Magdalen Islands Ferry

The Souris ferry terminal is the departure point for CTMA's service to the Magdalen Islands (Îles-de-la-Madeleine), an archipelago of red sandstone islands in the Gulf of St Lawrence. The crossing takes about 5 hours and runs year-round, though the schedule varies by season. The Magdalens are one of Quebec's most distinctive destinations — remote, wind-battered, beautiful, with a French-speaking population that maintains its own dialect and traditions.

The ferry sails from Souris typically once daily during the summer season. Booking ahead is essential for vehicles in July and August. The harbour area in Souris is pleasant in itself: fishing boats work alongside the ferry terminal, and the commercial wharves have the unglamorous practicality of a working port rather than a tourist marina.

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A story
The Madeleine (formerly the Lucy Maud Montgomery, named after the PEI author) makes a crossing of about five hours across the Northumberland Strait and Gulf of St Lawrence to the Magdalen Islands. The Magdalens are geographically closer to Nova Scotia and Quebec than to PEI but have been administratively part of Quebec since 1774. The crossing can be rough in the shoulder seasons; the ship rides the Gulf swells in a way that reminds passengers they are at sea rather than on a river.

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