'Miquelon-Langlade' is the less populated of the two
communes (municipalities) making up the French
overseas collectivity of
Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, in
North America. The communal seat is the settlement of Miquelon, in the north of Miquelon Island.
Geography
Miquelon-Langlade is made up of three geologically distinct islands bound together by
tombolos: long strips of sand dune. These islands are: Le Cap, Miquelon Island (Grand Miquelon) and
Langlade Island (Petite Miquelon).
Miquelon Island has a large
lagoon known as the Grand Barachois which is host to a large population of
seals and other wildlife. Miquelon is also a well known destination for bird watching.
History
The name Miquelon is of
Basque origin and means "Michael", as several fishermen with this name were established in the island. In
1579, the names ''Micquetõ'', ''Micquelle'' appeared for the first time in
Martin de Hoyarçabal's navigational pilot. The name evolved over time into ''Miclon'', ''Micklon'', and finally ''Miquelon''.
Demographics
The population of Miquelon-Langlade is mainly of
Basque and
Acadian ancestry. The population of Miquelon-Langlade was 616 at the January
2006 local census, 615 of whom lived on Miquelon, and only one of whom lived on Langlade (this sole inhabitant, Charles Lafitte
[1], died in
July 2006).
Transportation
Miquelon can be reached by boat or by plane from
Saint-Pierre and is served by
Miquelon Airport which is located adjacent to the settlement of Miquelon. The airport is served by
Air Saint-Pierre with flights both to
Saint Pierre Airport and
Canada.
Footnotes
1. Charles Lafitte was widely known on the islands as "de Gaulle", and lived as a hermit on Langlade for many years with his dogs.
External links
Tourism and travel links
★
Tourism and Travel Resources for St Pierre & Miquelon
★
Frequently Asked Questions Tourism and Travel
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Map of Miquelon
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Le Phare: Association of Tourism Professionals
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Local Airline Air Saint-Pierre
★
Ferry service for Saint-Pierre, Miquelon and Fortune Newfoundland
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Miquelon Business
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Terre-i-Mer is a Miquelon Island
★ based business that offers a number of services including algae farming and packaging.