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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Havre-Saint-Pierre
Go for 2 nights if you want the Mingan Islands by boat; 1 night is enough if you are only passing along Route 138.
Havre-Saint-Pierre is a village of about 3,400 people on Quebec's North Shore, 218 km east of Sept-Îles on Route 138. Almost everything here is built around one thing: the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, a string of islands with limestone monoliths, puffins and the rare Mingan thistle. Boat season is short (roughly June to September), so the trip is a summer trip. Two nights gives you one full island day plus the village; one night works if you are driving the coast and only want a bed and a meal.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Jun–Sep (boat season; Jul–Aug warmest)
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (cold, snow, many services closed)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget $90–140 excl. bed · Mid $150–230 excl. bed · High $250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Info-Santé (24 h health advice) 811
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $2–4 |
| Casse-croûte burger and fries | $12–20 |
| Seafood main (crab, scallops or lobster in season) | $25–45 |
| Beer in a bar / six-pack at the SAQ | $7–10 / $12–18 |
| Mingan park entry | $5.80 per person |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YGV · Havre-Saint-Pierre Airport
- About 5.6 km (3.5 mi) north of the village; one runway, car rental on site (check).About 3.5 mi (5.6 km) north of the village; one runway, car rental on site (check).
Typical fares
- Boat to the Mingan islands
- about $60–130 return, June–Sept (check)
- Bus Sept-Îles → Havre-Saint-Pierre, Intercar
- about 2 h 45 min, several days a week (check)
- Taxi in the village
- short hops, meter (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The village is small and flat: walk or cycle the waterfront. Route 138 is the only road in and out, so a car (rental at the airport, check) is what you need for Baie-Johan-Beetz, Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan or the Manitou falls. Boats to the Mingan islands leave from the promenade des Anciens.
See and do
Known for
- Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve
- Limestone monoliths and puffins
- Snow crab, scallops and lobster
- Acadian French heritage since 1857
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve | Seasonal boat from the promenade des Anciens (June–Sept) | Half to full day |
| Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan | Route 138 west by car | About 30–40 min |
| Baie-Johan-Beetz | Route 138 east by car | About 1 h |
| Anticosti | Air Liaison flight (about 20–30 min) or the Bella Desgagnés | Half a day or more |
| Natashquan | Route 138 east by car | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Boulevard de l'Escale
- Main strip: hotels, motels and the waterfront promenade; walkable to restaurants.
- Rue Boréale and rue de la Digue
- Inns, gîtes and the tourist information office; a few minutes' walk from the water.
- Municipal campground
- Seaside seasonal site on rue Boréale, mid-June to early September; picnic table and fire pit per site.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-BYEN sa KOOT |
| I would like a table for two | Une table pour deux, s'il vous plaîtewn TABL poor DUH, seel voo PLEH |
| Where is the boat departure? | Où est le départ du bateau ?oo eh luh day-PAR dew ba-TOH |
| Can I pay by card? | Puis-je payer par carte ?pweezh pay-YAY par KART |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- Boat season to the islands is short (roughly June to September) and weather-dependent: book ahead and keep a spare day.
- Fuel and food gaps: fill up in Sept-Îles or Havre-Saint-Pierre before heading east on Route 138.
- Cell coverage is good in the village but drops on long stretches of Route 138 toward Sept-Îles and Kegaska.
- Black flies and mosquitoes in June and July; bring repellent.
- Some restaurants and lodgings close outside summer: confirm before you book.
Very safe. The real risks are cold water, fast weather changes on the Gulf, and wildlife on the islands: stay on marked trails, keep distance from seals and seabirds, and tell someone your boat plan.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Havre-Saint-Pierre yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve
- Limestone monoliths and puffins
- Snow crab, scallops and lobster
- Acadian French heritage since 1857
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve — Parks Canada: www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/qc/mingan
- Intercar (bus): intercar.ca/
- Tourisme Côte-Nord: tourismecote-nord.com/en/
- Wikivoyage: Havre-Saint-Pierre, revision 5253213 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5253213
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Havre-Saint-Pierre
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies here; the US consulate general is in Montréal, and most countries keep embassies in Ottawa.
Print this card before you leave: coverage is patchy on Route 138.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/havre-saint-pierre). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.