Saint Pierre and Miquelon population. Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Visa and customs regulations

Geography: Saint Pierre et Miquelon occupies an archipelago of 8 islands in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, off the southern coast of Newfoundland (Canada), at the entrance to Fortune Bay.

The archipelago includes 3 relatively large islands - Saint-Pierre (26 sq. km), Miquelon (110 sq. km) and Langlade (91 sq. km), as well as 5 small islands - Grand Colombier, Petit Colombier, Ile -o-Marins (Ile-o-Cheyenne) and others.

The total length of the coastline is about 120 km. The total area of ​​the archipelago is 242 square meters. km (of which the “large” islands are 227 sq. km).

Time: It lags behind Moscow by 6 hours in summer and 7 hours in winter (UTC -3).

Nature: The islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon lie on the northwestern tip of the vast Newfoundland Bank, being like a piece of Newfoundland, isolated by sea from the main territory of the island. Miquelon was formed by the confluence of three vast island shoals (practically ordinary sandbars): Le Cap, Grand Miquelon and Langlade (Petit Miquelon), which still form three separate peninsulas, connected to each other by long sandy drifts between which splash waves of salt lagoons (Gran Barachois, Grand Etang, Etang de Mirand and others). The island's landscape is formed by vast stretches of dunes, ancient glacial moraines and sandy rocky heaths of low-lying coastal areas, and the highest point, the Morne de la Grande Montagne, rises just 240m above the water.

Little Saint-Pierre, lying just 3 km southeast of Miquelon, is a small outcrop of marginal rocks of a crystalline continental shield, heavily eroded by ocean action. Its low, gentle hills, covered with grass and creeping shrubs, slowly rise to the northeast, where they reach their maximum height (204 m). The sandy beaches surrounding the entire island are mostly narrow and deserted, and the southeastern coast is indented with dozens of tiny coves and peninsulas. The island's landscape, like that of its northern neighbor, is flat. However, the rolling hills, rocky coastlines and ancient glacial valleys make it noticeably more diverse than Miquelon.

Climate: Temperate maritime, cool and very humid.

The average temperature in winter (January) on the coast of the islands fluctuates around +4 C. The average temperature in summer (July) is about +16-18 C. Moreover, the difference between day and night temperatures can reach 15 degrees, especially in autumn-winter period, when the islands are under the influence of cold arctic air masses.

Precipitation falls up to 1200 mm per year, and the nature of its distribution depends little on the time of year - in the summer there are often prolonged rains with drizzle and fog, while in winter up to a meter of snow sometimes falls. The warm Gulf Stream, passing southeast of the shores of the archipelago, sometimes warms the air to +7 C even in winter (there are often cases when the temperature of ocean water is 7-15 C higher than the air temperature over the islands), while the cold Labrador the current can lead to a drop in temperature to +2-7 C even in summer.

Wet sea collision air masses, brought by winds and currents, leads to the formation of frequent fogs, which are especially common in early and mid-summer. At the same time, spring and autumn are famous for their winds and clear weather. Winter snowfalls and storms are often accompanied by strong winds and large amounts of snow (however, the sea off the coast of the islands freezes quite rarely). Frequent and sharp changes in atmospheric pressure are observed.

Political system: Until 1816, the islands, officially being French territory, repeatedly passed into the possession of either France or Great Britain. In 1946 they received the status " overseas territory France", in 1976 - an overseas department, and since 1985, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon has been a special self-governing territorial unit of France.

The head of state is the President of France. The head of the executive branch of the islands is the prefect, appointed by the French government on the advice of the Ministry of Overseas Territories. The head of government is the President of the General Council.

Legislature - General Council or Conseil-General consists of 19 deputies (15 from Saint-Pierre and 4 from Miquelon, deputies are elected through general secret elections in the districts for a six-year term). The islands also elect one member to the French Senate.

Administrative division: Administratively, the country is divided into two communes - Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.

Population: About 7 thousand people, mostly from France (Basques and Bretons). About 90% of the islands' population live in Saint-Pierre and only about 700 people live in Miquelon.

Language: Official language- French.

Religion: The vast majority of believers on the islands are Catholics.

Economy: The main occupation of the population is fishing (mainly cod fishing). There are fish drying factories, refrigerators, as well as cod liver processing plants, small shipyards, sailing and cooperage workshops. The fishing port of Saint-Pierre plays an important role in the economy. The rocky lands of the islands are unsuitable for agriculture. On the island of Saint-Pierre, vegetables are grown for domestic consumption, and livestock farming is developed on the island of Miquelon. IN last years Tourism has developed significantly.

Currency: Euro (Euro), equal to 100 cents. There are banknotes in circulation in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, as well as coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents.

Main attractions: Inhabited since at least the Neolithic, the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon for a long time remained on the margins of civilization. The Portuguese navigator and explorer Joao Alvares Fagundes, the first European to sail along the shores of these islands in 1521, quite poetically called them “Isles of Eleven Thousand Virgins.” The French, who were intensively exploring the New World, gave them a name in honor of St. Pierre, the patron saint of fishermen and sailors. In the 16th-17th centuries, these lands were used as a base for seasonal cod fishing by French fishermen from La Rochelle, Granville, Saint-Malo and the Basque Country, who founded the first European settlements here (Miquelon got its name from the mouths of Basque fishermen from Saint-Jean -du-Luz). The French concessions were interrupted after the Treaty of Utrecht, and only in 1763 the islands again came under the auspices of Paris. From 1763 to 1778, many settlers fled here from the French colony of Acadia (Nova Scotia), in 1778 the islands were attacked by the British, and their entire population was expelled in retaliation for French support of the American Revolution. The islands finally returned to French jurisdiction only in 1816 and since then have remained the last fragment of the once vast North American possessions of this European power.

The Great Newfoundland Bank, within which Saint Pierre and Miquelon lie, is one of the richest fishing areas on the planet. Even despite some depletion of biological stocks in this region due to human activities, fisheries continue to be the most important source income for island residents. However, tourism, which until now has hardly developed in this part of the planet, is beginning to play an increasingly important role in the local economy - there are many people on Earth who are ready to consider not beaches or coconuts as attractions, but harsh beauty northern places, cultural identity of the population and excellent conditions for active recreation.

Town of Saint-Pierre - commercial and administrative center islands, stretches along the northern side of Barachois harbor, in the eastern part of the island of Saint-Pierre. It is home to only 6,500 inhabitants (however, this is 90% of the inhabitants of the islands, mostly Basques, Bretons, Normans and other immigrants from France), nevertheless the urban infrastructure is quite modern (the second large settlement of the commune is the island and village of Ile-o- Marins, entered the city limits in 1945). Its entire appearance speaks of the fishing past of the islands - almost all significant buildings are concentrated near the harbor, dissected by breakwaters and piers, and the main landmarks here are the post office buildings in the Alsatian style, its clock tower and the nearby customs office, behind which lies a small square named after Charles de Gaulle, considered the center of the city. It is here that the main events associated with various holidays take place, the Old Fountain and the House with a Turret are also located here, and from the embankment near the square there is a beautiful panorama of the bay and the ocean.

