Saint-Pierre and Île aux Marins, Saint Pierre and Miquelon: things to do, when to go and how to get there

Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Saint-Pierre is the town where nearly nine out of ten residents of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon live, a French territory in the North Atlantic about 19 km from the Burin Peninsula in Newfoundland (Canada). The town occupies the east coast of the island of the same name and slopes down to the harbor, where ferries dock and boats depart for the nearby islets. The airport is at Pointe-Blanche, south of downtown.

The centre can be explored on foot. Around General de Gaulle square are the quay, the post office and the cathedral, rebuilt after the 1902 fire with interiors modeled on Basque churches. The streets climb between wooden houses painted yellow, red, blue and green, many with a tambour, the small enclosed entrance that shelters the door from the wind. To the north, the Zazpiak Bat fronton is the Basque pelota court and the stage for the Basque festival in August. Two museums tell the local story: L'Arche, the community museum and archive, and the Musée Héritage, a private collection of objects from island life.

At the harbour entrance, the Pointe aux Canons lighthouse, white with a red band, and the old battery’s cannons form the island’s most photographed view; beside them, the colorful huts of Les Salines store artisanal fishers’ gear. Across the water is Île aux Marins, which was a fishing village with a church, school and town hall until the 1960s and is visited on a guided tour.

Outside town, the island has trails among ponds, peat bogs and cliffs. The most popular leads to Anse à Henry, an archaeological site at the northern tip, facing the Grand Colombier, a skerry where seabirds such as Atlantic puffins nest.

This destination brings together 1 city: Saint Pierre.

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Where Saint-Pierre and Île aux Marins is

Dados cartográficos: © OpenStreetMap contributors, via data.gouv.fr (ODbL 1.0). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Saint-Pierre and Île aux Marins

✈ Aéroport de Saint-Pierre-Pointe-Blanche (FSP) · 2 km to Saint Pierre

Saint-Pierre Airport (FSP) receives flights from St. John’s, Halifax and Montreal in Canada, and only in summer from Paris. By sea, the ferry from Fortune, Newfoundland, reaches Saint‑Pierre’s harbour year‑round and carries cars. Those connecting or boarding in Canada must also follow Canadian entry rules. Confirm schedules before travel.

Saint Pierre · Saint-Pierre and Île aux Marins Capital

Saint Pierre

Seat of the French collectivity of Saint‑Pierre and Miquelon, Saint‑Pierre is a town of colorful wooden houses around the harbour. In the centre are the cathedral, the Zazpiak Bat Basque fronton and the museums L'Arche and Héritage; at the harbour entrance are the Pointe aux Canons lighthouse and the huts of Les Salines. Boats go to Île aux Marins, an abandoned fishing village, and a trail reaches Anse à Henry, an archaeological site facing the Grand Colombier.

The local experience

Things to do in Saint-Pierre and Île aux Marins

Saint Pierre · Saint Pierre · Island

Île aux Marins

Small island in front of the harbor of Saint-Pierre that was a fishing village until the 1960s. The church Notre-Dame-des-Marins, the old school with the Archipélitude museum, restored houses, the red lighthouse and the hull of the Transpacific can be visited on foot.

Saint Pierre · Saint Pierre · Museum

Heritage Museum

Private collection in a 19th-century green mansion in the center of Saint-Pierre, with objects from medicine, school, religion, fishing and the era of Prohibition in the islands.

Saint Pierre · Saint Pierre · Church

Cathedral of Saint-Pierre

The main Catholic church of the archipelago, in the center of Saint-Pierre, rebuilt between 1905 and 1907 after the 1902 fire, with a Basque-style interior and wooden galleries. Historic monument.

Saint Pierre · Saint Pierre · Monument

Zazpiak Bat Fronton

A pelota court from 1906, in the north of central Saint-Pierre, with the inscription Zazpiak Bat on the wall. It is the stage for the Basque festival in August and recalls the Basque origin of many island families.

See 4 more places in Saint-Pierre and Île aux Marins

Saint Pierre · Saint Pierre · Lighthouse

Pointe aux Canons Lighthouse

Stone lighthouse from 1862, white with a red band, at the end of a breakwater at the entrance to Saint-Pierre harbor, with the cannons of the former battery just before it. The city’s most familiar view.

Saint Pierre · Saint Pierre · Heritage

Les Salines

A row of colorful fishing huts on the edge of Saint-Pierre harbor, near Pointe aux Canons, used by artisanal fishermen. In one of them, an association displays the history of small-scale fishing and runs dory excursions.

Saint Pierre · Saint Pierre · Trail

Anse à Henry

Cove at the northern tip of Saint-Pierre Island, reached by a marked trail of about 4.8 km. Archaeological site with traces of Indigenous and Paleo-Eskimo peoples and views of Grand Colombier.

Saint Pierre · Saint Pierre · Island

Grand Colombier

Islet of about 50 ha and 150 m high, 500 m north of Saint-Pierre, where seabirds nest such as puffins, razorbills, murres and fork-tailed storm petrels. It is visible by boat or from Anse à Henry.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From mid-May to mid-October there are guided visits to Île aux Marins and boat trips; in July and August average highs are near 17 to 19 °C. Fog is more frequent from May to July. August hosts the Basque festival. From December to March winter brings snow, wind and highs around 0 °C.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Two days are enough to see the centre, the two museums, Pointe aux Canons and Île aux Marins. With a third day you’ll have time for the Anse à Henry trail and a boat trip near the Grand Colombier. To include Miquelon and Langlade, add another one or two days and plan around ferry and flight timetables.

Which city to stay in

In Saint-Pierre’s centre, between General de Gaulle square and the harbour, you can do everything on foot: museums, cathedral, the quay for Île aux Marins boats and the ferry terminal. On the higher streets behind the cathedral and toward the Zazpiak Bat fronton there is less activity and the harbour is still only a few minutes’ walk away. In summer demand rises with the Basque festival and cruise ships: book in advance.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Saint-Pierre and Île aux Marins

How many days should you book for Saint-Pierre and Île aux Marins?

Two days cover the town, the museums L'Arche and Héritage, Pointe aux Canons and the guided visit to Île aux Marins, which takes half a day. A third day allows a relaxed hike to Anse à Henry and a boat trip to see the Grand Colombier up close.

How to get to Saint-Pierre by plane or ferry?

By plane, the shortest link is with St. John’s, Newfoundland, in under an hour; Halifax and Montreal also have flights, and Paris only in summer, a journey of about 5 hours. By ferry, the crossing from Fortune, Newfoundland, operates year‑round and accepts cars. Frequencies vary by season: confirm before buying tickets.

Do you need to rent a car in Saint-Pierre?

No. The centre is walkable despite the slopes, and the museums, harbour and Pointe aux Canons are close to each other. For trailheads in the island’s north there are taxis, bicycles and car rentals in town.

What is the best time to visit Saint-Pierre?

June to September, when boat trips and visits to Île aux Marins operate and days are milder. July often has a lot of fog; August is the month of the Basque festival. In winter, December to March, the town is quiet but cold, snow and wind limit outdoor activities.

Can you visit Miquelon as a day trip from Saint-Pierre?

Yes, by ferry or plane, but time on Miquelon will be limited and depends on schedules. The ferry crossing takes about 90 minutes each way. To see Grand Barachois lagoon and Cap de Miquelon without rushing, it’s worth staying one or two nights there.

Saint-Pierre and Île aux Marins

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

The cities on this trip