Isle La Motte

In 1666, a French officer named Captain Pierre La Motte built Fort Sainte Anne on the island that now bears his name, making it one of the oldest European settlements in the Lake Champlain region. The island, situated in the northern reaches of the lake in Grand Isle County, has a history that predates Vermont statehood by more than a century. The Chazy Fossil Reef, exposed in the island's limestone, contains some of the oldest reef fossils in the world — dating back roughly 480 million years.

Isle La Motte is home to about 490 year-round residents, though the population grows in summer as seasonal visitors arrive. The island is connected to the mainland by a bridge from Alburgh, and its flat terrain and lakeside setting give it a character distinct from mainland Vermont. The St. Anne's Shrine, built on the site of the original fort, draws thousands of visitors each summer.

The town governs itself through a selectboard and annual meeting, maintaining the same democratic traditions as every Vermont community — from the smallest island to the largest city.