The main attraction of the city is the Saint-Pierre Cathedral on Place Maurer. The first temple, built on this site in 1690, was rebuilt several times, and in 1902 it was destroyed by fire and restored in 1905-1907. Its gallery of stained glass windows is a gift to the island from General de Gaulle, and to restore the spire in the 70s of the 20th century, stone was brought here all the way from Alsace. The buildings of the Government Quarter are lined up around the Place Maurer - the Palace of Justice, the Conseil General complex, the governor's office and the prefecture. Somewhat further north, right behind the buildings of the City Hall and the city hospital, lies the Fronton-Zaspiak-Bath arena - the most popular venue for competitions in the traditional Basque sport - pelota, as well as a place for organizing various festive events. The word "Zaspiak", which can be translated as "seven as one", represents the seven ancient Basque provinces located in Spain (Gipuzkoa, Alava, Navarre and Vizcaya) and France (Basse-Navarre, Sule and Labourde, today part of the department Atlantic Pyrenees).

Also attractive is the Pointe aux Cannon lighthouse on a breakwater that protrudes far into the harbor (it got its name in honor of the cannon installed here, which, according to local residents, took part in the Crimean War of the 19th century, although, most likely, it was simply cast in the same period) and the Pointe-au-Cannon-Battery battery stretching at the base of the pier is all that remains of the old fort that defended Saint-Pierre and Miquelon from British raids in 1690-1713. Somewhat north of the fort stretches a series of buildings of the Les Salines fishing stations, designed to illustrate the most important aspect of the local economy - the fishing culture, and also simply to provide fishermen with the opportunity to store their vessels and equipment.

If you move from Place Charles de Gaulle to the southwest, you can find the Heritage Museum (tel.: +508 41-58-88) with an extensive historical collection, the Robber Hotel, located on the embankment, with a small private museum located in it. La Proibision (tel.: +508 41-24-19), State Archives Museum (tel.: +508 41-04-35) and the War Memorial located almost opposite it (dedicated to the islanders who died during the two world wars - It is interesting to note that while most of France was occupied by the Germans during World War II, the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon were a stronghold of de Gaulle's Free French movement from December 1941, and their citizens fought against the occupiers at all costs. fronts), Fort Lorraine on Rue Besson (built by Free French troops in 1941-1943), a block to the north, the Cross of Calvare (a reminder of the Catholic heritage of the islands), as well as forming the southernmost outskirts of the city, the Cultural Center, scientific and the educational and cultural center Francoforum, the skating rink and the well-known Saint-Pierre cemetery, made in a unique “North American style”.

On the south-eastern side of the island rises the picturesque Galantri lighthouse (built in the 1970s on the site of the original 19th century lighthouse), from which the fog horn sounds, in fact, complements the appearance of the capital with its “romantic voice” (often tourists specifically wait for bad weather, to appreciate the sharp and strong sound of the bugle, superimposed in dissonance on the hopeless fog and the absolute silence that falls on the island with the advent of fog). Nearby you can find the private villa of Cutty Sark (entering the territory without the consent of the owners is prohibited), which, according to local legends, was built from the wood of this legendary tea clipper.

The small island of Ile aux Marins (Ile aux Cheyennes, 1.5 sq. km), located in the throat of Saint-Pierre harbor, is, in fact, one large and quite spacious fishing village with a population of only 10 souls. Modern fishing techniques have contributed to the development of this once bustling fishing community, turning it into a quiet and tranquil open-air museum, opening a window into the past of civilization. The overwhelming number of its residents have long since moved to Saint-Pierre, and the rest gather here only during the Putin period, so numerous ancient houses made of wood and wild stone stand mostly half-abandoned, and the ocean winds walk completely freely along its two main streets. Here you can see the church of Notre-Dame des Marins (1874), still used for services, the Archipelago Museum and City Hall located opposite it, the battery of the old fort (19th century) on the north-western tip of the island, the colorful Heseckel House building (now a fishing museum), a picturesque old cemetery, an abandoned lighthouse at the southern tip and the rusting wreck of the Transpacific on the eastern shore and the dune landscape around it. Due to the island's proximity to the capital, many residents of Saint-Pierre gather here on weekends.

The largest and northern island of the archipelago, Miquelon is formed by several smaller islands, between which the ocean has washed long sand spits, forming several salty lagoons. The only large settlement on the island is the village (commune) of Miquelon, located in the northeastern part, on Le Cap, between the Grand Etang lagoon and the ocean. This is one of the most picturesque places on the planet - a small village of no more than 500-600 people, surrounded on all sides by the sands of a 14-kilometer dune, whose eastern shore bears traces of more than 500 shipwrecks. The main attractions here are the wooden church of Miquelon located opposite each other and the stone Monument aux Mortes, the old cemetery and the Miquelon Museum lying on its edge (tel.: +508 41-67-07), a compact government quarter in the center of the village and rising on West coast lighthouse Far du Cap Blanc.

The southernmost part of Miquelon is surrounded by a vast lagoon known as the Gran Barachois, which is home to a huge number of birds and other fauna. Almost at any time of the year you can watch birds here, either wandering from north to south or vice versa, or organizing mating games or bird markets on its banks. And the sight of thousands of migratory birds floating across the sky in spring or autumn is no less fascinating than this harsh and beautiful region itself. Also colorful is the northern cape of the island of Le Cap, whose landscape is only emphasized by the uniqueness of the birds and other inhabitants of the sea that live here. Every spring, whales migrating to Greenland pass just off the coast of Miquelon, allowing you to watch these magnificent animals in their natural environment a habitat.

The southern part of Miquelon, connected to it by a long sand spit, which locals simply call La Dune, Langlade has a reputation as a rugged and very beautiful island, whose coast is surrounded by low but quite steep cliffs. For most of the year, only a few farmers can be found here, growing crops and raising livestock on these harsh soils. However, in the summer up to one fifth of the permanent population of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon gathers here. This piece of land has the most diverse nature of all the islands in the group - steep cliffs, small forests and an abundance of wildlife make it a favorite summer residence and holiday destination for many islanders.

A few of Langlade's attractions include the private Clem Cousic Museum, which contains artifacts found on the island's shores, a lonely and picturesque chapel, the lighthouse of Le Far de La Pointe Plate and the entire 35 km west coast of the island, as well as isolated rocky shores and many bird sites scattered throughout Langlade.

Historical sketch: The first settlers, the Portuguese, reached the islands in 1520. The islands have belonged to France since 1604. In 1946 they received the status of an “overseas territory” of France. In 1976 they were granted the status of an "overseas department" of the French Republic, and in 1985 - a territorial unit of France.

National domain: .PM

Entry rules: To enter the country you must have a passport and a visa. A French visa can be issued in at least 15 days. For registration you need: an international passport (don’t forget about children), a copy of a civil passport, one photo, insurance for at least $30 thousand and a progressive air ticket. Consular fee up to $28.

Children traveling with one of the parents must have a copy of the birth certificate and a power of attorney from the other parent for the child to travel (executed in Russian and French), certified by a notary.

Customs regulations: The number of imported and exported means of payment is not limited. An amount of more than 7,000 euros must be included in the declaration. Foreign currency converted into euros can only be re-translated into foreign currency up to the equivalent of 500 euros.

Up to 1 liter of strong alcoholic drinks are imported duty-free; drinks with an alcohol strength of less than 22° are up to 2 liters, up to 200 pcs. cigarettes, 500 gr. coffee (or 200 g of coffee extracts), up to 50 g. perfume (eau de toilette - up to 250 gr.), tea - 100 gr. (or 40 grams of tea extracts), as well as some food and other goods (for persons over 15 years old - in the amount of 15 euros, for children - in the amount of 10 euros). Labeling expiration dates on food products is mandatory!

The import and export of drugs and psychotropic substances, objects of historical value, weapons and ammunition, as well as animals and plants included in the list of endangered species is prohibited.

