Pelee Island (pronounced pee-lee, from the French pelée meaning bare, though it inherited this misnomer from Point Pelee) is a surprising little oasis 20km from the mainland on Lake Erie. Pelee Island is the southernmost inhabited part of Canada. There is one small island further south but it is not inhabited. Surrounded by sandy beaches and shallow water that gets bathtub-water warm in the summer, this limestone-dotted island draws birders, cottagers and those looking to take a tipple from the fruits of the island – the winery.

The island's settled history goes back to 1788 when the Ojibwe and Ottawa nations leased it to Thomas McKee. It remained largely undeveloped until William McCormick bought it in 1823. By 1900 Pelee had 800 residents, four churches and four schools. These days there are just 300 full time residents and life revolves around agriculture and tourism, but nothing is overly pricey, snobby, hurried or harried – perfect for a weekend of doing not much at all.

I was only here for a day but I would go back in a heartbeat. I would like to go back at some point but with some mode of transport and all one needs is a bicycle. The only car I saw on the road was the tour van. I could live here now with no problems.