Magic. This place, Les Îles de la Madeleine. We didn't really know much about these small islands off the coast of Quebec; a couple of people had mentioned them to us and would just constantly say with a twinkle in their eye; you're going to love it there! Well, they were right.

This small group of islands (205 squared kilometers!), in the middle of the Gulf of the Saint Lawrence is part of the province of Quebec. It is an incredible place; almost mystical (especially on evenings where the sea mist gently covers the horizon and you're in the mist. in a cloud. and just, wow.) but maintaining that island vibe. And how could it not? There is literally water all around as far as your eyes can see. And we haven't even got into the kiting! We were so impressed with just the visual experience, that kiting there was honestly, just an added - very precious and loved - bonus. :)
The Maggies, as they're so fondly called by locals are known for having great wind in August and September. But August is "perfect" as we were told, because it's also warmer. Definitely an added gold star for warmth in Quebec.
I could keep writing for hours here but...
The kite spots. That's what you're here for, right?
What's so incredible about this island is that you can pick a different spot as your playground for the day depending upon the wind direction (and trust us, the wind blows in all directions!). We love to check out different spots, so if you're anything like us - you're guaranteed an amazing kitecation (kite+vacation, is that a thing?).
If you prefer a relatively flat water session, the lagoon can be your choice of the day.
Some fun waves? Martinique. Bassin. Corfu...
We checked out 11 spots during our time there - here's what we found! :)
(If you're curious for some extra info about the Islands, there is some more awesome information at the bottom of this post!)
Coordinates: 47*23'N 61*52'W - Canada, Quebec, Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine
How far: far. from Montreal international airport by car to Les Îles: 1414 km including a ferry trip of 5 hours.
Flights are also available - 6 flights per week during the high season, 2h 05m duration.
Kite Spots:
GROS CAP


What Really Happened Out There!
Gros Cap is quite a popular spot on the island. People head over to spend the whole day, chat with other kiters and enjoy the conditions of the spot. We went a few times - it was near the campground, Parc du Gros Cap, where we camped for most of the trip (in fact, only a few hundred meters away).
The kiting is fantastic and the view of the cliffs as you ride, hypnotizing. There are however, some things to be aware of.
There is only one place from which to launch and enter the water and near that one small access point there are electric lines. Ahhh, details. But really, pay attention - there isn't a huge margin for error :)
Also, it's worth noting that all the cars are parked downwind from the launch point and the water is very shallow for the first 200 meters from the shore.
Overall, this kite spot is definitely worth a ride. Besides the great session you're likely to have, it's also fun to see the kite community enjoying the wind and be part of the 'kite spirit' of the spot!
MARTINIQUE


What Really Happened Out There!
In Leona's words:
This long beach provides all you need for a fun session. The wind wasn't strong when I went, so I decided to downwind and enjoy what this place had to offer. I went alone down the whole stretch of beach, with the comforting knowledge that Bruno and N were following along in the car and would be waiting at the end of Martinique.
With no rocks all the way down the beach and plenty of space to launch or land your kite, Martinique is a must to go and kite. Even if there are other kiters around (which maybe we saw one), there is enough space and definitely no crowds in the water. Pay attention to non-kiters though, this is definitely a favorite spot for those who want to relax with a good book on the beach.
Other options:
Besides the downwind on Martinique beach itself you can also head towards Gros Cap (with the right wind direction of course). You'd cross a bigger section of water, so make sure that you're able to. (Yes, that's a disclaimer.) This downwinder is an example of what makes this island so unique. You have such varying beaches to go to and just enjoy.
Martinique is a sandy, long stretch of beach that makes you feel like you're in some South American paradise. Heading from that to Gros Cap, makes you feel like you've arrived at the beginning of the world. At least that's how I felt (The caves along the shore; perfectly marked condensed sand cliffs - marked by centuries of erosion and exposure. It's impressive!)
PARC FRED JOMPHE


