
With no cars, no hospital and no bars or restaurants, Francois in Newfoundland and Labrador has to be one of the world's most remote communities.

The tiny town, tucked away in a bay on the most easterly point of Canada, is only accessible by boat and the locals scoot around on quad bikes to save their legs on the steep valley paths.

During a recent trip to the sleepy settlement, MailOnline Travel learned that all of the 75 inhabitants know each other, darts is a popular form of entertainment and residents are free to build a property wherever they fancy.

Ahoy! With no cars, no hospital and no bars or restaurants, Francois in Newfoundland and Labrador is one of the world's most remote communities

As we boated into the harbour - around 160 nautical miles from the nearest city of St. John's - a thick shroud of fog enveloped the town. Apparently this is a regular meteorological occurrence.

The houses are painted in a hotchpotch of colour, adding a sunny splash to the greyness.

We had arrived on a ship with the expedition company Adventure Canada and it was clear the locals were geared up for our arrival.

The liquor store, one of the only amenities in the spot, was open, for starters.

The store is open Monday to Saturday from 9:30am to 10:30pm with a range of groceries available to purchase.

It is closed from 12pm to 1pm to allow the owner to take lunch and again at dinner time for two hours from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.

Apparently rum and beer are first to run out and supplies are shipped in every week, depending on the weather.

MailOnline Travel boated into the harbour - around 160 nautical miles from the nearest city of St. John's - a thick shroud of fog enveloped the town. Apparently this is a regular meteorological occurrence

The tiny town, tucked away in a bay on the most easterly point of Canada, is only accessible by boat and the locals scoot around on quad bikes to save their legs on the steep valley paths

Another community facility is the school, which only has around 10 children from kindergarten to grade 12.

A playground stands starkly on the hillside with two children playing on rusting pieces of equipment.

One local couple, who did not wish to be named, explained that they met as teenagers in the town.

They have now been married 42 years, living in the same spot.

The main source of income in Francois - pronounced Fran-sway - is fishing.

The men go out to catch crab, lobster and cod while the women stay at home and keep things shipshape.

For a spot of light relief from work, hiking in the hills proves to be a popular activity. A fairly-well trekked path leads up to the Friar, a cliff-like hill measuring 680 feet high.

A local explained that it's becoming harder to keep young people in Francois and many leave for mainland Canada, where there are more employment opportunities and the dating pool extends further than your next-door-neighbour.

Another community facility is the school, which only has around ten children from kindergarten to grade 12. A playground stands starkly on the hillside with two children playing on rusting pieces of equipment

Supply and demand: The liquor store is one of the only amenities in Francois and it is open Monday to Saturday from 9:30am to 10:30pm with a range of groceries available to purchase

Topping up: The town is around 160 nautical miles from the nearest city of St. John's (left) and supplies are delivered to the liquor store every week (right)

An incentive to stay in the town is that you can build a house anywhere you like without purchasing the land. On top of that, property is cheap, at around $6,000 for a sizeable abode.

Many people in Francoise rarely leave. For vacation they hop to other bays in the area to little holiday cabins.

There is a lady in the village who cuts hair and there is a volunteer fire brigade, although there hasn't been a blaze in 30 years.

While there are no restaurants, one resident explains that people regularly host dinner parties.

Dance parties also take place at the community centre, where revellers 'play stuff that make your feet move'.

Getting into the modern swing of things, there is internet in the area although apparently it's not the best.

The town has an infectious charm, with warm people and a quaint stillness.

But living in this place would be a challenge for the cosmopolitan dweller.

'People are amazed at the life we lead but we wouldn't have it any other way,' one Francois resident says as she bodes a fond farewell before returning to a Friday night dance party complemented by live music, home-baked treats and a few shots of rum.