Sights Saint Pierre and Miquelona (France)
Populated at least in Neolithic, Saint-Pierre Islands and Micheloon for a long time remained on the backyards of civilization. Portuguese navigator and explorer Joao Alvares Fagundes, the first of Europeans held along the shores of these islands in 1521, it was poeticly called them "Islands of eleven thousand virgins". Intensively mastered the new World French gave them a name in honor of St. Pierre – the patron saint of fishermen and seaworthy. In the XVI-XVII centuries, these lands were used as a base for a cracking log of French fishermen from La Rochelle, Granville, Saint-Little and Basque countries, who founded the first European settlements here (Michelon got his name from the mouth of the Basque fishermen from Saint-Jean – Luza). The concessions of the French were interrupted after the Utrecht Treaty, and only in 1763 the island was again under the auspices of Paris. From 1763 to 1778, a lot of immigrants from the French colony (New Scotland) ran here, in 1778 the islands were attacked by the British, and all of their population were sent to retaliation for French support for the American revolution. Finally, the islands returned under the jurisdiction of France only in 1816 and since then remains the last fragment of the once extensive North American possessions of this European power.
Great Newfoundland Bank, within which Saint-Pierre and Miquelon lie, is one of the richest fishing areas on the planet. Even despite some exhaustion of biological stocks in this region associated with human activity, fisheries continues to remain the most important source of income for the inhabitants of the islands. However, tourism, until now, almost not developed in this part of the planet, begins to play in the local economy. For outdoor activities.
Saint-Pierre
Town Saint-Pierre – Commercial and Administrative Center of the islands, stretched along the northern side of Harbor Barashua, in the eastern part of Saint-Pierre Island. It lives only 6,500 inhabitants (however, these are 90% of the inhabitants of the islands, for the most part of the Baptons, Bretonians, Normans and other people from France), nevertheless, the city infrastructure is quite modern (the second large settlement of the commune – the island and the village of Il-O- Marinas, entered the city trait in 1945). All his appearance speaks about the fishing past of the islands – almost all significant structures are concentrated in the dissected by moles and the harbor moisters, and the main landmarks here are the buildings of the post office in Alsance, his clock tower and nearby customs, behind which the small area named after Charles de Gaulle spread out considered the city center. It is here that the main events associated with various holidays are held, the old fountain and a house with a turret are located here, and the area has a beautiful panorama of the bay and the ocean.
Saint Pierre’s Cathedral is considered the main attraction of the city in the Plyasa Morker Square. The first temple built in this place in 1690 g was repeatedly rebuilt, and in 1902, destroyed by fire and restored in 1905-1907. His gallery of stained glass is the gift of the island from General de Gaulle, and for the restoration of the spire in the 70s of the 20th century, a stone has been tied here from Alsace. Around the dance-Morker built buildings of the government quarter – Palace of justice, Consale-Generaral complex, office of the governor and prefecture. Several norther, immediately behind the buildings of the City Hall and the City Hospital, the Arena Frontton-Vyspian-Bat was spread – the most popular venue of the competition for the traditional Basque sport – Pelota, as well as the place of organization of various festive events. Word "Vespian", which can be translated "Seven as one", Ensures seven ancient Basque provinces located in Spain (Gipuo, Alava, Navarre and Biscay) and France (Bass-Navarre, Sulu and Laboth, are included in the Department of Atlantic Pyrenees).
Poant-o-Cannon’s lighthouse at the far outstanding in the harbor of Breaspiece (he received his name in honor of the gun installed here, which, according to the locals, participated in the Crimean War of the XIX century, although, most likely, she simply cast in the same Period) and the Poant-o-Cannon-Battery Battery – all that remained from the old fort, who defended Saint-Pierre and Michelon from British raids in 1690-1713. Several north of the Fort stretches a series of buildings of Fishermen Forest Salin, designed to illustrate the most important aspect of the local economy – a fishing culture, and simply give the opportunity to store their ships and tackle to fishermen.
