Hiking and Sleeping in the Middle of the St. Lawrence River
Next time you’re thinking of rolling down Highway 20 on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, I would suggest you stop to smell the roses. Stop and spend time on Île aux Lièvres and Brandy Pot Island in the middle of the St. Lawrence, just north of Rivière-du-Loup.
Getting to Île-aux-Lièvres and Brandy Pot Island
The Duvetnor boat leading from Ile-aux-Lièvres to Brandy Pot Island in the distance.
Both islands belong to Duvetnor, a private conservation group whose goal is to protect the bird life in the St. Lawrence. You leave your car on their wharf at Rivière-du-Loup and take one of their boats to either Ile-aux-Lièvres or Brandy Pot Island.
Or, you can visit both. Sound complicated? Not really. The inn personnel just need to know in advance what to prepare for your meals and to reserve your boat spot.
Ile-aux-Lièvres
Since Ile-aux-Lièvres is a dedicated nature reserve, hiking is the main activity. Trails on this sliver of an island are numerous, so you should book at least two nights at the inn, where excellent meals are included. Well-known musicians come to perform on occasion, and we heard a fine amateur accordionist playing folklore tunes from another era. Camping is allowed, but you must bring all your supplies on the boat.
Ile-aux-Lièvres Inn for non-camping guests.
Travelers know the island for its large eider duck population, whose nesting areas are off limits during the nesting season in early spring. The island is big enough that you’ll likely not meet anyone else as you walk along the trails. You might see the odd hare; remember that Ile-aux-Lièvres translates to Hare Island.
Female eider duck on Ile-aux-Lièvres.
Mostly, you’ll enjoy ‘forest bathing’ at its best, occasionally on guided activities. Close your eyes and listen to the wind. Hear the sound of dead trees whining and rubbing against live ones. And don’t forget to smell the pines. Hiking to the most eastern edge of the island affords a splendid view of the St. Lawrence River at Pointe Est, as pictured in the header image.
Brandy Pot Island
If you decide to visit Brandy Pot Island, after, or before Ile-aux-Lièvres, you will get a private water taxi ride. Twenty-four hours, there is an experience you’re likely never to forget.
You will be one of six guests, spending the night in an ancient lighthouse and spoiled by two innkeepers who are also lighthouse keepers, although the lighthouse has long ceased to function.
Lighthouse on Brandy Pot Island.
‘I always wanted to sleep in the middle of an ocean’, so chimed innkeeper host Sylvain, now living his dream four months of the year on this island, smack dab in the St. Lawrence River. The river is so wide that it feels ocean-like.
You can live the dream with Sylvain and his partner Sabine for at least one night at what I would call a hostel with benefits, including gourmet cuisine.
As you walk the rickety gangway from the boat to the lighthouse, seabirds stream about. Razorbills, black guillemots, and gulls seem to welcome you.
Your accommodation in the inn is basic, but beautiful, with décor from another era. Individual rooms, where the lightkeeper once lived, have a sink and a bed but little else. A communal kitchen is linked to a shower and toilet for the guests.
In the old days, the job of lightkeeper was arduous, which included remaining awake all night to ensure that the three wicks of the beam remained lit. Today, the keepers take care of the guests, not the light.
Sabine, a professionally trained chef, spends long hours preparing your meals. The meal itself is a surprise, although you must choose the protein in advance. It’s BYOB.
Their tiny island, Brandy Pot (named for smugglers), can be easily traversed in a few hours but has a lot to offer in a quiet, subtle way.
You can climb to the top of the lighthouse as often as you wish, to enjoy spectacular views – naturally, sunsets and sunrises are breathtaking, with 360-degree views.
Sylvain and Sabine are the innkeepers on Brandy Pot Island.
The Duvetnor Society
So, who keeps the lighthouse and Ile-aux-Lièvres afloat? It is part of the Duvetnor Society, a group of biologists who bought islands in the St. Lawrence to preserve the birds and their nesting areas.
In particular, the Eider duck’s habitat is jealously protected, and eider down, collected each spring, is used to make eiderdown quilts.
Duvetnor founder Jean Bédard explaining history of Brandy Post Island.
Why are tourists encouraged to visit Île aux Lièvres and Brandy Pot Island? According to Duvetnor founder Jean Bédard, “when you visit (or live on) an island, you want to preserve it. You appreciate its tininess and realize how tiny the planet is.”
When visitors see these protected areas, they become more aware of conservation efforts.
Cove on Brandy Post Island.
All Photos Carole Jobin