From St-Joseph-de-la-Rive boats ply to Île aux Coudres, which lies in the Baie-St-Paul, about 3km /2mi off the bank of the St Lawrence. Jacques Cartier was the first to land here on September 6th 1535 and gave it its present name because of the large number of hazelnut bushes he found growing on the island.
With its many stone houses and
windmills the Île aux Coudres must be one of the most idyllic regions of Québec province.
On September 7th 1535 the famous Guillaume le Breton, one of the two priests who had accompanied Cartier on his expedition, celebrated the first mass to be held in the new French colony. There is a memorial to this event in St-Bernard. In St-Louis visitors can explore the interior of one of the many ships which have run aground here. The schooner "Mont-St-Louis" today houses the "Musée des voitures d'eau", which is open daily in summer, and provides background on the history of sea-faring in this area. Also worth a visit are the two 18th c. Desgagné windmills and Maison Leclerc in La Baleine which contains some old Québec furniture; the latter is open daily in summer.