shore of Quebec, approximately 230 km northeast of Baie-Comeau, on the Route des Baleines and the Route Nature aux mille délices (gourmet route).

It is the northernmost town in Quebec with any significant population. It is among the northernmost locales with a paved connection to the rest of Quebec's road network. The population is about 25,000 in 2020 according to the 2011 census, with an added population of around 3,000 First Nations (Indigenous) people living in the Uashat mak Mani-Utenam Indian Reserve in the city.

The only settlements on the road network that are farther north are Fermont, Radisson and Chisasibi, the latter two in the extreme western portion of the province at the north end of the James Bay Road. The remaining settlements at higher latitudes in the province are mostly isolated Cree, Innu, or Inuit villages, with access limited to seasonal gravel roads.

Understand
Sept-Îles is the largest city on the north shore in eastern Quebec. This city offers many cultural and artistic attractions (performance halls, artists' and craftsmen's studios, sculpture symposium) and historical points of interest (reconstruction of the Old Post Office and Amerindian prehistory). In addition, with its several sandy beaches, forests as far as the eye can see, countless bodies of water, and privileged sites for hunting and fishing (notably for salmon fishing), Sept-Îles and surrounding areas are a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts.

By car
To get to Sept-Îles, one of the only options is to come by car. It is about 638 km from Quebec City, and 926 km from Montreal. The trip should take you 7-8 hours and 10-11 hours, respectively. The nearest town is Baie-Comeau, 232 km to the southwest (pop. 25,000), but there are some villages along the way.

The main road through the region is Route 138, which follows the north shore from Montreal through Tadoussac and Sept-Îles to Kegashka, a tiny village just beyond Natashquan. Beyond this point, there is no road at all for 450 km (the few villages are served by outport ferry from Sept-Îles). Route 138 briefly reappears at Vieux-Fort and crosses from Blanc-Sablon into Labrador.

By plane

 * Direct flights to Sept-Îles from Quebec City (1 hr 15 min to 1 hr 45 min).

By boat




By bus

 * Operates the following routes to Sept-Îles:
 * Between Baie-Comeau and Sept-Îles including a stop in Godbout. Travel time to Sept-Îles from Baie-Comeau is 3 hours and from Godbout is 2 hours. Operates daily. Same day transfer at Baie-Comeau is available for travel from Quebec City (9 hr 45 min from Sept-Îles), or to Quebec City and Montreal.
 * Between Havre-Saint-Pierre and Sept-Îles. Travel time to Sept-Îles from Havre-Saint-Pierre is 2 hr 45 min. Operates several days per week.

By train
Sept-Îles has trains from Schefferville on an isolated line. It is not connected to the rest of the Quebec rail network.
 * The train runs on the Quebec North Shore & Labrador (QNS&L) line. Schefferville is an otherwise-inaccessible mining community in northern Québec. This line is owned by three First Nations (Indigenous) groups. Tshiuetin means "north wind" in the Naskapi language. This line does not connect to the rest of the North American rail system.
 * The journey is 10-12 hr of spectacular scenery. Departing Sept-Îles: M & Th at 08:00. Departing Schefferville: Tu & F at 08:00. Sandwiches and microwaved meals are available in a dining car. Server may not speak English or French, so brush up on your Naskapi. The northbound train stops at Emerile Jct at about 15:00 and southbound at about 12:00 (Quebec time). Labrador City is a 45-minute drive north on Highway 500 from Emeril Jct, so you should have transportation arranged to meet you. Tickets cost $175 round trip ($115 for Indigenous persons).
 * The train runs on the Quebec North Shore & Labrador (QNS&L) line. Schefferville is an otherwise-inaccessible mining community in northern Québec. This line is owned by three First Nations (Indigenous) groups. Tshiuetin means "north wind" in the Naskapi language. This line does not connect to the rest of the North American rail system.
 * The journey is 10-12 hr of spectacular scenery. Departing Sept-Îles: M & Th at 08:00. Departing Schefferville: Tu & F at 08:00. Sandwiches and microwaved meals are available in a dining car. Server may not speak English or French, so brush up on your Naskapi. The northbound train stops at Emerile Jct at about 15:00 and southbound at about 12:00 (Quebec time). Labrador City is a 45-minute drive north on Highway 500 from Emeril Jct, so you should have transportation arranged to meet you. Tickets cost $175 round trip ($115 for Indigenous persons).

