| Gaspesie | |
 | |
| Cape Gaspé | |
| Information | |
| Country |  Canada |
|---|---|
| Region | Gaspésie – Îles-de-la-Madeleine |
| Area | 41 110 km² |
| Population | 139 115 hab. (2006) |
| Density | 3,38 inhab./km² |
| Telephone prefix | 1-418 |
| Tourist information office | 1020, boulevard Jacques-Cartier, Mont-Joli.  1 418 775-2223, free number: 1 800 463-0323E-mail: [email protected] |
| Location | |
 48 ° 40 ′ 48 ″ N 66 ° 31 ′ 12 ″ W (Edit card mask) | |
| Official site | |
| Touristic site | |
The Gaspesie is a tourist region of Quebec maritime located on the peninsula of the same name in the east of the province. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful regions in the world. It is an essential pearl for lovers of nature, fishing, clean air and the great outdoors. It has also been recognized in many rankings including those of National Geographic. The authenticity and hospitality of its people with special emphasis will charm all visitors.
Understand
Gaspésie is a peninsula located in the eastern part of Quebec bordered to the north by the Gulf and estuary of the St. Lawrence and to the south by the Baie des Chaleurs. It covers an area of over 40 000 km2 and has a population of approximately 130,000 people divided into several picturesque villages. The Gaspé is renowned for the beauty of its imposing landscapes, its panoramas among the most beautiful in Quebec, its specificity, its grandeur and the vastness of its vacation spots.
In 2012, the National Geographic ranked the region in its top 10 winter adventures in North America. In 2011, he included it in his list of the 20 best destinations to visit in the world, the only region of Canada which was selected for this list. In 2009, the National Geographic Society ranked the Gaspé Peninsula third among the most beautiful destinations in the world for its sustainable development and included it in the same year in its list of the 50 must-see destinations in the world to visit in a lifetime. For their part, Quebecers chose the Percé rock in a proportion of 56% in a survey by Léger Marketing to identify the seven wonders of Quebec.
The people of the Gaspé are renowned for their hospitality, their generosity and their joie de vivre. They have a very specific accent that varies even from one village to another, combining Quebec and Acadian accents while having their own particularities. They say it's the accent French of XVIIe century which is still in progress in Gaspésie! There are also villages English speakers from immigrant Loyalists as well as villages founded by immigrants Irish where Irish culture is still alive today.
A popular route consisting of a tour of the Gaspé Peninsula from Montreal consists of nearly 2 000 km car. For this reason, we advise you to plan at least a week to fully enjoy this region full of many treasures.
Although the maps indicate "St. Lawrence River", do not be mistaken, because, at the height of the Gaspé, the water is salty and the tides quite high. Moreover, it is not for nothing that the Gaspésiens call it quite simply “the sea”.
Weather
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | June | Jul | August | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| −0.5 ° C | −1.3 ° C | −1.3 ° C | 0.3 ° C | 4.2 ° C | 9.8 ° C | 14.4 ° C | 14.9 ° C | 11.6 ° C | 7.7 ° C | 4.2 ° C | 1.2 ° C | 5.4 ° C | |
Source: Global Sea Temperature | |||||||||||||
History
The first inhabitants of the Gaspé Peninsula were the Mi'kmaq, a Native American nation from eastern Canada. In 1534, the Gaspé was the first place where Jacques Cartier set foot in America. However, even before this "discovery," the Vikings as well as the fishermen basques and breton had already ventured into the waters of the St. Lawrence. It has become a colony french before being conquered by the British. It has been in turn a land of welcome for Acadians driven from their lands by the British and British Loyalists fleeing the War of Independence of the United States in addition to the fishermen of the Normandy, of Jersey, of Guernsey, Brittany and the Basque Country. She received emigrants from theEngland, of the'Scotland andIreland in addition to the migrations of French Canadians in search of new cultivable land. This multi-faceted history can still be found today in the toponyms, accents and dialects which vary from one village to another.