When importing medicines for personal use, you must have a prescription issued by a doctor or lawyer. Plants, animals and plant products must be presented to quarantine officials. Animals must have a certificate of vaccinations, as well as a medical certificate in French, issued no earlier than five days before departure.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon ( Saint-Pierre and Miquelon) - archipelago in Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean) off the coast of Canada ( Canada), belonging to France ( France) and having the status of an overseas community. The capital is the city of Saint-Pierre ( Saint-Pierre).

The climate is maritime temperate with cool and humid weather. Optimal time Summer months are considered for holidays on these islands.

The official language is French. The vast majority of residents are Catholics.

Due to the considerable distance of the archipelago from Europe ( Europe) and its very modest tourism potential, it makes no sense to plan a vacation only to Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. Most vacationers visit these islands as part of a large excursion tour of eastern Canada ( Eastern Canada). The main tourist destinations are sightseeing and yachting.

Although the islands were inhabited by people several thousand years ago, vacationers will not be able to find ancient monuments of civilization. Of interest is the modern appearance of the only city and small settlements, which are reminiscent of small French villages of the early 20th century.

The basis of the economy of the archipelago has always been fishing. When the industry began to struggle, many fishermen switched to serving tourists, offering them a variety of entertainment options in the Atlantic Ocean. Guests of the archipelago can book an excursion along the coast or rent a yacht for independent access to the ocean. There is a yachting school in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, where beginners will be taught how to operate a sail.

How to get there

Airplane

There are no direct flights from Europe to Saint Pierre and Miquelon. You can get there with transfers through Canada. More often European tourists and their fellow travelers fly to the Canadian cities of St. John's ( SaintJohn's) and Halifax ( Halifax), from where flights operate to two airports in the archipelago.

Sea communication

A ferry service connects the islands with the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador ( Newfoundland and Labrador). Saint Pierre and Miquelon is part of the itinerary for many cruise ships sailing the North Atlantic during the summer. You can get to the archipelago on a rented or your own yacht.

Visa

Tourists from the European Union ( European Union ) and other countries Western Europe (Western Europe), those wishing to travel to Saint Pierre and Miquelon can stay on the islands without a visa for an unlimited period. Residents of Moldova ( Moldova) and Balkan states can enter without a visa, but for a period of no more than 90 days. Visa-free entry is provided for persons who have a residence permit in one of the Schengen countries, or a French Schengen visa issued for a period of at least six months.

Tourists from CIS countries ( CIS), those wishing to organize a holiday in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, but who do not fall into any of the above categories, must apply for a special visa at the French consulate or visa center to visit the archipelago. You can submit documents in person, through a close relative or an accredited travel agency.

Visa processing takes at least ten days.

Customs

The import and export of any currency in Saint Pierre and Miquelon is not limited, but amounts over 7,000 must be declared.

When you come to the islands on vacation, you can take with you duty-free:

• some alcohol and tobacco;
• a small amount of tea and coffee;
• perfumes for personal use;
• food (up to 15 euros).

It is prohibited to import into the territory of the islands:

• medications (without a doctor's prescription);
• rare animals and plants;
• historical values.

Tourists are prohibited from taking from the archipelago:

• representatives of endangered species of flora and fauna;
• items of historical value.

Kitchen

Residents of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon are proud that they have managed to preserve the culture of the metropolis, and, despite the geographical distance from their historical homeland, the way of life on the islands differs little from the usual French hinterland. For this reason, the gastronomic preferences of the islanders are entirely based on classic French cuisine with a slight influence of the culinary traditions of the Spaniards and North American Indians.

Meat on the archipelago is almost always imported. It is prepared according to classic French recipes. Parisian veal Extras, spicy pork Roll sartoi, tripe in white wine sauce, roasted pigeon, chicken in wine sauce - all this can be tried during a trip to Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.

The soups offered to tourists and their fellow travelers in the restaurants of the archipelago will make you feel like a guest of a typical Parisian restaurant. Local chefs make excellent cream soup Saint Germain and vegetable soup Piste.

Although French cuisine initially contains quite a lot of fish and seafood, on the islands their importance is even greater. Guests visiting Saint Pierre and Miquelon during their trip will be offered hundreds of delicacies from boiled or fried fish, crabs, lobsters and shrimp. Not only classic ones are used french recipes, but also locally-invented recipes, like crab lasagna with mussels.

Travelers are sure to notice the influence of New World culinary traditions. Tourists can order completely non-European dishes in local restaurants, for example, fried bananas Tostones.

When planning a holiday in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, you can always count on the fact that any meal will end with delicious desserts that even experienced gastronomic tourists will appreciate. The famous French soufflés, quiches, chocolate biscuits, waffles and ice cream are just some of the variety of sweets available.

The main non-alcoholic drink among the islanders is coffee, which is brewed according to the same classic French recipes.

Alcohol is represented mainly by wines from the metropolis, since local climatic conditions unsuitable for winemaking.

Money

The islands use the common European currency euro ( EUR), equal to 100 euro cents. Banknotes of 5–500 euros and coins from 1 euro cent to 2 euros are used.

European money can be purchased before the start of your holiday, as it is one of the world's major currencies. In Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, foreign currency is exchanged at bank branches and exchange offices. Foreign currency converted into euros but not spent during the trip can only be exchanged back up to a limit of 500 euros.

Proximity to the USA ( United States of America) and Canada, where the main flow of vacationers comes from, forces all retail outlets and service establishments to accept the currencies of both countries, although the islanders do this reluctantly.

Credit cards from major payment systems are accepted everywhere. ATMs are located in bank branches and in several business areas of the only city. On the island of Miquelon, according to available information, only one ATM operates.

Traveler's checks can be easily cashed at any bank or exchange office; they are also accepted by rental offices on the islands. It is most convenient to use checks in euros and American dollars.

What you need to know

Sights of Saint Pierre and Miquelon

On the territory of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon there is not a single site on the UNESCO World Heritage List. However, tourists and their fellow travelers will be able to take a look at the main attractions of the archipelago that are of particular tourist interest.

• Ile aux Marins ( L'Ile-aux-Marins) is a small island near the island of Saint-Pierre, on which the remains of ancient fishing buildings have been preserved, representing an open-air museum.
• Gran Barachois Lagoon ( Grand Barachoislagoon) is a large lagoon on the island of Miquelon, where marine mammals and birds like to relax.
• Dune ( La Dune) - a 13-kilometer sand spit on Miquelon.
• The central part of the city of Saint-Pierre has preserved several ancient buildings that are of interest for a short sightseeing tour.
• Battery Pointe aux Cannons ( Pointe aux Cannon Battery) - several ancient cannons from the Crimean War, installed on the site of a disappeared fort that defended the island in the 17th–18th centuries.
• Cemetery of Saint-Pierre ( Cemetery of Saint-Pierre) is an old city cemetery with an unusual combination of traditional French and North American styles.
• Lighthouse Galantry ( Le phare de Galantry) on the island of Saint-Pierre is a modern lighthouse, popular among tourists traveling around the island. The lighthouse has gained fame for its sonorous “voice”, discordant with the relaxed and calm atmosphere of the island, especially in calm and foggy weather.
• Tourists can expect island museums where they can learn a lot of interesting things about the history of the island and the living conditions of its inhabitants in the past.

Souvenirs of Saint Pierre and Miquelon

At the end of their holiday on the archipelago, tourists take home:

• products of folk craftsmen;
• T-shirts, keychains, caps and cups with island landscapes printed on them;
• stamps.

Islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon located among endless expanses Atlantic Ocean, near Canadian Newfoundland, in Cabot Strait. Their coastline is heavily indented and only a few areas along the coast are accessible to the water. The inland areas abound with hills and elevations, combined with numerous streams and small rivers.

Peculiarities

Today, the archipelago has the status of a French overseas community, governed by a prefect personally appointed by the President of France. The largest island is Miquelon, divided into 3 parts connected by narrow sand spits. The population mainly lives on the island of Saint-Pierre, which is almost ten times smaller in size than Miquelon. Due to the severe climatic conditions in the region, Agriculture There is practically no cultivation here, since the plants absolutely do not have enough heat and sun. The main activity for the islanders is fishing and fish processing. Chickens, sheep and pigs are raised in small quantities. Over the past decades, the timber situation in the archipelago has deteriorated significantly due to massive deforestation. New trees grow extremely slowly due to lack of sunlight. The ethnic composition of the islands is represented by immigrants from North America and Europeans, and the main religion here is Christianity.

general information

The area of ​​the archipelago covers just over 240 square meters. km, and the population is about 7,000 people. The official language is French. The national currency is the euro, but American and Canadian dollars are also accepted for payment. Local time is 6 hours behind Moscow. Time zone is UTC -3. Changing clocks to daylight saving time winter time not produced on the islands. Telephone code +508.

A brief excursion into history

The archipelago was discovered for Europeans by the expedition of Jacques Cartier in 1536 and until the beginning of the 18th century it was part of the French colony of Acadia. Then, for several decades, there was an irreconcilable struggle for the islands between the French and the British, during which France had to temporarily cede its territory in North America to the British. In 1816, the islands returned to French jurisdiction, and in 1985 they received formal status as an overseas community of France.

Climate

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon have rather harsh climatic conditions and even in the summer months average temperature air rarely rises above +15 degrees. In winter, it often snows, and the thermometer steadily drops below zero. Fog persists for about 120 days a year. The islands are characterized by rainy, cloudy weather, often accompanied by strong Atlantic winds. Any time of year is suitable for a trip to the archipelago, but before departure you need to stock up on warm clothes and be prepared for various types of natural disasters.

Visa and customs regulations

A visa is required to visit France's only overseas territory in North America. It can be processed at any French embassy within 2–3 weeks. The rules of the Schengen zone do not apply to Europeans here. Customs formalities and baggage requirements comply with generally accepted international standards.

How to get there

The easiest way to reach the shores of the archipelago is to travel here through Canada. In the southern part of the city of Saint-Pierre there is an international airport that receives Air Saint-Pierre flights from various Canadian cities. Regular ferries run from Newfoundland to Saint Pierre and Miquelon. You can also take ferries from here to nearby islands, including Ile aux Marins and Langland.

Transport

To travel around the interior of the archipelago, it is best to rent a car or scooter, since there are both dirt and well-paved roads. If you wish, you can always use a taxi.

The capital of the archipelago is the city of Saint-Pierre, located on the island of the same name. It has the status of the commercial and administrative center of the French possession, where about 90% of the total population lives and is a typical fishing village with developed infrastructure and a modern port. Here everything revolves around the fishing industry, and fish is the main source of income for city residents. The central architectural landmark is the Saint-Pierre Cathedral on Place Maurer. Also attracting attention is the clock tower and Charles de Gaulle Square, where major ceremonial events are held. In addition, the capital has several museums and interesting historical buildings. In the harbor of Saint-Pierre lies the tiny island of Ile aux Marins, on which there is a small church and a fishing museum. Only a few people live there.

The second largest human population after Saint-Pierre, is located on the island of Miquelon and has about 600 inhabitants. This picturesque village, located between the Grand Etang lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean, has an extraordinary flavor and allows you to admire the rugged Atlantic landscape in all its glory. Here, the main tourist attractions are the Far du Cap Blanc lighthouse, a pretty wooden church and the Miquelon Museum, which tells the history of the island. Its southern part is washed by the waters of the Gran Barachois lagoon, where you can observe a huge number of rare birds. The sandy spit of La Dune, which connects Miquelon's largest landmass, offers stunning views of the ocean and steep cliffs against which the raging waves of the Atlantic crash noisily. There are much fewer hotels, restaurants and shops here than in Saint-Pierre, so those who especially value developed infrastructure are better off settling in the capital.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon are not considered popular tourist destinations, but nevertheless receive regular tourist attention from both North Americans and Europeans. Fishing enthusiasts and birdwatchers especially enjoy their stay on these rugged island shores. However, tourists who are indifferent to both can also stock up on a lot of pleasant impressions from visiting one of the most mysterious and remote archipelagos of the Atlantic Ocean.

You can see the location of this country (territory) on our map by clicking on the underlined name of the continent (North America)

France

in North America

In the illustration: Map of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon on a map of North America.

The map clearly shows that France has indeed clung to the last North American frontier, retaining Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.

But the archipelago is so small that it is often not even indicated on maps of the continent, or is limited to the mark FR - French Republic, in the sense of territory belonging to France.

The territory of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon usually positions itself as the last French territory in North America with the slogan for tourists “Where France meets North America” (“Where France meets America”), which may be impressive, but not entirely correct, since To. formally, the French overseas departments of Martinique and Guadeloupe and several smaller islands are also located in North America.

However, they are all located much further south, in a completely separate subregion of the Caribbean, one might say, only included in North America.

But, indeed, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is the only territory remaining under French control from a huge colony New France, which in better times included the current Canadian Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia (under the French called Acadia) and Prince Edward Island (French Saint-Jean Island), Newfoundland (French New Earth (Terre-Neuve ), as well as the Louisiana Territory with the modern US states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, North and South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

If you look at the map, Saint Pierre and Miquelon is impressive the last frontier continent of North America, the French had nowhere else to retreat - only to the sea.

The islands are located 20 kilometers off the coast of the Canadian province of Newfoundland.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon: not two, but eight islands

In the illustration: Map of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.

The archipelago consists of eight islands(listed in order of size of the territory): Miquelon, Langlade (otherwise Langlade, also called Little Miquelon), Saint-Pierre, Grand Colombiere, Ile aux Pigeons, Ile aux Marins, Ile aux Venquer, Ile aux -Chassière. However, inhabited all year round only two islands - Saint Pierre and Miquelon. There are several settlements on Miquelon, and the entire population of the island of Saint-Pierre lives in one - the town of the same name, which is also the capital of the entire archipelago.

The total territory of the archipelago is 242 square meters. km; The population of the islands is about 7,000 people;

Origin of the name and statistics for some islands:

Saint Pierre

The name was given in honor of the Apostle Peter.

Area - 25 sq. km; Population - about 6000 people

Miquelon

According to local archipelago history site grandcolombier.com, the name comes from a corruption of the Basque word Mikel, i.e. Michael. This is how the island was named by the Basques in 1579, who also took part in the development of the archipelago.

The area of ​​Miquelon is −110 sq. km; Population: about 700 people;

A special feature of Miquelon is that it is connected to the neighboring island of Langlade by a narrow strip of land. This is a sandbank that is increasingly flooded by the Atlantic every year.

Langlade

From the now forgotten name Cap de Langlais (Cape of England), once given to the local rocks.

The island's territory is 91 sq. km; Langlade is practically uninhabited in winter, but in summer it serves as a summer cottage for the inhabitants of Saint-Pierre.

The twin island of Miquelon-Langlade is approximately ten times larger than Saint-Pierre, but has a population ten times smaller than the latter. The striking population/territory contrast, when 90% of the inhabitants of the archipelago live on the small island of Saint-Pierre, and only 10% on the rather large Miquelon-Laglade (considering that Langlade is generally uninhabited for half the year), is associated with the more extreme climate and topography on Miquelon-Langlade .

