Practicalities
Every month except February and March a daily car ferry goes to Cap-aux-Meules from Souris, on Prince Edward Island (Souris tel 902/687-2181 or 1-888/986-3278; Cap-aux-Meules tel 418/986-6600 or 1-888/936-3278); a return trip costs $280 for a car with two passengers, and it's a five-hour trip each way. Reservations are advised in July and August. A cargo and fifteen-passenger ship , the CTMA Voyageur , leaves Montreal for the islands every Friday and takes 48 hours to sail down the St Lawrence (Montreal tel 514/937-7656; Cap-aux-Meules tel 418/986-6600; $510 one-way including meals, plus $220 if you bring a car). During February and March, there's also service from Matane (tel 418/986-5705). Daily scheduled flights leave Gaspe town, Quebec City, Montreal, and Halifax on Air Nova (bookings via Air Canada; tel 514/393-3333 or 1-800/630-3299). Book a fortnight in advance and include a Saturday overnight stay for discount flights. The islands' airport is inconveniently situated at the north end of Ile du Havre-aux-Maisons, some 20km from Cap-aux-Meules. Some flights have connecting buses to Cap-aux-Meules, but otherwise you'll have to take a Lafrance taxi (tel 986-6649; about $35), or hire a car from Tilden (tel 969-2590 or 1-888/657-3036) or MCR (tel 969-4209 or 986-6057) at the airport; book in advance in the summer. The ferry terminal at Cap-aux-Meules is near the tourist office , 128 chemin du Debarcadere (late June to early Sept daily 7am-9pm; early Sept to late June Mon-Fri 9am-noon & 1-5pm; tel 986-2245). They have masses of free leaflets and operate a free room-reservation service with a special emphasis on B&Bs. The best way to tour the principal islands is by a bike , which may be rented at Le Pedalier, 365 chemin Principal, Cap-aux-Meules (tel 986-2965). Mopeds can be rented from Cap-aux-Meules Honda, Hwy 199 at La Verniere, southwest of Cap-aux-Meules (tel 986-4085). Departures for boat and fishing trips are near the ferry terminal throughout the summer (tel 986-4745). There are several campsites : try the peaceful Le Barachois , chemin du Rivage, Fatima (tel 986-6065 or 986-5678; $18 for a two-person site; May-Oct) or Camping Gros Cap , 74 chemin du Camping, Etang du Nord (tel 986-4505; $14 for a two-person site). You can also camp on Ile de la Grande-Entree at Club Vacances "Les Iles" (tel 985-2833, www.clubiles.qc.ca ), where there's also a dorm. They organize excursions and have a great cafeteria.
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