Hiking in Sentier du Littoral (Coastal Trail): trails, map and practical info

The route

According to Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine, the Sentier du Littoral (Coastal Trail) is a paved walking and cycling path that runs along the sea in Cap-aux-Meules. It starts near the Sûreté du Québec police station, winds along beaches and capes, and ends at the foot of the stairs up to the viewing area above the port of Cap-aux-Meules. Total distance: 2 km, one trail, linear, easy.

The figures do not quite agree. The Municipality of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine's map (mapped on October 20, 2014) says 1.9 kilometres, and the Municipality's "Parcs et nature" page lists the "piste cyclopédestre du Littoral" at 4 km without saying what that figure covers. Neither Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine nor the Municipality publishes a duration or an elevation gain.

Starting point and parking

Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine gives two starting points: the parking lot behind the police station (Chemin du Gros-Cap) or Chemin du Quai. The municipal map shows a parking lot and a beach access (the Garderie stairs) at the south end of the route. The Municipality also says that Place des gens de mer, near the Cap-aux-Meules wharf, gives access, among other things, to the Sentier du Littoral and to the lookout on the Butte du Cap-aux-Meules.

The number of parking spaces and the parking fee are not published.

The stairs and the lookout

The trail ends at the foot of a staircase of 185 steps. Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine encourages visitors to climb it for the panoramic view of the islands. The itinerary for step 1 of the Entre Vents et Marées trail treats the climb as an option: "optional: climb the stairs to admire the view".

Do not mix up the two staircases: the Garderie stairs on the municipal map are a beach access at the south end; the lookout stairs are at the end of the trail, on the port side.

Part of step 1 of Entre Vents et Marées

Entre Vents et Marées is a marked 230 km circuit in 13 steps around the islands, according to Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine. Step 1, "Baie de Plaisance" (Cap-aux-Meules to Havre-Aubert, 27.1 km, intermediate), starts at the Place des gens de mer service pavilion on Chemin du Quai, turns right onto the Sentier du Littoral, then leaves it on the right at the beach parking lot and turns left onto Chemin de Gros-Cap.

Works and closures

Coastal-erosion work has affected the route. In July 2022 the Municipality announced that the trail would be closed between Chemin Petitpas and the aerated lagoons during 857 m of beach-recharge work, with the trail to be repaired in 2023. Hurricane Fiona then destroyed about 40 m of the path in front of the aerated lagoons in September 2022, and a notice dated November 22, 2023 announced that the path would be closed on either side of the protection work site from November 20 to December 31, 2023 at the earliest. According to CFIM (article of August 2, 2024), which cites the Municipality, the repair of the trail was completed: five segments of the path were repaired, and one segment was rerouted for safety reasons, so that it now runs on the other side of the cemetery. No more recent official notice of a closure or reopening was found for 2025 or 2026: check with the Municipality before you go. Because part of the route was moved, the 2014 map may no longer match the current route exactly.

Good to know before you go

• Free access (Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine).
• Leashed pets are allowed (Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine, English page).
• Partially accessible to people with reduced mobility; the portions concerned are not specified.
• Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine lists a viewpoint and a rest stop.