Description

The ruins of a few homes are still visible at the site of the first island settlement Menier established in 1895, Baie-Sainte-Claire. A lime kiln was rebuilt on this historic site in 1985, while in the underbrush on the neighbouring plateau, a few tombstones hearken back to a bygone era. As you travel along the shoreline road to the lighthouse at Pointe-Ouest, you'll come to the remains of an old Catholic cemetery. The wreck of the Calou, which ran aground in 1982, bears witness to the historic reputation of the island's rocky shores as the “Cemetery of the Gulf.” A few metres from the lighthouse, you'll find the former homes of the light-keeper and his assistant, which have been converted into an historic Inn.

A few French citizens originating from Saint-Pierre et Miquelon leave Bay of Chaleur to move to l'Anse-aux-fraises around 1872. Many families from New-Brunswick, mainly from the Acadian Peninsula meet up with them, starting from 1873, which will bring the population to 20 families. During its golden age, in 1881, the village counts 23 families for a total of 130 inhabitants.