In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
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 north of the village; one runway, car rental on site (check).About 3.5 mi 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)
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.