Canada's insider blog

It’s called sabline in French, a name far more appealing than sandwort, but the fleshy beach plant proved to be a delicious addition to a salad in any language. This was just one of many surprising treats revealed at the upscale Domaine du Vieux Couvent inn located on Île du Havre-aux-Maisons, one of eight small islands that make up Les îles de la Madeleine archipelago in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 

Chef Evangeline Gaudet at the on-site restaurant Le Réfectoire has capitalized on the rare and special location of Les îles, incorporating shellfish, local cheeses, the islands’ home-raised veal and boar meat as well as wild berries and the intriguing sabline found on the many miles of white sandy beaches.

Renovations to the old convent (“vieux couvent” in French) have made the most of the rich woodwork and superb windows without sacrificing any of the schoolhouse character. Each of the 10 rooms is named in the schoolhouse theme, complete with corrected spelling errors.

Besides dining high off the harvest of land and sea, visitors – often travelling by bicycle – will be invigorated by the salty ocean breezes that are fully infused with the scents of wildflowers and sweet grass.