Ile aux Marins

From fr. "Island of Sailors" (previously called "Island of Dogs"). Located at the entrance to the bay. city ​​of Saint-Pierre, since 1965 inhabited only in the summer; in the old days there was a fishermen’s village on the island, where up to 600 inhabitants lived, who gradually moved to Saint-Pierre.

Grand Colombiere

From fr. "Big Pigeon Island" Uninhabited, but regularly visited by tourists and birdwatchers to watch seabirds.

Moody natural paradise

The climate of the archipelago is subpolar, damp and cold..

In winter, temperatures can drop to minus forty Celsius, although the average temperature in February, for example, is minus 3 degrees C. The moderating influence of the ocean plays a role.

Summer is quite cool - the average temperature in August is +16 degrees C.

In winter, there is a lot of snow on the islands. In general, it is quite cloudy on the islands all year round.

As already mentioned, Saint-Pierre is considered more pleasant in its climate and landscape than Miquelon.

Miquelon is covered with rocks of volcanic origin, the flora is represented mainly by lichens and mosses, although forests, swampy meadows and peat bogs are also found throughout the archipelago in valleys protected from the wind by rocks. Miquelon has two fairly large lakes: Miranda and Grand Barachois, and Saint-Pierre also has several smaller lakes.

Despite the almost extreme climate and geology, the semi-official website of Saint Pierre and Miquelon st-pierre-et-miquelon.com finds its charm in the nature of the islands, which attract tourists in the summer:

“Spotting scopes, binoculars and bird atlases should be part of the equipment of any visitor to the islands. Ornithologists have identified more than 300 species of birds in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. Every year, enthusiastic hobbyists compile sheets of the spring bird migration, and then the autumn migration, ending at Christmas.

The three islands of the archipelago are cut along and across by ancient paths, which are now used by hunters and nature lovers. In Saint-Pierre, lunar landscapes are a stone's throw from deep valleys rich in streams and lakes, remnants of the last ice age. In Miquelon and Langlade you can spot seals and wild horses. Or look at the sand dunes with traces of shipwrecked ships. Inland the landscape changes rapidly from peat bogs to forests.”

Note that the highest point of the archipelago is 240 m (Mount Morne de la Grande Montagne in Miquelon).

Oldest French territory outside of France

In an illustration from the archive: The flags of the French Republic and Saint-Pierre and Miquelon are side by side at public buildings of the archipelago.

The flag of Saint Pierre and Miquelon carries the symbolism of the coat of arms of these islands.

According to sources, the first permanent European settlement on Saint-Pierre appeared in 1604. When talking about the origins of the modern people of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, usually island and foreign resources note that the Basques and Bretons (French fishermen) formed its basis.

Nowadays the French element dominates on the island, although fragments of Basque culture have also been preserved. For example, in Saint-Pierre there is a court for Basque ball games. The language of the population is French. Religion-Catholicism.

Status and symbolism

In an illustration from the archive: The coat of arms of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon with the motto of the islands “A mare labor” (“Labor from the sea”).

The official name of the archipelago is Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon (Territorial Unit of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon).

The archipelago's coat of arms includes an image of a sailboat as its main element. The image symbolizes the ship on which the French discoverer Jacques Cartier arrived on the islands on June 15, 156. At the top of the coat of arms are the flags of those ethnic groups that originally made up the population of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon: fishermen from Brittany and Normandy in France, as well as Basques from Spain. (From left to right on the coat of arms, respectively, are the flags of Basque Country, Brittany and Normandy). The crown of the coat of arms represents five stylized sailing ships. The motto of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, which began as a community of fishermen: “A mare labor” (“Labor from the sea”). The motto is placed at the bottom of the coat of arms.

The flag of the islands repeats the image of the coat of arms. The symbols of the French Republic are also displayed on the islands.

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon received the status of a territorial unit in 1985. Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is governed by a 19-member Territorial Council, elected for six years, headed by a president who runs the government of the islands.

As st-pierre-et-miquelon.com notes: “Saint Pierre et Miquelon is the oldest French territory outside of France itself. In addition, it is the closest overseas territory to France and its smallest.” Also note that this is the smallest dependent territory in North America outside the Caribbean region.

At the local level, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon consists of two communes of the same name, headed by mayors elected by the population.

The population of the islands also elects a senator and a deputy of the lower house of parliament to the French National Assembly.

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is not part of the European Union, unlike its metropolis, because... The islands are an overseas territory and not a department of France. However, because If residents of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon are French citizens, they are in possession of a French European passport. Also, citizens of the archipelago elect deputies to the European Parliament, and on the islands the official currency is the euro.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Story

From Eleven Thousand Virgins to St. Peter

The generally accepted view is that the islands were discovered to the Western world by the Frenchman Jacques Cartier in 1536.

However, to be more precise, and this is what the semi-official website st-pierre-et-miquelon.com writes about, “the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon were named the Islands of the Eleven Thousand Virgins by the Portuguese navigator Joao Alvarez Faguendes in 1520.” . Let us note what g is The catchy name is associated with the feast days of St. Ursula. The legend of 11 thousand virgins is connected with her..

According to legend, Ursula, the daughter of a British ruler and a Christian who lived in the middle of the 4th century, was, by the will of her family, to marry a pagan husband outside of Britain. Ursula did not want to marry a pagan. But, obeying the circumstances, she demanded, for the sake of spreading the faith, that her future husband become a Christian and that a retinue of 11 noble ladies, each accompanied by a thousand virgins, be sent for her.

Then, when her demand was fulfilled, and future spouse came for her, Ursula went to Europe, but in the end, she suffered martyrdom from a Hun arrow, after the captivity of the caravan by the pagan Huns. The future saint was killed after her refusal to become the wife of the Hun leader; the ladies from her retinue, bound by a vow of celibacy, behaved arrogantly with the nomads.

The life of the saint says that Ursula knew in advance about her martyrdom, because... some time before this, an angel appeared to her, proclaiming this and recommending that before her death she make a pilgrimage to Rome. Which is what she did, visiting the Christian capital with her husband.

Ursula's death occurred in the Roman colony of Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (present-day Cologne). According to legend, the caravan of the future saint reached the city just at the moment when it was besieged by Hunnic tribes. Later, Christians, at the site of the discovery of the supposed remains of the saint and her retinue, built the Church of Ursula, where the largest number of relics in this part of Europe are kept - the relics of Ursula’s retinue, as well as the relics attributed to the patron saint of Cologne herself.

However, the exotic name, associated with the story of Saint Ursula and the 11 thousand virgins, did not take root in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. Something else has taken hold. Jacques Cartier, after his visit to the now main island of the archipelago, named it by its current name in honor of St. Peter. The first mention of this name is contained in a written travel report by Cartier in 1536. And Miquelon (i.e. Michael) was named a little later by the second island, as already mentioned, by Basque fishermen.

Redskins and Basques

The Basque heritage in Saint Pierre and Miquelon is also evident in the presence of areas for playing the national Basque game pelota.

The rules of the game are simple: participants need to use their hand (in some variations of the game a racket is used) to be able to hit a ball flying off the wall.

So, Faguendes and Cartier were the discoverers of what is now Saint-Pierre and Mequelon. Also, one of the first Europeans to visit the islands in the period between Faguendes and Cart were the Portuguese - the Cortereal brothers, who named the archipelago with a now forgotten name - the Green Islands. We also note, according to historians, visits to the archipelago by European fishermen and whalers - Basques and immigrants from Normandy and Brittany - occurred approximately from the 1500s to 1670, and the first temporary settlement of Europeans on Saint-Pierre was founded, it is believed, in 1604 .

