Blanc-Sablon, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Blanc-Sablon, Quebec is the easternmost community
in the province of Quebec
, Canada, between the municipalities of Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent
and L'Anse-au-Clair, in Labrador
. With a population of 1,263 inhabitants, it is the most populous municipality in Le Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent Regional County Municipality
.
Blanc-Sablon is the eastern terminus of a coastal ferry
service operating from Rimouski and Sept-Îles
along the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence; this service is subsidized by the government of Quebec. It is also the northern terminus of a ferry service operating across the Strait of Belle Isle between the island of Newfoundland and the province's mainland territory of Labrador
through Quebec. The ferry, subsidized entirely by the government of Newfoundland and Labrador
connects with a southern terminus at St. Barbe
, Newfoundland and Labrador
.
It is also accessible by road via Quebec Route 138
from Labrador only, and by scheduled air service through the Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon Airport
.
near the entrance of the Strait of Belle Isle. Two significant bays, Brador and Blanc-Sablon, mark its shores and the headland that separates these bays is dominated by Mont Parent, a 100 metres (328.1 ft) high flat-topped hill named after Martin Parent who was a local fisherman from the middle of the 19th century.
Located off the Blanc-Sablon shore are numerous islands that make up the Blanc-Sablon archipelago, of which Bassin, aux Perroquets, au Bois, and Greenly Islands are the most significant.
, home town of Jacques Cartier
, who landed at the place in 1534 and set up a cross near the current site of Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, Basques and Portuguese fishermen seasonally frequented the area. In 1704, Augustin Le Gardeur de Courtemanche, landlord of the lower Côte-Nord at that time, built Fort Pontchartrain at the current location of Brador. Permanent settlement did not begin until the 19th century with the arrival of French-Canadians, Acadians, and Jersey settlers. In 1858, the Mission of Longue-Pointe-de-Blanc-Sablon was established and took the name Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon or Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes at the end of 19th century. In 1884, the post office opened.
The area was first incorporated in 1963 as part of the Municipality of Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-Saint-Laurent
, but separated on January 1, 1990, and became the Municipality of Blanc-Sablon.
, and in documents from the 17th and 18th century, this syllable was considered as such and separated from the rest of the name. François Martel de Brouague, the King's Commander of this region from 1714 to 1760, referred to this location as: "A la Baye de Phélipeaux, coste de la Brador" ("At the Bay of Phélipeaux, coast of the Brador").
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 438 (total dwellings: 482)
Mother tongue:
(Köppen climate classification
Dfc).
Extreme communities of Canada
This is a list of the extreme communities in Canada and its provinces and territories. They are further east, north, south or west than any other community, though they are generally not further than the extreme points of Canadian provinces. The record latitude or longitude is given.*Lloydminster...
in the province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada, between the municipalities of Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent
Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent, Quebec
Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent is a municipality in the Côte-Nord region of the province of Quebec in Canada. The municipality consists of two non-contiguous areas, both along the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The larger main part stretches from the Natashquan River to the Big Mecatina...
and L'Anse-au-Clair, in Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
. With a population of 1,263 inhabitants, it is the most populous municipality in Le Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent Regional County Municipality
Le Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent Regional County Municipality, Quebec
Le Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent is a Regional county municipality in the Côte-Nord region of far-eastern Quebec, Canada. It includes all the communities along the Gulf of Saint Lawrence between the Natashquan River and the Newfoundland and Labrador border...
.
Blanc-Sablon is the eastern terminus of a coastal ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
service operating from Rimouski and Sept-Îles
Sept-Îles, Quebec
For the islands in north of Brittany, see JentilezSept-Îles is a city in the Côte-Nord region of eastern Quebec, Canada. It is the northernmost town in Quebec with any significant population...
along the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence; this service is subsidized by the government of Quebec. It is also the northern terminus of a ferry service operating across the Strait of Belle Isle between the island of Newfoundland and the province's mainland territory of Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
through Quebec. The ferry, subsidized entirely by the government of Newfoundland and Labrador
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador refers to the provincial government of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
connects with a southern terminus at St. Barbe
St. Barbe, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. Barbe is a settlement in Newfoundland and Labrador. It is located on the northwestern peninsula of the island of Newfoundland.It is connected by a ferry across the Strait of Belle Isle to Blanc-Sablon, Quebec...
, Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
.
