Grosse Île, Quebec City

Many emigrants left the British Isles, Ireland and continental Europe after 1815, at a time when great epidemics were sweeping through Europe. For fear of transmission, a quarantine station was set up on Grosse Île, near the Quebec Port. Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site commemorate the importance of immigration to Canada and the tragic events experienced by the Irish immigrants on this site, primarily during the typhoid epidemic of 1847. Nowadays people can learn about how the island operated, and spend a day there. A train goes across the island and makes a number of stops during the one-hour ride. Call to check for timings.