Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Quick Facts

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Capital

Saint-Pierre

Population

7,000

Government

NA (self-governing territorial collectivity of France)

Religions

Christianity (Catholic)

Languages

French

Calling Code

+508

Nationality

Local name

Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Contributors

• Utrecht (55%)
  from http://utrecht.travellerspoint.com
• dr.pepper (27%)
  from Tea Blog
• Peter (19%)
  from My Shout

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Introduction

St Pierre and Miquelon are the last vestiges of France's North American empire. Situated just south of the Canadian province of Newfoundland, the islands are cold but the towns are quaint and relaxed. Originally settled by French cod fishers in the 17th century, the territories passed temporarily from French to British control between 1713 and 1763. Cod fishing, after this time, was the central industry of the islands.

For travellers, the appeal is in low-key attractions such as museums, rustique old architecture and the islands' history. The islands are also popular amongst birdwatchers, and hikers find the nature trails of particular interest.

Brief History

Geography

Regions/Communes

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is made up of two communes.

• Miquelon-Langlade
• Saint-Pierre

Cities/Towns

• Saint-Pierre, the capital
• Miquelon

Sights and Activities

Saint-Pierre Cathedral

The original Saint-Pierre Cathedral burned down in 1902 but it was rebuilt between 1905 and 1907 and is located at the same spot as Saint-Pierre's original church from 1690 and was built in the style of Basque churches.

Pointe aux Canons Lighthouse

When you enter the Saint Pierre harbour, you will spot this distinctive landmark which is painted in bright red and white colors, the Pointe aux Canons Lighthouse. It is not open to the general public but is located at the end of a jetty if you want to take photos. Near the lighthouse is a canon battery which dates back to the Crimean War.

General Charles de Gaulle Square

Located near the harbor of Saint-Pierre is the General Charles de Gaulle Square. Here, the French Tricolor is raised on Bastille Day and the square is the centre of festivities on this day. The Old Fountain and the Gazebo are here as well.

Miquelon town

The Town of Miquelon has about 700 inhabitants. Here, Acadian history and culture is prevalent and after the Acadian deportation of 1755, hundreds of Acadian families sought refuge here. Nowadays, Miquelon is proud of its heritage and history. The wooden church is a beautiful traditional building with many old artifacts.

The Cap

The Cap is the northernmost point of the island of Miquelon and has some fantastic rough coastal scenery and an incredible diversity of wildlife.

Other sights and activities

• Langlade. A beautiful and pure and rough island with steep cliffs, forests and wildlife.
• The Transpacific Shipwreck. On Ile aux Marins.
• The Grand Barachois. On Miquelon.
• Les Salines Fishing Stations. On Saint Pierre.
• Galantry Lighthouse. On Saint Pierre.
• The Government District. On Saint Pierre.

Events and Festivals

Weather

The climate on Saint Pierre and Miquelon is a cool marine one, with rarely any warm and sunny days. Winters are cold and long, lasting from October to April. Temperatures are somewhat tempered by the surrounding waters, but can still drop well below zero, both during the day and night. Snowfall occurs during this time as well. Sping and early summer are still quite cool and foggy. Late summer and early fall (August and September) are quite warm, sunny and dry.
Rainfall is possible during most months though, and averages around 1500 mm a year. Average temperatures range from -10 degrees Celcius in winter to around 20 degrees Celcius in summer, with relatively little variation between day and night compared to neighbouring mainland Canada.

Getting there

Plane

The only airline flying to and from Saint Pierre and Miquelon is Air Saint Pierre. Its base is at Saint Pierre Airport (FSP) and there are international flights to several Canadian cities like Halifax, St. John's and Montreal.

By Boat

SPM Express operates ferries between Fortune in Newfoundland and Labrador and the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon.

Getting Around

By Land

Saint Pierre, Miquelon and the smaller islands of île aux Marins and Langlande are very small; getting around most of the island and towns is best done on foot or by renting a bicycle or scooter. Rental cars are only available on Saint Pierre.

Otherwise, taxis can bring you to some more remote spots. On the island of Saint Pierre taxi drivers double as guides, which offers a good opportunity to see a lot of the island and if you are with 2 or 3 people it's an economical way of getting around. There are no taxis on île aux Marins and Langlande.

By Boat

SPM Express travels between the main island Saint Pierre and Miquelon.

Red Tape

Money

See also: Money Matters

As an overseas collectivity of France, Saint Pierre and Miquelon has adopted the Euro (ISO code: EUR, symbol: €) as its official currency. One Euro is divided into 100 cents, which is sometimes referred to as eurocents, especially when distinguishing them with the US cents.

Euro banknotes come in denominations of €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200, €500. The highest three denominations are rarely used in everyday transactions. All Euro banknotes have a common design for each denomination on both sides throughout the Eurozone.

The Euro coins are 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, €1 and €2. Some countries in the Eurozone have law which requires cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest 5 cents. All Euro coins have a common design on the denomination (value) side, while the opposite side may have a different image from one country to another. Although the image side may be different, all Euro coins remain legal tender throughout the Eurozone.

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