It is also accessible by road via Quebec Route 138
Quebec route 138
Route 138 is a major highway in the Canadian province of Quebec, following the entire north shore of the Saint Lawrence River past Montreal to the eastern terminus in Natashquan on the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The western terminus is in Elgin, at the border with New York State south-west of Montreal...
from Labrador only, and by scheduled air service through the Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon Airport
Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon Airport
Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon Airport, , is located north of Blanc-Sablon, Quebec, Canada.-Airlines and destinations:-External links:...
.
Geography
Blanc-Sablon is located on the north coast of the Gulf of Saint LawrenceGulf of Saint Lawrence
The Gulf of Saint Lawrence , the world's largest estuary, is the outlet of North America's Great Lakes via the Saint Lawrence River into the Atlantic Ocean...
near the entrance of the Strait of Belle Isle. Two significant bays, Brador and Blanc-Sablon, mark its shores and the headland that separates these bays is dominated by Mont Parent, a 100 metres (328.1 ft) high flat-topped hill named after Martin Parent who was a local fisherman from the middle of the 19th century.
Located off the Blanc-Sablon shore are numerous islands that make up the Blanc-Sablon archipelago, of which Bassin, aux Perroquets, au Bois, and Greenly Islands are the most significant.
History
The place was already known to early European explorers who may have named it after the fine white sand of the eponymous bay (blanc means "white", whereas sablon is the diminutive form of sable meaning "sand"). Or it may be named after Blancs-Sablons Cove in Saint-MaloSaint-Malo
Saint-Malo is a walled port city in Brittany in northwestern France on the English Channel. It is a sub-prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine.-Demographics:The population can increase to up to 200,000 in the summer tourist season...
, home town of Jacques Cartier
Jacques Cartier
Jacques Cartier was a French explorer of Breton origin who claimed what is now Canada for France. He was the first European to describe and map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the shores of the Saint Lawrence River, which he named "The Country of Canadas", after the Iroquois names for the two big...
, who landed at the place in 1534 and set up a cross near the current site of Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, Basques and Portuguese fishermen seasonally frequented the area. In 1704, Augustin Le Gardeur de Courtemanche, landlord of the lower Côte-Nord at that time, built Fort Pontchartrain at the current location of Brador. Permanent settlement did not begin until the 19th century with the arrival of French-Canadians, Acadians, and Jersey settlers. In 1858, the Mission of Longue-Pointe-de-Blanc-Sablon was established and took the name Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon or Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes at the end of 19th century. In 1884, the post office opened.
The area was first incorporated in 1963 as part of the Municipality of Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-Saint-Laurent
Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent, Quebec
Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent is a municipality in the Côte-Nord region of the province of Quebec in Canada. The municipality consists of two non-contiguous areas, both along the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The larger main part stretches from the Natashquan River to the Big Mecatina...
, but separated on January 1, 1990, and became the Municipality of Blanc-Sablon.
Communities
The municipality includes three villages: Blanc-Sablon, Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon, and Brador Bay.Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon
Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon (51°24′41"N 57°12′11"W) is the largest community in the municipality, and is located on the headland that separates Brador Bay from Blanc-Sablon Bay. It was originally known as Longue-Pointe (Long Point) until the beginning of the 20th century. It has a small natural harbour, and long depended on the fishing business.Brador
Brador or Brador Bay (51°27′40"N 57°14′44"W) is on the eastern shore of the namesake bay, 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) north of the village of Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon. While known in the 18th century as Fort Pontchartrain and Phélipeaux Bay, its current name is the shortened form of Labrador. In French, the syllable la is a definite articleArticle (grammar)
An article is a word that combines with a noun to indicate the type of reference being made by the noun. Articles specify the grammatical definiteness of the noun, in some languages extending to volume or numerical scope. The articles in the English language are the and a/an, and some...
, and in documents from the 17th and 18th century, this syllable was considered as such and separated from the rest of the name. François Martel de Brouague, the King's Commander of this region from 1714 to 1760, referred to this location as: "A la Baye de Phélipeaux, coste de la Brador" ("At the Bay of Phélipeaux, coast of the Brador").
Demographics
Population:- Population in 2006: 1263 (2001 to 2006 population change: 5.2 %)
- Population in 2001: 1201
- Population in 1996: 1248
- Population in 1991: 1211
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 438 (total dwellings: 482)
Mother tongue:
- English as first language: 70.7 %
- French as first language: 26.5 %
- English and French as first language: 2.8%
- Other as first language: 0 %
Climate
Blanc-Sablon experiences a subarctic climateSubarctic climate
The subarctic climate is a climate characterized by long, usually very cold winters, and short, cool to mild summers. It is found on large landmasses, away from the moderating effects of an ocean, generally at latitudes from 50° to 70°N poleward of the humid continental climates...
(Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Dfc).