By thumb
Hitchhiking from Montreal to Quebec City is very easy; many people commute daily between those two cities.

Between Quebec City and Sept-Îles, there is only one main road (Route 138) going north-east along the shore of the St-Lawrence river. As such, hitchhiking is pretty straightforward. People travelling on this road are likely to accomplish long distances because towns and cities are few and far between. However, just going from Quebec City to Sept-Îles in your own car takes around 8 hours; add the waiting time, and getting to Sept-Îles is likely to take you 2 days of hitchhiking.

Wild camping is pretty easy during the summer months, but winter in Quebec is quite harsh and camping in winter is impossible without specialized gear (waiting for a ride at -30°C is also dangerous). Nevertheless, if you leave very early from Quebec City (or east of there), it is possible to arrive in Sept-Îles in one day.

Get around
Car is the best way to get around the city. For places within the city, walking is quite easy, but if you want to go to the beach, or any place remotely outside the city, you will definitely need a car.

At the tourist office, you can rent bicycles for $10/day. Helmets and bicycle locks are included.

There are also taxis. If you go out in the evening, a taxi is your only option if you don't want to walk.

See

 * Base Moisie / Rivier Moisie, a beautiful little settlement (formerly a Royal Canadian Air Force base) that is on the edge of the junction of the Moisie river and the St Lawrence River. The view of the junction between the two rivers is truly amazing. The settlement itself does not have much but a little dépanneur (convenience store) a minute walking distance down Chemin des Forges.
 * Base Moisie / Rivier Moisie, a beautiful little settlement (formerly a Royal Canadian Air Force base) that is on the edge of the junction of the Moisie river and the St Lawrence River. The view of the junction between the two rivers is truly amazing. The settlement itself does not have much but a little dépanneur (convenience store) a minute walking distance down Chemin des Forges.
 * Base Moisie / Rivier Moisie, a beautiful little settlement (formerly a Royal Canadian Air Force base) that is on the edge of the junction of the Moisie river and the St Lawrence River. The view of the junction between the two rivers is truly amazing. The settlement itself does not have much but a little dépanneur (convenience store) a minute walking distance down Chemin des Forges.
 * Base Moisie / Rivier Moisie, a beautiful little settlement (formerly a Royal Canadian Air Force base) that is on the edge of the junction of the Moisie river and the St Lawrence River. The view of the junction between the two rivers is truly amazing. The settlement itself does not have much but a little dépanneur (convenience store) a minute walking distance down Chemin des Forges.
 * Base Moisie / Rivier Moisie, a beautiful little settlement (formerly a Royal Canadian Air Force base) that is on the edge of the junction of the Moisie river and the St Lawrence River. The view of the junction between the two rivers is truly amazing. The settlement itself does not have much but a little dépanneur (convenience store) a minute walking distance down Chemin des Forges.
 * Base Moisie / Rivier Moisie, a beautiful little settlement (formerly a Royal Canadian Air Force base) that is on the edge of the junction of the Moisie river and the St Lawrence River. The view of the junction between the two rivers is truly amazing. The settlement itself does not have much but a little dépanneur (convenience store) a minute walking distance down Chemin des Forges.
 * Base Moisie / Rivier Moisie, a beautiful little settlement (formerly a Royal Canadian Air Force base) that is on the edge of the junction of the Moisie river and the St Lawrence River. The view of the junction between the two rivers is truly amazing. The settlement itself does not have much but a little dépanneur (convenience store) a minute walking distance down Chemin des Forges.
 * Base Moisie / Rivier Moisie, a beautiful little settlement (formerly a Royal Canadian Air Force base) that is on the edge of the junction of the Moisie river and the St Lawrence River. The view of the junction between the two rivers is truly amazing. The settlement itself does not have much but a little dépanneur (convenience store) a minute walking distance down Chemin des Forges.

Eat
In Sept-Îles, it is possible to eat very fresh seafood, and it is what many people are looking for when coming here. Truly, all restaurants offer fresh and tasty seafood; it is all a matter of what you are looking for (price and atmosphere).



Drink
Sept-Îles being on the smaller side, there aren't that many places to drink or party. However, it is still possible to have fun.

Connect
There is no GSM mobile coverage in Sept-Îles. Bell/Telus users will get 3G (UMTS) coverage within the city, but no signal anywhere else.