What Really Happened Out There!
In Leona's words -
What a place!! The kite conditions provided by this huge protected body of water made it an incredible spot without a doubt. Whether it's your first class or you consider yourself a world champion, you'll have fun here.
This is the place to come to no matter the wind direction. There is no current in the lagoon so upwinding can be easily achieved. The kiting area is huge so there is plenty of space to practice jumps, loops and transitions. The water level is not high (up to the hips mostly everywhere) which also gives you a safer session.
The lagoon actually has two access points available to the public and one private access through Aerosport Les Iles Kiteschool. We were lucky because Bruno taught at the school and we could kite from there.
Although one of the most popular spots on the island, the lagoon is big enough and once you're in the water, find your own line and just enjoy!
Every session we had in this lagoon was incredible. Bruno came back from a particularly strong windy session and said, it was probably one of the most memorable kite sessions of his life. And he's been to some pretty incredible spots...
Not only can you kite within the perfect conditions of the lagoon, but you kite to the other shore, walk a few meters and you're in the ocean. All in all, the lagoon is a kiter's playground. There are some things to be aware of though.
The entrance to the water at Fred Jomphe is extremely crowded with both kitesurfers and windsurfers so pay attention when launching or when you're ready to land your kite. The middle spot has less crowds but also has limited space for launching and landing. Again, once in the water there's room for everyone.
One more thing - and this is important :)
Inform yourself where you are allowed to kite within the lagoon. There are areas that are part of the nature reserve - enjoy your session with the beautiful birds around you, but respect their nesting areas and reserve limitations and stay away.
CORFU


What Really Happened Out There!
In Bruno's words -
This proved to be another challenging session. The spot itself is incredible but when I saw the island in the distance with the shipwreck behind it, I gave myself the goal of going around the island to see the wreck from close. Shortly after I started heading upwind towards the channel between the island and the shoreline, I noticed white caps - a red flag for potential rocks (or even a piece of the shipwreck) and decided to circle the island instead. That ended up proving to be a challenge because of the wind (which lost power when hitting the island) and I decided to turn back. It was a good reminder that even if you have a goal in mind, sometimes you have to change your plans during the session... to keep it going and to do it safely.
I didn't reach the shipwreck but got to see thousands of birds on that tiny island - and believe me, there were thousands and thousands of birds. Some arriving from the ocean for a rest, others fighting for a bit of space; their sound carried all the way to my ears. This spot left its mark - definitely worth checking it out!
PORTAGE DU CAP


What Really Happened Out There!
This session was extra awesome because it caught us by surprise! We didn't expect to spend the whole day kiting at this incredible stretch of beach. Joined by some friends, we even managed to have a session together while they watched N. The waves were perfect kickers for small jumps and even though the wind wasn't strong, I definitely managed to have some fun with our 13 meter. Bruno headed out with a borrowed surfboard to explore the views upwind from where we were. He came bike smiling ear to ear excited about kiting so close to the mountain that met the shore.
The spot was easily accessible with a parking lot for all types of vehicles; the beach perfect for launching and landing, (and for games of soccer and castle building with N.). And as an added bonus, there was also a hydrofoil demo happening upwind from us and it was great to see all the colorful kites and kiters enjoying the water.
Once again, the only regret is that we only got to kite here once...
BASSIN


What Really Happened Out There!
Luckily we had an camping reservation for 8 days in front of this amazing open sea. Really, is there anything better than rolling out of your tent and walking to your kite spot?
On the windier days we got to kite, on the less windy days, we got to play.
The beach was immense; we enjoyed kiting, biking and walking there on different occasions.
Located on the southern point of the island, the beach had that perfect 180º view of the ocean.
It's a good wave spot when the winds are blowing and a great starting point to head downwind towards Sandy Hook (when wind is NE). If you head towards the cliffs you're guaranteed incredible views and hidden beaches. The truth is, we loved Bassin. There weren’t many kites on this massive beach, we were blessed with the occasional glance from adorable looking seals and the beach is a perfect playground even if you’re not kiting. What’s not to love?
POINTE BASSE


What Really Happened Out There!
In Leona's Words -
This spot was different than all the others we had kited on the Island. Definitely not for beginners, it was surrounded by a high hill (mountain seems too big to describe it), a rocky cliff on one side and a rocky pier on the other. In the middle of the spot near the shoreline there is a small collection of rocks that was constantly in my periphery vision.
My session? The wind really kicked in when we came here - so I was a little overpowered the entire time... which made for some fun, high jumps! Because of the obstacles, the area where I kited was more limited and I had to be paying attention. There was definitely a sweet spot where the waves created a flat spot between them, but other kiters also had their eye on that so I had to wait my turn. :)
Point Basse was a welcome discovery - it was one of the windiest days we'd had to that point and with the waves, it became a great spot to push me to improve my skills or just using them as a playground :)