If you move from Charles de Gaulle South-West, you can find the Heritage Museum (bodies.: +508 41-58-88) with an extensive historical collection lying on the embankment "Robber" With a small private museum of the de la-Pribison located in it (bodies.: +508 41-24-19), State Archival Museum (bodies.: +508 41-04-35) and located almost opposite it a military memorial (dedicated to the islanders who died during the two world wars, it is interesting to note that at the time when, during World War II, most of the territory of France was occupied by the Germans, Saint-Pierre Islands and Miquelon from December 1941 were a stronghold of movement "Free France" de Gaulle, and their citizens fought with invaders on all fronts), Fort Lorein on Ruu Beson (built by troops "Free France" in 1941-1943.), lying around the north of the cross Calvar (reminder of the Catholic heritage of the islands), as well as the most southern outskirts of the city of the Cultural Center, the scientific and educational and cultural center of Francoforum, skating rink and the well-known Saint Pierre Cemetery, made in unique "North American style".
The southeastern side of the island is towers a picturesque Lighthouse of Halantree (built in the 1970s on the site of the original lighthouse of the XIX C), which sounds the foggy mountain, in fact, complements the appearance of the capital with his "romantic voice" (Often tourists waiting especially bad weather to assess the sharp and powerful sound of the bugle, a discordant note superimposed on a gloomy fog and absolute silence falls on the island with the arrival of the fog). Intention can be detected private villa Katti-Surk (enter the area without permission of prohibited masters), which, according to local legend, is constructed from wood that legendary tea clipper.
Île-Marins
The small island of Ile-a-Marins (Île-Cheyenne, 1.5 square. km), located in the throat of Saint-Pierre’s harbor, is, in fact, one big enough and spacious fishing village with a population of only 10 souls. Modern fishing techniques have made their "contribution" the development of this once bustling fishing community, turning it into a quiet and relaxing in the open-air museum, opens the window into the past of civilization. The vast number of its inhabitants long ago moved to Saint-Pierre and the rest are collected here only during the fishing season, so many old houses made of wood and rough stone are mostly semi-abandoned, and ocean wind quite freely walk on his two main streets. Here you can see still used for services of the church of Notre-Dame-des Marins (1874), located in front of her Archipelago Museum and City Hall, the old fort battery (XIX century) at the northwestern tip of the island, colorful building Hesekel House (now here fishing museum), the picturesque old cemetery, an abandoned lighthouse on the southern tip and rusting on the eastern shore wreck "Transpasifik" and dune landscape around him. Due to the proximity of the island to the capital at the weekend there is going to a lot of the residents of Saint-Pierre.
Miquelon
The largest and northernmost island of the archipelago, Miquelon formed by several smaller islands, between which the ocean soaped long sand spit forming some salty lagoons. The only large settlement on the island – the village (commune) Miquelon, located in the north-eastern part, in Le Cap, between the lagoon and the Grand Ethan Ocean. This is one of the most picturesque places on the planet – a small village, which is home to no more than 500-600 people, surrounded on all sides by sand dunes 14 km long, whose eastern shore bears the traces of more than 500 shipwrecks. The main attractions here are located opposite each other Miquelon wooden church and a stone monument-of-Mortes, an old cemetery and lying on its edge Miquelon Museum (tel.: +508 41-67-07), compact government quarter in the center of the village and the towering lighthouse on the western shore Far du Cap Blanc.
The southernmost part of Miquelon washes vast lagoon, known as the Grand-Barachois, which is home to a huge number of birds and other fauna. At almost any time of the year you can watch the feathered, then wandering from north to south or vice versa, then arrange courtship game or bird colonies on its banks. A spectacle of thousands of migratory birds floating in the sky in the spring or autumn, fascinating no less than the very harsh and beautiful land. Also coloring the northern cape of the island of Le Cap, whose landscape is only emphasizes the unique birds and other inhabitants of the sea living here. Every spring, whales migrating to Greenland are not far from the coast of Miquelon, which allows you to watch these magnificent animals in their natural habitat.
Langlad
The southern part of Miquelon, the associated long strip of sand, which the locals simply called La Dune, Langlad has a reputation for rapid and very beautiful island, whose coast is surrounded by a low, but fairly steep cliffs. Most of the year you can find a few farmers in these harsh soils, crops and distributing cattle. However, here in the summer is going to one-fifth of the resident population of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. The nature of this piece of land is the most diverse of all the islands in the group – steep cliffs, small woods and plenty of wildlife make it a favorite summer residence and recreation for many islanders.
To a few attractions Langlada include a private museum Clem Cusick, which collects artifacts found on the shores of the island, lonely and picturesque chapel, the lighthouse Le Phare de la Pointe-Plath and all 35-kilometer west coast of the island, as well as isolated rocky shore and many bird parks scattered throughout Langladu.
