Fransway is how the locals pronounce Francois, a colorful outpost which is a remote outpost at the head of a short, stubby harbor created from the glacier carving out a fjord. In fact, this fjord is just one of many along this coast, as we shall see. There is a small, boisterous and lively stream pouring out of a lake on the plateau above the village. The stream crashes and spills down the rock and empties into the harbor below. One cruising guide notes that the size of the small village of Francois is further diminished by the immensity of the towering rock faces above it. Rock falls and slides would seem to endanger the settlement with the rubble stopping just feet from the colorful houses. The Friar is the stand-out feature at 680 feet high, the core of an extinct volcano formed as Laurentia had Gandara and Avalonia accreted and subducted under it.
We arrived in Francois after a 26 nm trip across Fortune Bay from Fortune. Here is the sentinel lighthouse on West Point.
Past this point, the harbor channel opens into a small bay and Francois is nestled on the north and west sides. Here, Brio sits at the public wharf. The coastal ferry arrived just before us, and passengers alighted to spend the night in Francois at residents' homes. Some overnight arrangements were apparently made at the last moment. The relaxed, welcoming attitude of Newfoundlanders, as described in the book, The Day the World Came to Town, is just as true in Francois. Doors are opened and people are eager to talk, welcome you into their homes and show you memorabilia from 50 years ago.
The large yellow building is the school. The population of Francois has dwindled over the years and there are only three children attending this school today. The Canadian Anglican church is located above the school.
Painted stones are all over town, some with names of people painted on them, others with statements of faith. This one was outside the church.
The town is connected by a maze of boardwalks wide enough for four-wheelers. No cars, no scooters, no bikes. Just four-wheelers in various states of disrepair.
Here is the boisterous stream cascading down through the middle of town.
The post office ...
and the fire department ...
And the liquor store/variety store that was just shuttered a few days before our visit.
In fact, it is rumored that Francois is slated to be abandoned within a few years once Ottawa decides to cut its support. In a later post entry, we will visit Petites, an out-port town that was abandoned in 2003. This seems to be the fate of these remote villages since they depend on federal support for their existence. There is no more fishing or much of anything else.
Here's the volcanic plug, The Friar, overlooking Francois. Notice the skree and rockslides at the base. These adorn many of the cliffs and would seem to constitute one more threat to the town's existence.
Charlie put on his hiking boots and climbed up past the noisy stream in town, up past its source, a lake up above on the plateau. Then around the top to The Friar and to lookouts to the south out to Fortune Bay.
Here's the view of the uplands next to The Friar. This landscape is NOT characteristic of a volcanic plug. Rather, it looks more like an intrusive granitic pluton. At any rate, you can see Brio down at the dock in the Harbour.
And the view to the south, out the Harbour to Fortune Bay.
Notice the smoothed rocks in the forefront, a clear indication of glaciation.
We had to move along to the next fjord, Grey River.
Happy trails!
Cheers,
Brio
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