Île aux Basques, River island and national historic site in Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, Canada.
Île aux Basques is a river island in the Saint Lawrence River near Trois-Pistoles that spans several kilometers in length and hundreds of meters in width. The site contains the remains of multiple archaeological locations revealing both Basque fishing camps and Indigenous settlements.
Basque fishermen established camps along the southern coast between the 1500s and 1600s for whaling and fish processing operations. These activities marked an important period of European resource use in the Saint Lawrence River during that era.
The island shows evidence of encounters between Indigenous peoples and Basque settlers through discovered objects like glass beads and pottery fragments. These items tell a story of exchange relationships that developed over time at this location.
The island has protected status as a migratory bird sanctuary and is managed by Société Provancher. Visitors should expect restricted access and conservation rules that help preserve this sensitive environment.
The island holds a total of seven archaeological sites, with four containing remains of Indigenous settlements and three preserving traces of Basque whaling activities. This collection offers a rare view of how two different groups used the same location across overlapping periods.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
