10/12/2026
Seafood dominates the cuisine on the Magdalena Islands! These islands, affectionately called the Maggies, have been under the radar for many.
A brief history of the Maggies
The Acadians, the first European settlers, arrived in 1755 when the islands were affiliated with Newfoundland. In 1774, they became and remain part of the province of Quebec. The 13,000 residents have preserved a distinctive version of Acadian French, and their lilting accents vary depending on which island they call home.
"In 1970, they started calling people who came here tourists," says Frédéric Myrand of Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine. "Before that, the only visitors were people who came on business." In 2019, pre-pandemic, 69,000 tourists visited to enjoy the long stretches of sandy beaches and brick-red sandstone cliffs, the smorgasbord of outdoor activities and an unmistakable Québécois joie de vivre.
It doesn't take long to disconnect from the real world and submit to the simple rhythm of life here. Everyone seems to know everyone else; people smile, nod and say "bonjour" to passing visitors.
Since 1990, roads have connected six of the islands across long, narrow sandbars. But all of them share a sense of solitude and a Maritime flavor distinct from mainland Quebec.
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