Gaspé

Jacques Cartier first set foot on Canada in 1534 on the Gaspé. Largely French speaking, today’s inhabitants are descendants of Acadians, Loyalists settling after the American Revolution, and the Mi’kmaq Indians. The Gaspé is a popular holiday destination circled by Route 132 in a 560-km (348-mile) loop. The peninsula’s northern coastline is bordered by limestone cliffs, rugged rocks and shingle beaches, pretty coves and small fishing villages. In contrast, the gentle southern shores take in sheltered bays and rivers famed for their salmon fishing and fishing villages. Inland, the high Chic-Chocs are a northern extremity of the Appalachians, ...

Jacques Cartier first set foot on Canada in 1534 on the Gaspé. Largely French speaking, today’s inhabitants are descendants of Acadians, Loyalists settling after the American Revolution, and the Mi’kmaq Indians. The Gaspé is a popular holiday destination circled by Route 132 in a 560-km (348-mile) loop. The peninsula’s northern coastline is bordered by limestone cliffs, rugged rocks and shingle beaches, pretty coves and small fishing villages. In contrast, the gentle southern shores take in sheltered bays and rivers famed for their salmon fishing and fishing villages. Inland, the high Chic-Chocs are a northern extremity of the Appalachians, and sometimes referred to as a sea of mountains. Bird-watching, boat cruises, whale-watching, hiking and diving are the main pursuits of visitors to the Gaspé. Due to a special microclimate, the internationally renowned Jardins de Métis (Reford Gardens) are a must for anyone with the slightest interest in horticulture, as is a visit to Parc de Miguasha, for its extraordinarily rich fossil beds.

About the Expert

Joanna Ebbutt is the author or editor of three Insight Guides to Toronto and Canada, and coauthor of Off the Beaten Track: Western Canada. She has been writing about travel for three decades, including chasing the aurora borealis in Northern Ontario.