Bibliography
- Gabriel Audet, Gaspésie, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Madeleine Island, Ulysses, (ISBN 2-89464-667-4 )
- Paul Laramée and Marie-Josée Auclair, The Gaspé, its landscape, its history, its people, its attractions, Editions de l'Homme, (ISBN 2-7619-1792-8 )
Videography
- In picturesque country, a documentary on the Gaspé on the website of the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ)
Regions
The Gaspé is divided into five natural regions.
 Map of the natural regions of Gaspésie |
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Cities
- 1 Amqui – Chief town of the MRC de La Matapédia, administrative and economic center of the Matapedia valley in the southwest of the peninsula. The town of Amqui has two covered bridges and is located near the regional parks of Val-d'Irène and Seigneurie-du-Lac-Matapédia. Member of the Federation of villages-relais du Québec.
- 2 Carleton-sur-Mer – Town on the south shore of the peninsula known for its beaches on the Chaleur Bay very popular with bathers and the oratory of Mont-Saint-Joseph which is an important place of Christian pilgrimages. Carleton-sur-Mer includes a campsite on its barachois which is one of the most beautiful campsites in Quebec.
- 3 Chandler – The second largest city in the Gaspé, member of the Federation of villages-relais du Québec.
- 4 Gaspe – The largest city in the Gaspé, located at the end of the peninsula.
- 5 Matane – Chief town of the MRC de La Matanie and important economic and administrative center for the region.
- 6 Mont-Joli – Largest city in the west of the peninsula including the largest airport in the Gaspé. Member of the Federation of villages-relais du Québec.
- 7 New Richmond – Town located on the south shore of the peninsula originally founded by Loyalists fleeing the United States and which always includes a population English-speaker Nowadays.
- 8 Perforated – Located at the tip of the peninsula, known for the famous Percé Rock and Bonaventure Island. Member of the Association of the most beautiful villages of Quebec.
- 9 Sainte-Anne-des-Monts – Located on the north shore of the peninsula, an important service center for the region. The town of Sainte-Anne-des-Monts includes the Exploramer museum-aquarium which is one of the “must-see attractions of the Gaspé”, offering a range of activities related to the maritime world including sea excursions and including 21 swimming pools. fish and marine organisms. Sainte-Anne-des-Monts is also an ideal gateway for Gaspésie National Park.
Other destinations
- 1 Forillon National Park – Point of the Gaspé peninsula and end of the Appalachians, a wild landscape with an area of 244 km2 located on the coast, observation of wildlife including seals, whales, beavers, black bears, moose and several species of birds, sea cruises, hiking trails of different levels, sea kayaking, snorkeling, cycling, horse riding, swimming, sandy beaches, camping, interpretation center, heritage site.
- 2 Gaspésie National Park –
Area of 802 km2, Chic-Chocs and McGerrigle mountains including some of the highest peaks in eastern Canada including the Jacques-Cartier and Albert mountains, magnificent landscapes, wildlife to discover including significant concentrations of caribou, moose and white-tailed deer, vegetation ranging from tundra to boreal forest and subalpine forest, 140 km trails, fishing, canoeing, skis, snowshoes, multi-day hikes, camping, cabins, shelters, lodging classified 4 stars including fine cuisine, picnic areas, interpretation center, exhibitions and audiovisual presentations. - 3 – The famous and unmissable Percé Rock accompanied by the red cliffs of Bonaventure Island, observation of thousands of birds including the largest colony of northern gannets in the world, ancestral houses, sea as far as the eye can see, ecological discovery center marine, interpretation activities, guided hikes, sea excursions, restaurant.
- 4 Miguasha National Park – Paleonthological site located along a cliff on the shore, recognized as an exceptional natural site of world heritage by UNESCO, fossils 370 million years old, natural history museum, exhibitions, puppet theater, restaurant, areas picnic, hiking trails.
