St-Pierre-Miquelon offers a slice of French life
ST-PIERRE, France - A Renault swerves into a narrow alley, coming within inches of sideswiping an unsuspecting tourist.
It's lunchtime, but shops and bars are closed.
Stressed out yet? Relax.
The archipelago of St-Pierre-Miquelon operates on its own rhythm and offers a refreshing change of pace for travellers.
Nearly 500 years after its rich fishing grounds lured enterprising Europeans, St-Pierre-Miquelon remains France's oldest overseas territory and retains much of that country's character.
The tiny islands off the south coast of Newfoundland are a largely undiscovered piece of the old country, promoted as a place "where France meets North America."
In reality, St-Pierre-Miquelon is a study in contrasts, a place where modern trappings are juxtaposed with a rural way of life.
To blow off some steam after the rigours of the week, young men and women in designer wear head to the nightclub in St-Pierre, the territory's capital city and commercial and cultural hub of 6,500 people.
Less than a kilometre away, horses can be seen grazing on a patch of grass near a farmhouse.
At noon, the roads - none of which have traffic lights - become quiet. Nearly every business in St-Pierre shuts down for two hours so that shopkeepers can have lunch with their families.
"There's a refinement about the people here you don't always find everywhere else," says Natalie Kotyck, a tourist from Toronto.
While planning her first trip to Newfoundland, Kotyck decided to add a weekend sojourn in St-Pierre to satisfy a curiosity that many who venture here have.
"It's still surprising that it is so French," she says.
From restaurants to bakeries, St-Pierre can be an epicurean's dream. L'Ile de France, one of the more popular spots for fine dining, offers Atlantic fare and traditional French cuisine - snow crab, lobster, veal and even french fries are on the menu. Its selection of fine wines is impressive.
Le Feu de Braise is another resto that offers delectable dishes, including a lamb shank that's cooked so well its meat falls off the bone with the lightest touch.
Downstairs is Le Rustique, a bar with a big-screen TV, a pool table and a back patio - the perfect place to unwind.
Many of the shops, bars and eateries are within walking distance of St-Pierre's downtown. The euro is the official currency here, but many businesses accept Canadian dollars.
St-Pierre-Miquelon includes two formerly separate islands - Miquelon and Langlade - that are connected by a sandy isthmus. There are more than 500 shipwrecks scattered along this spit of land.
St-Pierre is only 25 kilometres southwest of Newfoundland's Burin Peninsula, about an hour-long ferry ride from Fortune, N.L. It's also accessible by air.
Given its proximity, it is a popular destination for people from the province during the short summer tourist season.
"The people from Montreal or Quebec go to Paris. The people from Newfoundland go to St-Pierre," says Nathalie Barsacq, who works at L'Ile de France.
On the web
www.st-pierre-et-miquelon.com
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