These villages include Arichat, West Arichat, Petit De Grat, Samson's Cove, Boudreauville, Pondville, Cape La Ronde, Poirierville, Rocky Bay, D'Escousse, Poulamond, and Martinique. You arrive on the Island in Martinique and make a complete circle, passing most of these villages and exit in Martinique. 

There is no other route off the Island, except by boat. Isle Madame has not changed a great deal in the past hundred years or so. 

The island has never had a theatre, shopping mall, or even a department store. There are no neon signs, or sub-divisions. Most of the homes on the Island are original homesteads with descendents still living in them. 

What is remarkable is that the people who live there prefer this lifestyle. The crime rate is very low and most people still leave their doors unlocked. The children and adults can walk the streets without worry of being mugged or abducted. In other words, it’s a great place to live and raise children.
 

Today the harbor is almost never used for commercial use. At one time Arichat was a fast growing town, boasting a cathedral, 3 Presbyterian churches, St. FX University, an episcopal residence, several forges, Robins Lobster Factory, several taverns along the waterfront, an impressive courthouse, and several wharves.

Arichat has gone through many changes in the past generations. St. FX University was moved to Antigonish. The One remaining forge is now a museum, only one Presbyterian church remains, Robin's Lobster factory was burned, the taverns along the waterfront are long gone, as are all the wharves except one.

His Royal Highness Prince Alfred Ernest Albert: 1844-1900, second son of Queen Victoria visited Arichat,in 1861. 

The Hollywood actress Katherine Hepburn visited Arichat in 1957, and stayed at the American House for a short time. My husband remembers her always being barefoot. In 1963 the OLA Convent burned to the ground, causing Arichat to lose one of its great landmarks. 

In 1975 Arichat was devastated by a surprise windstorm, packing winds up to 120 miles an hour. The only bank machine on Isle Madame is situated on the site of my husband's old homestead. 

My husband's mother, Mary Louise David, was raised by Arichat's Parish priest in the episcopal residence. 

D'Escousse

The Mi'kmaq were the first inhabitants, but on longer live there.Their settlement `Poulamond` , which is the Mi'kmaq word for 'tom cod', still exists. 

The 1752 census lists one of my ancestors Francoise Josse, as having a farmhouse, outbuildings, a large family and some livestock. 

The total population of the north side in 1871 census was 1456, compared to 713 in 1991. The occupations of most people were either fishermen or farmers. 

The main crops were oats, beans, potatoes, turnips, barley, peas, corn and hay. The Jerseymen owned Levescount storehouses and shipyard were located on a point of land on the mainland side of the entrance to D'Escousse harbor. They imported fishing supplies and manufactured goods from Europe and exported fish to Brazil and the West Indies.

Today D’Escousse is a very quiet village where most of its children leave to find employment. The once busy wharf is now the home of the local Yacht Club. The old school burned to the ground a few years back and has been replaced by a modern building where social activities are held.

Petit De G rat has always been a fishing village due partly to the rocky soil and the abundant fishing waters surrounding the village. It is believed, the name derived from the Basque ward ‘grat’ which means a place where codfish is prepare.

The people of Petit De Grat have made their living from the sea since the first settlers came to Isle Madame. The village is very densely populated and is joined to Boudreauville and Samson’s Cove by a small bridge. 

The people of Petit De Grat are very close knit and work very hard to keep their Acadian heritage, by bringing back the Acadian way of life in their festivals, costumes and preserving the French Acadian language. 

In 1953 Booths fisheries built a fish plant the employed people for 40 years. It was not unusual for several members from one family to be employed at the plant. The fish plant was torn down in 1996 when the fish stocks were depleted, which left most of the people of Petit De Grat unemployed. 

The people of Petit De Grat are very strong and they will bounce back. Many people have learned new trades and some have become self employed.