Gaspé is a city near the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula that is known as the "Cradle of French America." On June 24, 1534, explorer Jacques Cartier halted at Gaspé after losing an anchor during a storm and claimed possession of the area by planting a wooden cross with the king’s coat of arms and saying “Vive le Roi de France” (“Long live the King of France”).

In 1911, the Department of Marine established to lights to mark shoals in the harbour at Gaspé as noted in a Notice to Mariners published that year:

The following lights have been estabished to mark Paddy and Janvrin Shoals, Gaspé Bay, Gulf of St. Lawrence:

Paddy Shoal Light – A 6th order, dioptric, intermittent white light every 7 seconds thus, light 4 seconds, eclipsed 3 seconds, near the southern end of the shoal extending off Arnold Bluff, 75 feet inside the position of the red buoy. The light is exhibited 17 feet above high water, and should be visible 9 miles from all points of approach.

Janvrin Shoal Light A 7th order, dioptric, fixed red light, near the northern end of the spit extending from McConnell Point, 100 feet inside the position of the black buoy. The light is exhibited 17 feet above high water, and should be visible 6 miles from all points of approach.

Each light is exhibited from a square, wooden building, surmounted by a square, wooden lantern, the whole painted white, erected on a cribwork pier, square in plan, with battered sides, sunk in 12 ½ feet of water, and carried 3 feet above high-water level.

Arthur Morin of Gaspé constructed the two wooden lighthouses on cribwork piers under a $3,255 contract.

On October 1, 1911, the characteristic of the Janvrin Shoal Light was changed from fixed red to an intermittent white light every 7 seconds thus, light 4 seconds, eclipsed 3 seconds. The pier on which the lighthouse stands was painted black at this time to indicated that it was to be left on the port hand wide when entering the harbour. Paddy Shoal and Janvrin Shoal Lights were separated by roughly 500 metres and mariners would typically sail between them to reach Gaspé.

K.J. Carter was hired as the first keeper of both lights at an annual salary of $180. He looked after the lights until 1920, when R.F. Eden was placed in charge of them.

Janvrin Shoal Light was discontinued in 1932, but Paddy Shoal Light remained in operation until 1938, when ice destroyed the structure. A lighted buoy was then used to mark the shoal.

Keepers: K.J. Carter (1911 – 1920), R.F. Eden (1920 – at least 1923), N. Stanley (at least 1930 – at least 1932).

References

1. Annual Report of the Department of Marine, various years.

No light exists at this location today.

Find the closest hotels to Janvrin Shoal Lighthouse