Sept-Iles, Canada

Perched on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River where the waterway widens into a saltwater estuary of oceanic proportions, Sept-Îles takes its name from the seven islands that shelter its natural harbor — a geographic gift that indigenous Innu peoples recognized thousands of years before Jacques Cartier sailed past in 1535. For much of the twentieth century, this remote Quebec city was synonymous with iron ore, its port serving as the terminus of a railway that hauled minerals from the Labrador interior to waiting cargo ships. Today, Sept-Îles is reinventing itself as a gateway to one of North America's last great wildernesses: the Côte-Nord, a thousand-kilometer stretch of boreal forest, wild rivers, and Indigenous culture that remains gloriously undiscovered by mainstream tourism.

The city's waterfront, recently revitalized with a boardwalk and cultural center, looks out across the vast St. Lawrence to the shadowy outline of Anticosti Island, fifty kilometers offshore. The Musée Régional de la Côte-Nord, housed in a modernist building near the harbor, tells the story of the region's Innu, Naskapi, and settler communities with intelligence and sensitivity. The Vieux-Quai (Old Wharf), where fishing boats and pleasure craft bob alongside each other, is the social heart of the city — a place for morning coffee, fish-and-chips at noon, and spectacular sunsets over the estuary in the evening.

The cuisine of Sept-Îles reflects its position at the intersection of boreal forest and northern sea. Snow crab, harvested from the frigid waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, is the regional delicacy — sweet, delicate, and served simply with drawn butter. Atlantic salmon, smoked or grilled, appears on every menu, alongside wild blueberries that grow in profusion on the surrounding barrens. Traditional Innu cuisine, including bannock bread baked over open fire and caribou prepared in various styles, is increasingly celebrated at cultural events and festivals. The city's growing craft beer scene draws on local berries and botanicals for seasonal brews.

The natural attractions accessible from Sept-Îles are staggering in their scale and wildness. The Sept-Îles Archipelago itself offers kayaking, whale watching, and birdwatching among the seven islands that gave the city its name — puffins, razorbills, and various gull species nest on the rocky islets. The Rivière Moisie, one of Quebec's most celebrated salmon rivers, flows through spectacular canyon country east of town. In summer, the waters of the St. Lawrence host minke whales, humpbacks, and the occasional blue whale — the largest animal ever to have lived — drawn by the rich feeding grounds where the Laurentian Channel funnels nutrients into the estuary.

Cunard includes Sept-Îles on its Canada and New England cruise itineraries, with ships docking at the city's deep-water port within walking distance of the waterfront and old town. The port serves as a counterpoint to the more frequented stops of Quebec City and the Maritime provinces, offering a glimpse of French-speaking Canada at its most frontier-spirited. The best time to visit is June through September, when the brief northern summer brings long days, wildflower meadows, and the peak of whale-watching season in the St. Lawrence estuary.