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Isle La Motte VT Real Estate: Island Homes Where Vermont's History Began

By Tony Walton, Principal Broker, New England Landmark Realty

Quick Answer

Isle La Motte is a small island town of about 490 people in Lake Champlain, in Grand Isle County, reached by a bridge from Alburgh. It's where Samuel de Champlain came ashore in 1609 and where the French built Fort Sainte Anne in 1666, the first European settlement in what is now Vermont, today the site of St. Anne's Shrine. The island is also home to the Chazy Fossil Reef, about 480 million years old and a National Natural Landmark. Current Isle La Motte listings appear at the bottom of this page, and our Isle La Motte market report shows recent sales and prices.

Isle La Motte at a Glance

• County: Grand Isle
• ZIP code: 05463
• Population: 488 (2020 Census)
• Area: about 7.9 square miles of land and 8.8 square miles of water
• Access: bridge from Alburgh, first completed in 1882
• History: Champlain's landing (1609); Fort Sainte Anne (1666)
• Nature: the Chazy Fossil Reef, a National Natural Landmark since 2009
• Schools: Champlain Islands Unified Union School District

Living in Isle La Motte

Isle La Motte is the smallest of the Champlain Islands towns by population: one island, reached by one bridge, with more water than land within its boundaries and a remarkable amount of history for a town this size.

On July 9, 1609, Samuel de Champlain landed on the island. In 1666 the French built Fort Sainte Anne here, the first European settlement in what is now Vermont, and St. Anne's Shrine stands on the site today. Much later, the island's Fisk Farm hosted President William McKinley in 1897 and Vice President Theodore Roosevelt in 1901. Isle La Motte's black limestone was quarried for buildings including the U.S. Capitol and the National Gallery of Art.

The island's geology is world-class. The Chazy Fossil Reef formed about 480 million years ago and is one of the oldest known reefs of its kind; it was named a National Natural Landmark in 2009. Parts of it can be seen at the Fisk Quarry and Goodsell Ridge preserves.

Schools

Isle La Motte is part of the Champlain Islands Unified Union School District. The island's own school has closed, and elementary students (PreK-6) attend Grand Isle School. The district doesn't have its own middle or high school, so it pays tuition for older students to attend schools elsewhere in Vermont or in New York. Check current options with the Grand Isle Supervisory Union.

Homes and Camps in Isle La Motte

Buyers in Isle La Motte find lakefront homes, seasonal camps and cottages, year-round homes, farmhouses, and land. See what's for sale now in the listings below, and check recent sale prices in the Isle La Motte market report, which updates as homes sell.

Buying on the water? Check:

• Year-round use: many island camps are seasonal; ask about heat, insulation, and water lines.
• Water supply: some lake properties draw water from the lake; ask how it's treated and test it.
• Septic: older camp systems may not meet current rules; get them inspected.
• Shoreline and flooding: read the flood disclosure and check the flood zone, and remember that clearing or building within 250 feet of the lake may need a state shoreland permit.

Our Lake Champlain waterfront guide covers more.

Getting Around

• The Isle La Motte bridge connects the island to Alburgh, where US Route 2 runs south through North Hero, Grand Isle, and South Hero toward Burlington.

Costs to Plan For

Vermont's property transfer tax, paid by the buyer at closing, is 0.5% on the first $200,000 of a primary residence and 1.47% above that; 3.62% for a second home suitable for year-round use; 1.47% for camps not suited to year-round use and land; and a VHFA-financed primary residence is exempt on the first $250,000. Estimate your costs with our Vermont Home Cost Calculator, and see our Vermont home inspection guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you get to Isle La Motte?

By the bridge from Alburgh. From Burlington, take I-89 and US Route 2 north through the islands to Alburgh, then cross to Isle La Motte.

What is the ZIP code for Isle La Motte, VT?

05463.

What was the first European settlement in Vermont?

Fort Sainte Anne, built by the French on Isle La Motte in 1666. St. Anne's Shrine stands on the site today.

What is the Chazy Fossil Reef?

A fossil reef about 480 million years old on Isle La Motte, one of the oldest known reefs of its kind and a National Natural Landmark since 2009. It can be seen at the Fisk Quarry and Goodsell Ridge preserves.

How do I see recent home prices in Isle La Motte?

Our Isle La Motte market report lists recent sales, prices, and days on market, and updates automatically.

What to Do Next

Call our office at 802-253-4711, reach Tony Walton directly at 802-233-4107, or contact us.

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• Lake Champlain Waterfront Homes
• Nearby: North Hero, Grand Isle, South Hero

Sources

• Isle La Motte, Vermont (county, population, area, ZIP code, bridge, Champlain, Fort Sainte Anne, Chazy Fossil Reef, preserves, Fisk Farm, black limestone)
• VTDigger, In Grand Isle County, a school district questions its future (Isle La Motte school closure, high school tuition)
• WCAX, Champlain Islands district votes to close school (Grand Isle School PreK-6)
• Vermont Department of Taxes, Property Transfer Tax