Despite the clashes between settlers from Europe and Indian peoples on the North American continent, nothing is known about clashes with Indians in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. It is believed that they were not there when Europeans arrived.

However, as st-pierre-et-miquelon.com writes: "The islands have been used as a seasonal base for over 8,000 years by many indigenous peoples, including the Beothuk and Paleo-Eskimo."

Artifacts of aboriginal culture were discovered on the island of Saint-Pierre in Anse Henry, north of the city of Saint-Pierre. Some of these artifacts date back to 6000 BC.

And the peoples mentioned above are the ancient Eskimos (Paleo-Eskimo), as well as the indigenous Indian population of what is now Canadian Newfoundland before the arrival of Europeans - the Beothuk Indians. This tribe was one of the first aboriginal tribes encountered by Europeans in North America; the European nickname for the Indians “Redskins” came from them, because the Beothuks painted their faces and clothes with red ocher. The Beothuk, whose number even in the period before the arrival of Europeans was, according to modern estimates, only up to 5,000 people, died out 200 years after the start of the “white man’s” exploration of America, having first been forced into the extremely harsh Labrador, partly mixing with the Montagnais-Naskapi Indians.

French and British

The semi-official website of Saint Pierre and Miquelon st-pierre-et-miquelon.com opens a description of the new history of the archipelago with a mention of the town of Saint-Malo, in the French province of Brittany:

"French traders from Saint-Malo settled in Saint-Pierre at the end of the 17th century and established large-scale fisheries for harvesting and salting cod".

The first hundred years of life of the islanders (remember, the first European settlement on the island is believed to have existed since 1604) passed relatively calmly. But then the Franco-British wars began, and the French were gradually driven out of all continental lands of North America, this also applied to the territories immediately surrounding Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. And the French archipelago itself was inferior to Britain several times in those days. The first time in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht - for as much as 50 years.

Then there were two more British occupations from 1778 to 1783 and from 1793 to 1816.

During all these occupations, the French population was forced to leave the islands frequently. And sometimes, in quiet moments, on the contrary, to accept French-speaking refugees from the French colonies occupied by Great Britain on the mainland.

Let us give a short chronicle of the events of the period described (in parentheses after the texts are links to sources - the already mentioned island sites of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon).

“The disaster of the war between France and Britain ended the existence of the French colony in the city of Placentia in Newfoundland and in St. Pierre and Miquelon. The Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 forced the inhabitants of St. Pierre into exile on Île Royale (now Cape Breton, Nova Scotia)” (st-pierre-et-miquelon.com).

In turn, later French-speaking settlers expelled from Nova Scotia (formerly French Acadia), which came under British control, arrived in Miquelon. The same site states:

“Miquelon, in its history and culture, is intertwined with the destinies of Acadia. Soon after the Acadian expulsion of 1755, hundreds of Acadian families sought refuge in Miquelon. Today Miquelon is proud of its heritage, natural and historical monuments...

The 1763 treaty returned the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon to France” (st-pierre-et-miquelon.com).

(Acadia is a former French colony, now Nova Scotia in Canada. Acadians are the Francophone inhabitants of this colony, expelled by Great Britain, which occupied it. The deportation began after the Francophones refused to swear allegiance to the British government. Note site).

The occupation of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon and the deportation of the inhabitants in 1778-1783 occurred after France supported the struggle of American settlers with Great Britain. During that War of Independence, the United States was created:

“French support for the American War of Independence ultimately targeted only one target: on September 13, 1778, five British ships under the command of Commander Evans entered the harbor of Saint-Pierre and destroyed the city. Baron de Esperance was unable to defend the city and capitulated. The inhabitants were evacuated and taken to Western France, where they eked out a miserable existence in poverty until the British restored the buildings on the island” (grandcolombier.com).

This British occupation of the islands, under Governor Commander Evans, lasted from 17 September 1778 to 28 July 1783, when the former French governor, Charles Gabriel Sebastien, Baron de Esperance, returned to power following the signing of the Franco-English Treaty of 1783.

However, in the period 1783-1789. The French royal budget was unable to allocate sufficient funds not for the restoration of the island, nor even for the restoration of the fortifications of Saint-Pierre, the site grandcolombier.com notes in its essay.

In 1789, a revolution took place in Paris. By 1793, the king was executed in France, French Republic expanded its expansion, and Great Britain joined the anti-French coalition. Some residents of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon fled from the revolution from the archipelago to the British colonies, others, on the contrary, supported the revolution:

"The traditionalist Acadian population of Miquelon, being firmly in loyalty to Catholic faith and the king on the throne of France, left the colony, traveling from the island of Miquelon to the nearby (British) island of Madeleine.

And on May 5, 1793, news of the war between England and France reached the island of Saint-Pierre. Nine days later, at six o'clock in the morning, 300 British troops, three frigates and four other ships under the command of Rear Admiral King and Brigadier General Olgwi brought an end to North America's smallest republican experiment. Over the next year, 1,500 residents of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, who did not have time to escape, were captured by 160 British troops. During the fall of 1794, the rest of the population was sent to Halifax, where they remained until 1796.

British efforts to restore Saint-Pierre to re-establish the fisheries for their own purposes prompted a counter campaign (1796) by the French (revolutionary) Admiral Richerie, who destroyed 80 British fishing vessels and the buildings of Saint-Pierre, failing to attack (British) Saintes -Jones (in Newfoundland)" (grandcolombier.com).

Perhaps these were the most turbulent years in the history of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. Between 1778 and 1793, the main city of the islands was destroyed three times.

“Despite deportations in 1778 and 1793, the islands returned to France in 1816” (st-pierre-et-miquelon.com).

Saint Pierre and Miquelon are among the first forced supporters of de Gaulle

Since 1816, the islands lived without any major destructive shocks, even The First and Second World Wars generally bypassed the archipelago.

But the local website st-pierre-et-miquelon.com also talks about the sacrifices suffered by the islanders during the two world wars:

“During both world wars, the people of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon showed great sacrifice. More than a quarter of the conscripts from Saint-Pierre and Miquelon who participated in the First World War died. In World War II, the islands rallied around de Gaulle's Free France in 1941."

As for the Second World War, then Saint-Pierre and Miquelon were among the first French territories to fall under de Gaulle's rule. True, on December 24, 1941, the Free French flotilla under the command of Admiral Muselier entered the harbor of Saint-Pierre. The islands surrendered without resistance. De Gaulle carried out this step without the consent of the American and Canadian governments, but in agreement with the British Prime Minister Churchill.

But even in the months leading up to de Gaulle's invasion, the Canadian military had talked about the possibility of occupying Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, which had been controlled by the pro-Hitler French Vichy administration since France's defeat in 1940. The Allies were concerned about a radio station operating in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, which the Canadian military claimed was used to coordinate the activities of German submarines in this part of the Atlantic. However, the then Prime Minister of Canada, Mackenzie King, did not give his sanction to the invasion.

The Vichy governor in Saint-Pierre continued to maneuver for some time, negotiating to obtain American government loans to ensure the life of the islands under the guarantee of the gold and foreign exchange reserves of France, defeated by the Germans. However, his activities ended after the aforementioned invasion by the Free French forces, and a few months later the Gaullists organized a referendum on the accession of the archipelago to the Free French. In this plebiscite, the islanders voted to switch sides anti-Hitler coalition and recognized the Free French government of de Gaulle.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Economy:

Are cod and alcohol a thing of the past? Oil in the future?