To go
By car
Cars and motorcycles remain the most efficient means of traveling since the Gaspé is made up of a multitude of small villages, each more picturesque than the next, but which are, unfortunately, difficult to reach with public transport.
and 
From Montreal, Quebec or Wolf River, take Highway 20 east until its end, then continue on Highway 132 east, you will arrive in Gaspésie at Sainte-Flavie. If you take the second portion of Highway 20, you will arrive in Gaspésie at Mont-Joli. If you are visiting the region for the first time, it is recommended to take route 132 from Bic since it runs along the St. Lawrence River and allows you to discover the villages that follow one another. From Quebec, it is a journey of 3 h 30 of road to reach Sainte-Flavie and a total of more than 8 h to join Gaspe.
Don't be surprised, from Sainte-Flavie, route 132 splits in two with the two directions mentioning east. This is because, in fact, Route 132 makes a loop that goes around the Gaspé. The majority of tourists visit Gaspé by making the "tour" in one direction or the other. The loop covers approximately 885 km of road.
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From the northeast of New Brunswick, you can arrive directly in Gaspésie by crossing the Ristigouche River west of Campbellton to switch to Matapedia or Campbellton even to get to Pointe-a-la-Croix, from routes 11 or 17. Also from New Brunswick, it is also possible to arrive in Quebec from Bas-Saint-Laurent in the region of Témiscouata including through Edmundston on route 2 which becomes route 185 in Quebec. Then all you have to do is join the Gaspé by heading east from Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac by successively taking routes 232, 296 and 234. You will join the Gaspé and route 132 at Sainte-Angèle-de-Mérici. The length of the journeys from Saint-Leonard are substantially the same as we go through Saint-Quentin and Campbellton (route 17) or through Edmunston and Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac (routes 2 and 185).
It is also possible to reach Gaspésie by car from the North Coast by taking the ferry Camille-Marcoux from Baie-Comeau or Godbout (see the By boat section below).
By plane
Regional flights can be expensive, especially if they are purchased without a connection between major airports, so it is recommended that you consider other ways to get to Gaspé before booking a flight.
| Airport | Overhead lines | Destinations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (IATA : YVB) 193, route de la Rivière, Bonaventure, 1 418 534-2101, fax : 1 418 534-4752 | Pascan aviation | Bathurst, Magdalen Islands, Mont-Joli, Montreal (Saint-Hubert), Quebec, Sept-Iles, Wabush |
| 2 Airport Mont-Joli (IATA : YYY) 875, boulevard Jacques-Cartier, Mont-Joli, 1 418 775-3347 | Air Canada Jazz | Baie-Comeau, Montreal (Trudeau) |
| Pascan aviation , 1 888 313-8777 (free number) | Bonaventure, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Havre-Saint-Pierre, Magdalen Islands, Montreal (Saint-Hubert), Quebec, Rouyn-Noranda, Sept-Iles, Val-d'Or, Wabush | |
| 3 Michel-Pouliot Airport Gaspe (IATA : YGP) 60 Airport Street, Gaspé, 1 418 368-2104, 1 888 247-2262 (free number) | Air Canada Jazz | Magdalen Islands, Montreal (Trudeau), Quebec |
For those with their own aircraft, there are several small local airports as well as several places where it is possible to arrive by seaplane.
On a boat
- Matane — Baie-Comeau — Godbout ferry ,
1 888 247-2262 (free number), 1 877 562-6560 (free number) – The Camille-Marcoux of the Société des traversiers du Québec liaises between Matane in the Gaspé and North Coast. He joins Baie-Comeau and Godbout on the other side of the St. Lawrence River. It is recommended to book in advance, especially if you plan to cross with a vehicle.
For nautical travelers, it is possible to dock in one of the many marinas located all around the Gaspé peninsula, whether in the estuary and the Gulf of St. Lawrence or in the Baie des Chaleurs. Maritime charts are available to identify marinas, harbors and other stopping points; they also include waterways and other nautical information.
