Sept-Îles

Our people, our roots

We are more than an international port: We are a local organization managed and run by locals. As we welcome ships from around the world, our eyes remain firmly fixed on Sept-Îles—place of our people, place of our roots. Eyes filled with awe at the rich natural world that surrounds us, eyes filled with care and compassion for our fine bay, eyes filled with admiration for a community that has always been united by the sea, eyes filled with vision for an ever-better future for our families. Take a look through those eyes at the unique city the Port proudly calls home!

Lay of the land

On the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, just north of the 50th parallel, a city of some 30,000 people stretches along the shores of a beautiful 45 km2 bay. An archipelago of 7 islands forms a scenic natural barrier at the mouth of this large body of water, protecting the city whose name it inspired. Welcome to Sept-Îles!

Innu-aitun: Since time immemorial

The city of Sept-Îles is adjacent to the Innu communities of Uashat and Mani-utenam. The Innu are an Indigenous nation that has inhabited Labrador and northeastern Quebec for millennia. Once dependent on hunting and gathering, the Innu migrated with the seasons over the vast territory they called “Nitassinan.” Since then, despite having settled into stationary modern life, this resilient and proud people still embrace the distinctive culture (“Innu-aitun”) passed down from their nomadic ancestors. This ancestral heritage has withstood the test of time and history, and today shapes the identity of one of Quebec’s largest Indigenous nations.

Nature at our doorstep

Sept-Îles is a vibrant city surrounded by natural wonders on all sides. To the north, a vast boreal forest filled with spruce, birch and balsam fir and dotted with peaceful lakes and rivers teeming with fish that lure in anglers from all over the world. If you’re in the right place at the right time, you can catch the celestial dance of the Northern Lights at night. To the south, miles of beach stretch along the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Whales and seagulls silhouetted against sea and sky and the emerald hills of the archipelago complete the prettiest of pictures.

The iconic archipelago

The Sept-Îles archipelago is a stunning island region 565 million years old. The islands form a natural barrier at the mouth of the bay of Sept Îles and provide plenty for visitors to see and do, including a historic lighthouse, a resort, a marine farm and one of the largest seabird sanctuaries in eastern Canada. Nature enthusiasts enjoy hiking, scuba diving and boating or watching whales breach the water’s surface and winged squadrons of seabirds take off into the sky. A world of wild wonders awaits you in Sept-Îles! 

Work hard, play hard

If there’s one sport that defines Sept-Îles, it’s volleyball. Every year the city hosts the Orange Alouette, Canada’s largest amateur volleyball tournament. Of course people from Sept-Îles enjoy other sports, but volleyball is so popular that the Port handed over a stretch of land near the Vieux-Quai to be converted into beach volleyball courts for everyone to enjoy. People from Sept-Îles are no strangers to hard work and love testing their mettle in friendly (and at times heated!) competitions. 

The outstretched arms of Sept-Îles

Two long rivers framing the bay reach down from the hinterland north of Sept-Îles to flow into the Gulf of St. Lawrence: to the west, the mighty Sainte-Marguerite, a source of hydropower since 1908, and to the east, the legendary Moisie, known for its Atlantic salmon and panoramic gorges.

Come play outside

The people of Sept-Îles love being outside—in every season! We have plenty of outfitters, walking trails, ski resorts and bike paths, of course, but we also have lots (and lots!) of space providing endless opportunities to enjoy the out-of-doors. Looking for a calming retreat to the boreal forest? Or maybe a rush of adrenalin from the Gulf—nature’s playground for swimming, surfing, kayaking, kitesurfing and scuba diving? It’s all right here!

Our beautiful bay

The city of Sept-Îles extends along a wide 45 km2 bay cutting into the coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Its unique ecosystem supports salt marshes, eelgrass meadows and a variety of avian and marine life. Recreational boaters flock to the Marina every summer, while the Vieux-Quai boardwalk and the nature trail offer hikers breathtaking views of the bay’s natural splendours.

And even a botanical garden

Welcome to Quebec’s northernmost botanical garden! The Jardin Communautaire Ruisseau Bois-Joli has more than 14,000 plantings in 13 themed exhibitions along a 5 km trail, with carefully curated local works of art along the way. And best of all: Admission is always free!

The arts bring us together

A host of artists and groups keep Sept-Îles buzzing with creativity, whether it’s Jean-Pier Synott’s whimsical sculptures at the Port and on the nature trail or a performance by Tam ti delam, the dance ensemble that pays tribute to Quebec folklore. What local can resist looking for their next page-turner at the popular Salon du Livre de la Côte-Nord? Or dancing a makusham at the Innu Nikamu Festival, one of the largest Indigenous arts festivals in North America? Or bringing the whole family out to celebrate their city at the Vieux-Quai en Fête festival? The arts are what bring us together and bring Sept-Îles to life!

Stepping back in the past at the Old Post

The Sept-Îles Old Post is a faithful reconstruction of the region’s first trading post, giving visitors an idea of what life was like for Innu fur traders and hunters in the Sept-Îles of 1842. The interpretive centre also has a snack bar, an Innu campground, themed exhibits and fun activities for the whole family!

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Located between the Vieux-Quai and the Monseigneur-Blanche Dock, the Marina adds the final touch to Sept-Îles’s picturesque «lower town.»