Île aux Basques National Historic Site of Canada

Île aux Basques was designated a national historic site of Canada in 2001 because:

• by comparison with other known Basques sites in Canada, the sites on the island represent the westernmost and most important concentration of French Basque occupation in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Lower St. Lawrence River between 1584 and 1637;
• the island is the only recorded site in the Gulf and River where early commercial contact between Europeans and Aboriginal Peoples is formally confirmed through the archaeological record;
• the island represents a remarkable archaeological record which documents continuous human use from Prehistory to the present;
• the French Basque presence on the island has left an enduring legacy among communities along the Lower St. Lawrence River, as reflected in local and regional histories, the collective memory of residents, and in place names.

Occupied successively by Aboriginal groups, Basque sailors, Jesuit missionaries, and homesteaders, Île aux Basques bears witness to many centuries of human activity. Archaeological remains have been discovered at seven sites in the southern part of the island. The Aboriginal presence may have consisted of small groups visiting for short periods on a seasonal basis while hunting, fishing and gathering. Harsh climatic conditions may also have limited the French Basque occupation of the island to sporadic, seasonal visits during the warmer months. The island represents the eastern limit of the Iroquoian presence in the southern Saint Lawrence area and also contains the largest concentration of Basque sites in the St. Lawrence estuary. The island was occupied by French Basques, in contrast to Red Bay National Historic Site of Canada, which was occupied by Spanish Basques. The island is the only Basque settlement in the estuary where contact between Europeans and Aboriginals is supported by archaeological evidence. It is now a protected area designated a sanctuary and refuge for migrating birds.