By train
- VIA Rail , 1 888 842-7245 (free number) – The Gaspé is linked by a passenger rail service offered by VIA Rail. However, like all rail services in North America, it is not very flexible and long. Unless you take it for a long distance, it is better to use the bus, which is more flexible and often less expensive. For long distances, the train has the advantage of offering catering, beds and other services to travelers while minimizing the number of connections compared to the coach. It's also a good opportunity to meet new people in the bar wagon which will surely be filled with the joie de vivre of Gaspésiens returning home! The Chaleur train passes by Mont-Joli and goes to Matapedia before going into the maritime provinces passing through the south side of the peninsula. It stops in the main towns and there are stops where it only stops when someone has booked to get on or off. There are no trains on the north side of the peninsula, so you can't get by train to Matane or to Sainte-Anne-des-Monts for example. Le Chaleur operates three departures per week, consult the VIA Rail website for more details on schedules and fares.
 | Note: The VIA Rail train usually goes to Gaspe, but this service is suspended indefinitely since the railway enters Matapedia and Gaspé is under repair. |
By bus
- Orleans Express , 1 888 999-3977 (free number) – The Orléans Express coach network effectively covers the entire Gaspé Peninsula and reaches the urban centers of Quebec. The prices are relatively affordable, but you should know that the network only follows route 132, so it will be impossible to reach villages that are not on this route such as Murdochville by public transport. You should also keep this point in mind if you want to travel between the South and the North of the Gaspé (for example, the trip between Matane and Amqui takes less1 h by car via Route 195, while the coach journey will take more than 8 h since this one will take you to Mont-Joli to take a transfer before going to Amqui, following route 132).
Circulate
Route 132 circles the Gaspé and links the main towns and villages. Indeed, at Sainte-Flavie, a T-intersection indicates "Route 132 Est" in both directions: this is the start of the Gaspé tour. The southern branch goes through the Matapedia valley before going along the Chaleur Bay and the north branch runs along the St.Lawrence River passing through the regions of Matane and of Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. The two branches meet at the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula.
Cars and motorcycles are the best ways to get around to fully enjoy the Gaspé. Intercity coach services are also available and quite comfortable. They are operated by Orléans Express (see "Go" section for the website link and phone number) and there are stops in the main villages (a little known note for bus travelers, if you don't have luggage under the coach, you can It is possible to ask the driver to drop you off at any point on his route, this is of course at his own discretion, but can be useful if you want to get off at a place that does not have a stop nearby).
Hitchhiking is also a fairly advantageous way to travel in Gaspésie. It will allow you to meet people and travel inexpensively. However, you have to be patient and be flexible about your itinerary and schedule. Hitchhiking is permitted all along Route 132 and other secondary roads as long as you do not get in the way of cars. It may also be advantageous to consult carpooling websites to see the offers that there are, but these are generally for trips between the Gaspé and urban centers such as Quebec and Montreal and not for journeys between the Gaspé villages.
The "Route Verte" cycle path runs through the Gaspé, so it is possible to cycle through it. This cycle path is in fact the shoulder of roads or secondary roads shared between motorists and cyclists. It is interesting to know in advance that the Route Verte often takes detours to use secondary roads instead of Route 132, but that it is possible to do the entire journey by bike along Route 132. However, the detours often offer advantages on the landscapes and to pass inside the villages. It is necessary to plan to bring reserve water and to plan its route, because there will be rather long portions between the villages in certain places.
It is not recommended to take the train to travel within the Gaspé Peninsula. This one is very slow and has inflexible hours. However a day trip, a few hours in one direction and the return the same day in the opposite direction allows to see exceptional landscapes along the Baie des Chaleurs. See the VIA Rail website (see the "Go" section for the link) for details on timetables and prices.