In an illustration from the archive: The population of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon can no longer live by fishing.

Exceptional economic zone archipelago (indicated in gray on the map) is now limited to 12 nautical miles in the east, 24 nautical miles in the west, and an elongated narrow corridor from north to south of 200 nautical miles in length and 10 in width.

The main wealth of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, which was for centuries and until recently the basis of the economy of the islands, was first described to the world by Giovanni Caboto. This is how French sites, including the sites of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, prefer to call one of the explorers and discoverers of North America John Cabot. Indeed, Giovanni Caboto is more correct, because Caboto was an Italian, a Genoese in the English service.

AND this discoverer was amazed by the abundance of cod around the islands almost 500 years ago.

The famous Great Newfoundland Bank with rich fish stocks has always delighted the fishermen of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.

But Since the 1980s, fish prosperity in the archipelago began to come to an end. Modern fish processing facilities in San Pierre are now either operating at half capacity, or are idle, and fishermen are receiving unemployment benefits, or are trying to leave or change their occupation. For example, start artificially breeding cod in giant cages.

Wherein external signs There is no visible desolation on the island, thanks to the generous financial assistance of the metropolis. Since the 1960s, French government subsidies have made up half of the islands' budget. This led to the reputation of the archipelago's inhabitants as "the most expensive French in the world". In the 2000s, it is estimated that Saint-Pierre and Miquelon received approximately US$60 million annually in direct aid from the French government alone.

The French authorities are trying to somehow diversify the economy, but not very successfully. Built for the purpose of developing tourism, the new Saint-Pierre airport, capable of accepting any type of aircraft, is 70% occupied by transporting the local population. So far, the archipelago's tourism campaign as "France in North America" ​​has not been very successful.

In addition to encouraging tourism, trying to move away from traditional activities related to the sea (fishing itself, fish processing and activity as a supply base for the fishing fleet), the authorities and the population are now intensively engaged in breeding activities on farms: vegetables, poultry, cattle cattle, pigs, sheep, in nurseries: mink and foxes for fur. About artificial breeding fish in cages has already been mentioned.

But what happened to the Newfoundland fish in a jar? Restrictions on its fishing were introduced.

Traditionally, Saint Pierre and Miquelon has been of significant economic interest due to fishing rights within its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone. Differences in France's and Canada's interpretations of the implementation of international rules have given rise to disputes between the two countries. Fishing disputes ended in the defeat of the islanders in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. And it’s not just the problem of the border of the exclusive economic zone.

It should be noted that in 1992-1993, Canada even imposed a complete ban on commercial cod fishing in the waters of Newfoundland for its fishermen, thus trying to stop the rapid decline in the population of this fish under the load of ultra-modern trawlers. Afterwards, fishing was allowed, but on a limited scale. At the same time, many Newfoundland fishermen remain without work.

For the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, negotiations also resulted in very small fishing quotas. The quota restrictions were supplemented by an international arbitration decision (without the right of appeal) made in New York in 1992. This decision established that the exclusive economic zone of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is now limited to 12 nautical miles in the east, 24 nautical miles in the west, and a north-south corridor of 200 nautical miles in length and 10 in width.

So now the islanders look back on the golden age of fish in the history of their archipelago with the same nostalgia as the golden age of alcohol. There was such a thing in the history of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.

On October 8, 1919, Prohibition was adopted in the United States, after which the archipelago experienced an incredible economic takeoff. Local website grandcolombier.com describes the beginning and end of the alcoholic golden age in Saint Pierre and Miquelon:

“Powerful syndicates have chosen the islands as a base for the supply of rum, along with east coast(Canadian) Nova Scotia and New England. The taxation system in Saint Pierre and Miquelon and the economic activity of importing and exporting spirits have brought employment back to all islanders.

However, alcohol prohibition was quickly repealed with the 21st Amendment to the American Constitution in 1933. Under pressure from the United States, France banned the illegal alcohol trade on the islands in 1935. Islanders quickly came to realize that the local economy was Once again is torn to shreds. During the alcohol trading operations, workers lost interest in hard work at sea. Although fishing opportunities remained, many did not want to return to it. Immigration to Canada has resumed and entire families have left their depressed islands,” the site notes.

But let's return to the present. In recent years, oil exploration has begun in the coastal waters of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, and drilling rigs have appeared. Oil has not yet been produced, but the islanders are frozen in anticipation.

Some attractions islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon

The attraction of the island capital of Saint-Pierre is said to be its streets, which present a unique combination of rural France and the Atlantic coast of Canada, usually contrasted with the American lifestyle.

Of the main architectural attractions of the town of Saint-Pierre, we note Cathedral(Built in 1805-1807 on the site of the cathedral burned in 1802, which in turn stood on the site of the ancient church of Saint-Pierre, built in 1690).

Interesting facts from historySaint Pierre and Miquelon

Based on materials from the island website st-pierre-et-miquelon.com

(we quote from the English version of the site with our notes)

“The only time the guillotine was ever used in North America occurred at Saint-Pierre on August 24, 1889. This story served as the basis for the film "The Widow of St. Pierre Island." And that guillotine is currently on display in the State Museum of Saint-Pierre.”

Note that the widow in this 2000 French film refers to the guillotine (this was her common nickname in post-revolutionary France).

According to the plot of the film, a guillotine is being transported to Saint-Pierre from Martinique for the execution of a dangerous criminal under revolutionary laws. Before this, the archipelago did not have its own guillotine. During the course of this story and while waiting for the execution weapon, the criminal “corrects”; as a result, the islanders no longer want to execute him. As for why in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon they were waiting for the arrival of the guillotine and could not execute criminals without it, the point is in the decision of the revolutionary General Assembly in Paris, according to which executions at that time could only be carried out through beheading and only with the help of a guillotine, because It was then believed that this was the most humane method of execution.

“About six hundred shipwrecks are known off the coast of the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.”.

Note that The waters around the archipelago are treacherous, and the weather is foggy.

“The city of Saint-Pierre was burned to the ground in 1778 by the British in retaliation for French support of the American Revolution. And in 1794, the French admiral Richerie destroyed the city as retaliation for the British deportation of the entire population in 1793."

For more details, see this review.

“Every spring, whales migrating towards Greenland appear off the coast of Saint-Pierre, providing an opportunity to observe them.”

Also noteworthy is the lighthouse and fortifications with preserved ancient cannons Pointe aux Canons near the harbor of St. Pierre. The cannon batteries, according to one island website, defended “the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon during the British raids of 1690-1713. In the 19th century, these cannon batteries were installed as a precaution during the Crimean War."

Not far from the Saint-Pierre harbor lighthouse, you can see a pier with buildings where fish were salted and gear was stored.

Among the others interesting places Saint-Pierre government building of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon— Terr. (General) Council, as well as the House of Justice next door, a post office built at the beginning of the 20th century, a blacksmith shop, and an ancient cemetery. On a hill with an excellent view of the city, there is a monument in the form of a cross in memory of the Catholic traditions of the islands. Next to the State Museum of Saint Pierre and Miquelon there is a small war memorial in memory of the First and Second World Wars.

Miquelon, unlike Saint-Pierre, has much fewer attractions: a church, a lighthouse, a cemetery, as well as the highest place on the island called Cap with an excellent view.

