Question for klam_chowder:
 

While I've spent two weeks in Newfoundland previously in 2000, I've never been to the French Islands. We're returning this spring (mid-May thru the first week in June) and would like to include St. Pierre in our itinerary this trip. I understand from your trip report that you had problems with St. Pierre Tours and that you recomend using SPM Express. Do you believe that the tour company abandoned you because you had booked your own accommodations rather than taking their 'packaged tour'? I'm just trying to get a read on the competition between these two firms and trying to avoid being left at the dock by either company if I were to book my own accommodations on the island. Thanks for any insight you can offer!

Hi Retired_teacher, sorry for the delayed response...I'm an Olympics junkie!

From what you ask, I believe if I had booked the entire trip thru them (and they had more profit to lose) they may have tried to assist us.

As I mentioned, they really could not have cared less. It wasn't just the original issue (i.e., changed sailing time) but their reaction to it, their unapologetic manner, and insincerity to assist that made us realize we would not want to do business with them again.

Regardless of who you decide to travel with, I'd recommend you call the night before and the day of to confirm your sailing time. This is especially true as you will be going off peak season so ferry sailings will be less frequent.

As an aside, if you miss the boat, it's tough to find someone else who can take you. We walked the fishing boats but operators were either not around or very busy shucking their catches.

I don't know if I mentioned it before, but if you have a car you need to get your parking pass (I think ~$6/day) before you sail.

I look forward to returning to the French Territories. If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to try to answer them.

Enjoy-la!

Thanks for getting back to me... I don't mind waiting a couple of days for the Olympics! Please tell me more about the parking pass in Fortune as I haven't run across that yet in my research. Also, did you feel as though that parking area was secure? I'm a bit concerned about leaving the rental in Fortune for those two nights during low season, but maybe that's my Chicago area street smarts kicking in again....

From the research that I've done via the SPM Express site, it seems as though that company and St. Pierre Tours are in direct competition for business on the islands. The SPM website gives links to the Auberge Saint-Pierre B&B and to the Hotel Les Iris, but not to the Bernard Dodgmann (which lists Josette as the proprietor) or the 'L Hotel Robert? To the best of your knowledge, are these the only four properties on St. Pierre? If so, then you apparently were staying at one of the St. Pierre Tours properties and they still left you standing at the dock! Perhaps Josette was overbooked that evening? #o If the competition is fierce, I can understand why a private fishing boat would be reluctant to take you to St. Pierre regardless of how much $$ you offered..... It's good to have a handle on those things before venturing down to Fortune. Perhaps things haven't changed all that much since the days of Prohibition?

You're lucky the Ladies free skate isn't on tonite (;

I think the parking is quite secure as it is in a chain-linked, barb wire-topped fenced area. The gate is locked except for entry/exit (obviously!). I'll just let you know that Fortune is VERY small!

I wouldn't worry about your rental. I had camped in Gros Morne so the car was packed with camping gear on the back seat and footwells. Usually I would be hesitant to park it on a side street like that in a city. However, in NF we had no problems at all.

There are plenty more places to stay than the four you mentioned. I'm a bit of a crazy trip research hound and I found this excellent site which lists many accomms:

http://www.spmnet.com/ds_pages/dir1/cat_19.html

When I was talking to the Josette, I mentioned how hard it was to find info on accomms (other than the "big" hotels) and she said the cost to have listings on the main SPM sites are prohibitively high.

In my "research" I also found a map someone had done for St. Pierre (street names & highlights of buildings, accomms, etc). I thought it was excellent for planning to see where everything was relative to each other and I used it a lot when I was walking around there too! However, I don't know what site I found it on as I saved it as a pdf. Can't attach files here so I don't know how I could get it to you. Anyway you may already have it.

I'm pretty busy (attending events/workshops) for the next few days (I have non-Olympic things to attend to too...LOL!) but if you have any more questions, feel free to post back and I'll answer next week. Hope this was helpful.

Enjoy-la!

Great website link.... <b>thanks!</b> I have one map of St. Pierre including street names that I found at www.st-pierre-et-miquelon.com It's done in blue and orange with a yellow background and its legend includes official buildings, sports infrastructures, landmarks &amp; museums, and lodgings. Glad to hear that the parking lot is secured... but how I would go about getting the $6 per day pass <b><i>before</i></b> I sail?

Thanks for all of your assistance! Just one more question.... New England or Manhattan style? ((C))

Hi Retired_Teacher,

Sounds like it's the same map. For the pass anyone can buy it from St. Pierre Tours (it's very close to the ferry terminal) at 5 Bayview Street
Fortune, NF 709.832.0429 I'm not sure if there are other places you can buy it from too, the port may know.

And fyi...New England over Boston over Manhattan (unless it's from White Spot - a BC restaurant chain!)...LOL!!

If you think of anything else, just post back (=

Enjoy-la!

Well, you can certainly tell that I'm from the Mid-West.... never heard of Boston chowder! In any event, thank you sooo much for your assistance! We booked our flights this morning, so the trip is becoming real. I'm a bit concerned about the temperatures we may encounter in May, but I'm looking forward to seeing lots of whales and baby bergs along Iceberg Alley.

As you've given me lots to smile about, here's the smiley website for your future posts: http://www.fodors.com/forums/smileys/
Thanks!
R_T \:D/

Retired teacher, I hate to be negative here, but the humpback whales will be nowhere near Nfld in May. They reach Nfld waters mid-June to early July most seasons.

Jerry