By car
| City | Sainte-Anne-des-Monts | Perforated | Mont-Joli | Matane | New Richmond | Gaspe | Chandler | Carleton-sur-Mer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amqui | 150 | 340 | 70 | 65 | 200 | 350 | 300 | 150 |
| Carleton-sur-Mer | 175 | 205 | 220 | 215 | 40 | 275 | 160 | |
| Chandler | 260 | 45 | 365 | 350 | 120 | 115 | ||
| Gaspe | 205 | 70 | 355 | 300 | 230 | |||
| New Richmond | 145 | 160 | 245 | 240 | ||||
| Matane | 85 | 355 | 65 | |||||
| Mont-Joli | 150 | 410 | ||||||
| Perforated | 270 |
Itineraries
- Walk
- International Appalachian Trail – The part Quebecois of the International Appalachian Trail is entirely located in the Gaspé and extends over more than 650 km from the border with the New Brunswick up to the tip of the peninsula at Forillon national park.
- By boat or sea kayak
- St. Lawrence Seaway – A network of launchings, safe shelters, rest areas, accommodation services, food and campsites for sea kayakers along the Gaspé coast. It is intended for kayakers of all levels and covers a total of 700 km. It includes nearly 160 points stop and offers magnificent landscapes.
- By snowmobile
- St. Lawrence Raid – Snowmobile circuit following the St. Lawrence River on its two shores.
- Snowmobile tour of the Gaspé – Snowmobile circuit around the Gaspé Peninsula.
- By car or motorcycle
- Gardens and covered bridges circuit – Circuit in the south of the peninsula following routes 132 and 195 to discover the floral and heritage treasures of the region.
- Lighthouse Route – Circuit to discover the many lighthouses in eastern Quebec.
- Gaspésie Tour – Very popular tourist circuit consisting of going around the Gaspé peninsula by following Route 132.
Make
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There are countless outdoor activities to do in the Gaspé, whether in summer or winter. Summer activities include hiking, trekking, canoeing or kayaking, rafting, mountain or road biking, sea kayaking, sea or river fishing including salmon fishing, hunting, scuba diving, hang-gliding, mountaineering, quad biking, water sports including sailing at sea or in freshwater, golf, swimming, horseback riding, sea excursions and observation wildlife including colonies of thousands of birds, herds of caribou, orginals, white-tailed deer, whales and seals. Winter activities include snowshoeing, cross-country, alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, telemark, paraski, ice climbing, snowmobiling and dog sledding.
Summer activities
For golf enthusiasts, the Gaspé golf tourist circuit includes a series of courses in a magnificent setting. There is a golf club at Amqui, Bonaventure, Carleton-sur-Mer, Chandler, Gaspe, Matane, Métis-sur-Mer and Sainte-Anne-des-Monts.
The Gaspé includes a network of quad trails of nearly 2 600 km allowing you to discover the hinterland of the entire region and to reach the various Gaspé villages by quad. The trail map is updated each season and is available free of charge. A pass or a right of access is mandatory, it can be obtained from the Fédération québécoise des clubs de quads (FQCQ) or from a local club member of the federation. It is recommended to avoid riding a quad from September to November which corresponds to the moose hunting season in order to respect the hunters. Consult the FQCQ website for the complete list of regulations.
- Gaspésie trails – Offers maps and information on gaspésie quad trails.
- Quebec Federation of Quad Clubs (FQCQ) – Offers information on the regulations as well as an interactive map of the quad trails of Quebec.
The Gaspé Peninsula has hundreds of kilometers of hiking trails in the mountains or by the sea. Consult the website of the Fédération québécoise de marche for a list of the main trails. Moreover, the International Appalachian Trail (SIA) crosses the Gaspé for more than 650 km from Matapedia at the border with the New Brunswick until Forillon national park to the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula including through the Matapedia valley, the Matane wildlife reserve and the Gaspésie National Park. It offers different routes lasting from one to forty days and varying in difficulty.
- Quebec walking federation – Information on the hiking trails of the Quebec.
The Gaspé offers various trails for cyclists: in the mountains, through the forest, along country roads, along the beaches, etc. For more details, see the Vélo Québec website.