Now about the sights of the island of Ile aux Marins, inhabited only in summer, located at the entrance to the harbor of the town of Saint-Pierre. On Ile aux Marins you can see a fishing village abandoned by residents. There is also an old cannon battery built at the same time as in Saint-Pierre, as well as a cemetery, but much older than in Saint-Pierre. We also mention the monument to the Pacific shipwrecks, which is an impressive piece of iron, visible for many kilometers. The sculpture marks the north-eastern coast of Ile aux Marins, where strong gale winds blow in winter.

Langlade, which is uninhabited in winter, is in full swing in summer. country life, A Bird watching is common on the Grande Colombiere.

This review used materials from official and semi-official websites of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon: st-pierre-et-miquelon.com, grandcolombier.com (English versions of resources), saint-pierre-et-miquelon.pref.gouv.fr (French. version); French broadcasting website for the country's overseas territories (where you can listen to Radio Saint-Pierre and Miquelon online) radio.rfo.fr; Information was also used documentary film“Saint Pierre and Miquelon” (Produced by the French state television channel France 3 2005) and other materials; Illustrations were used from the sites of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon and from the archive.

General information

Official name - Saint Pierre and Miquelon. An overseas community located on small islands in the Atlantic Ocean, 20 km south of the Canadian island of Newfoundland in Cabot Strait. The only territory left to France from the former colony of New France. The area is 242 km 2. Population - 6,995 people. (as of 2005). The official language is French. The capital is Saint-Pierre. Currency unit- euro.

From 1763 to 1778, many settlers from Acadia fled here; in 1778, the islands were attacked by the British, and their entire population was expelled for French support of the American Revolution. The islands finally returned to French jurisdiction only in 1816 and since then have remained the last fragment of the once vast North American possessions of this European power.

Since 1946, the islands received the status of an overseas territory of France, from July 19, 1976 - the status of an overseas department of France, and from June 11, 1985 - the modern status of an overseas community of France.

Attractions Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Town Saint Pierre- the commercial and administrative center of the islands, stretches along the northern side of Barachois harbor, in the eastern part of the island of Saint-Pierre. It is home to only 6,500 inhabitants (however, this is 90% of the inhabitants of the islands, mostly Basques, Bretons, Normans and other immigrants from France), nevertheless the urban infrastructure is quite modern (the second large settlement of the commune is the island and village of Ile-o- Marins, entered the city limits in 1945). Its entire appearance speaks of the fishing past of the islands - almost all significant buildings are concentrated near the harbor, dissected by breakwaters and piers, and the main landmarks here are the Alsatian-style post office buildings, its clock tower and the nearby customs office, behind which lies a small square named Charles de Gaulle, considered the center of the city. It is here that the main events associated with various holidays take place, the Old Fountain and the House with a Turret are also located here, and from the embankment near the square there is a beautiful panorama of the bay and the ocean.

The main attraction of the city is considered Saint-Pierre Cathedral at the Place Maurer. The first temple, built on this site in 1690, was rebuilt several times, and in 1902 it was destroyed by fire and restored in 1905-1907. Its gallery of stained glass windows is a gift to the island from General de Gaulle, and to restore the spire in the 70s of the 20th century, stone was brought here all the way from Alsace. The buildings of the Government Quarter are lined up around the Place Maurer - Palace of Justice, Conseil General complex, office of the governor and prefecture. A little further north, right behind the buildings of City Hall and the city hospital, lies Arena Fronton-Zaspiak-Bath- the most popular venue for competitions in the traditional Basque sport - pelota, as well as a place for organizing various festive events. The word "Zaspiak", which can be translated as "seven as one", represents the seven ancient Basque provinces located in (Gipuzkoa, Alava, Navarre and Vizcaya) and France (Basse-Navarre, Sule and Labourde, today part of the Atlantic department Pyrenees).

Also attractive Pointe aux Cannon lighthouse on a breakwater protruding far into the harbor (it got its name in honor of a cannon installed here, which, according to local residents, took part in the Crimean War of the 19th century, although, most likely, it was simply cast in the same period) and a battery stretching at the base of the pier Pointe aux Cannon Batteries is all that remains of the old fort that defended Saint-Pierre and Miquelon from British raids in 1690-1713. Somewhat north of the fort stretches a series of buildings of the Les Salines fishing stations, designed to illustrate the most important aspect of the local economy - the fishing culture, and also simply to provide fishermen with the opportunity to store their vessels and equipment.

On the south-eastern side of the island rises a picturesque Galantry lighthouse(built in the 1970s on the site of the original 19th century lighthouse), the foghorn sounding from which, in fact, complements the appearance of the capital with its “romantic voice” (often tourists specifically wait for bad weather in order to appreciate the sharp and strong sound of the foghorn, superimposed in dissonance on impenetrable fog and absolute silence that falls on the island with the arrival of fog). Nearby you can find the private villa of Cutty Sark (entering the territory without the consent of the owners is prohibited), which, according to local legends, was built from the wood of this legendary tea clipper.

Miquelon- the largest and northern island of the archipelago, Miquelon is formed by several smaller islands, between which the ocean has washed long sand spits, forming several salty lagoons. The only large settlement on the island is the village (commune) of Miquelon, located in the northeastern part, on Le Cap, between the Grand Etang lagoon and the ocean. This is one of the most picturesque places on the planet - a small village of no more than 500-600 people, surrounded on all sides by the sands of a 14-kilometer dune, whose eastern shore bears traces of more than 500 shipwrecks. The main attractions here are the wooden Church of Miquelon and stone Monument aux Morts, the old cemetery and the Miquelon Museum lying on its edge, the compact government quarter in the center of the village and the Far du Cap Blanc lighthouse towering on the western bank.

The southernmost part of Miquelon is washed by a vast Lagoon Gran Barachois, which is home to a huge number of birds and other fauna. Almost at any time of the year you can watch birds here, either wandering from north to south or vice versa, or organizing mating games or bird markets on its banks. And the sight of thousands of migratory birds floating across the sky in spring or autumn is no less fascinating than this harsh and beautiful region itself.

The northern cape is also colorful Le Cap Islands, whose landscape is only emphasized by the uniqueness of the birds and other inhabitants of the sea that live here. Every spring, migrating whales pass just off the coast of Miquelon, allowing you to observe these magnificent animals in their natural habitat.

Cuisine of Saint Pierre and Miquelon

The cuisine of the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is a colorful mixture of Spanish, Indian and French culinary traditions with a characteristic predominance of the latter. Locals claim that chefs on the islands do more than just cook delicious dishes and create works of art.

The cuisine of the islands of Saint-Pierre and Michelone is truly something amazing. From French cuisine she inherited its best traditions and recipes. Here you can taste dishes from different regions of France, which have acquired special nuances under the influence of local heritage.

Traditional dishes are undoubtedly fish and seafood. There are hundreds of fried or boiled fish dishes here. Moreover, local crabs, shrimps, cod and lobsters are widely known outside the islands. Local chefs use the most unusual combinations seafood. Try dishes such as: crab lasagna with mussels; boiled shrimp with seaweed sauce.

As a side dish, you can serve traditional fried bananas "tostones" or boiled potatoes. The dishes will definitely be seasoned with some kind of spicy sauce or a huge amount of herbs.

Also on the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon you can be offered: traditional French snails; frog legs; chicken in wine sauce; fried pigeon; first-class cheese; pancakes made from pea flour. In the cafe you can taste the usual French croissants and very tasty fluffy white buns. Traditional local drinks are coffee and various fruit juices (often carbonated). An essential element of any local feast are excellent wines and very strong spirits. In almost any restaurant you can find the best varieties of red wines, cider, champagne and cognac.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France) on the map