The French Territory of St. Pierre

Tucked just off the coast of Newfoundland, the islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon offer a fun excursion into a French territorial collectivity nestled in North America.

French settlers first arrived in the late 1600s, and by 1670, permanent communities had taken root. Over the next century, the islands changed hands multiple times between France and Britain, with the Treaty of Paris in 1763 restoring French control. After further British occupations and evacuations, the French finally resettled the islands in 1816. Today, St. Pierre and Miquelon remain France’s last foothold in North America.

One of the most evocative sites in Saint-Pierre is the Pointe aux Canons Battery. Originally built in the late 1600s and later modernized during the Crimean War, this coastal defense installation once protected the harbor from British raids. Though the original fortifications are gone, several iron cannons still stand watch near the lighthouse.

The Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Saint-Pierre is a spiritual and architectural anchor for the town. The original church, built in 1690, was tragically lost in the Great Fire of 1902. It was rebuilt by 1907 in a Basque-inspired style and even has some stained glass windows that were donated by Charles de Gaulle.

We only had a short time on the island so we didn’t visit the Île aux Marins just across the harbor. This island is a living museum much like Battle Harbor. It hosts charming looking houses as well as a large church.

Another notable mention is the ferry ride. It takes about 1.5 hours for the crossing and there’s a +30 minute time difference between Newfound and St. Pierre. We had glorious weather with calm seas that slowed us to see a lot of minke whales, one humpback, and a pod of dolphins.

Some final thoughts… The ferry ride alone made the day worthwhile, it was like we took a whale watching tour to another country. But while many say that St. Pierre is very charming I thought that is was just ok and missed even the quaint jellybean row feel of St. John’s. However, Île aux Marins might have been a big miss. Net, having done it we don’t feel a strong need to return and certainly felt like a day trip was enough.Read more