Nautical sports
The Gaspé being one of the regions of maritime Quebec, water sports are popular there either at sea, in the Saint-Laurent or the Baie des Chaleurs, or in fresh water, in one of the many lakes or rivers dotting the territory. .
22 Gaspé rivers are suitable for Atlantic salmon fishing, some of which are internationally renowned. The season runs from June to September. Note that you must have a salmon fishing license and have a right of access to practice this sport. Also note that access to certain rivers is subject to quotas. Consult the Saumon Québec website or that of the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources for more details and all the regulations.
- Quebec salmon – The Federation of Quebec Salmon River Managers.
- Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources – The Quebec government department responsible, among other things, for wildlife management.
Several public beaches of fine sand dot the coast of the Gaspé, whether on the St. Lawrence, on Chaleur Bay or on one of the many lakes in the interior of the peninsula.
Several places are available for scuba diving: Cap-aux-Os beach in Gaspe, the nautical club of Percé in Perforated, Saint-Martin beach at Port-Daniel, the municipal campsite beach and the municipal beach at Paspebiac as well as the beach of Parc-des-Bois-et-Berges in Val-Brillant nearAmqui.
Winter activities
The Gaspé is one of the regions receiving the most snow in Quebec, a change of scenery is guaranteed for foreign tourists!
The Gaspé Peninsula includes a network of nearly 3 000 km maintained snowmobile trails. The trails include relays where you can stop. By adding the trail networks in neighboring regions of the Bas-Saint-Laurent and some North Coast which are connected, it is a total of more than 6 000 km of trails that is offered to snowmobilers. It is possible to take the ferry Camille-Marcoux with his snowmobile to reach the North Shore. The trail map is updated each season and is available free of charge. Various hiking and accommodation packages including or not snowmobile rental are available. A membership card or a right of access is compulsory in order to circulate on the trails; it can be obtained from the Fédération des clubs de motoneigistes du Québec (FCMQ) or from a local club member of the federation.
- Gaspésie trails – Offers maps and information on snowmobile trails in the Gaspé.
- Quebec Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (FCMQ) – Complete list of snowmobile regulations in Quebec. Also allows you to obtain a right of access to the trails.
- Info-snowmobiler Gaspésie – Publishes trail conditions and other useful information, it is recommended that you consult their website before embarking on a snowmobile trip in Gaspésie.
The Gaspé has several ski centers: the Chic-Chocs mountain inn in Cap-Chat, the Chic-Chac center in Murdochville, the Mont-Comi park in Saint-Donat near Mont-Joli, the Gaspésie National Park accessible from Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, the regional park of Val-d'Irène in Sainte-Irène nearAmqui, the Chic-Chocs ski center in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts and the Pin-Rouge tourist resort in New Richmond.
Eat
The Gaspé Peninsula has a wide choice of restaurants, ranging from fine cuisine to local cuisine and canteens and snack bars, not to mention the public markets that dot the peninsula. Agrotourism is also a popular way to discover the Gaspé!
Seafood products including salmon, shellfish and shellfish are obviously a local specialty. Other regional dishes include cipaille, a mixture of cubes of meat, pasta and potatoes that must be tasted to appreciate the value. There is also a variation: the cipaille with seafood.
- Gourmet Gaspé – The tastiest circuit that offers meetings with artisans of seafood and land, public markets, gourmet restaurants, cozy lodges and specialty shops.
- Plan the restaurants for your Gaspé trip – Search tool for restaurants in Gaspésie.
Housing
The Gaspé Peninsula offers a wide choice of accommodation options to accommodate tourists ranging from 4-star hotels to bed and breakfasts, including campsites and cabins. Since the Gaspé is a popular tourist destination with Quebeckers and Canadians, advance reservations are strongly recommended, especially during peak tourist season.
Please see each city's page for accommodation options there. You can also consult the official Gaspésie tourist website for a list and a search tool for accommodation in Gaspésie.
- Plan accommodation for your Gaspé trip – Search tool for accommodation offers in Gaspésie.
