Gaspe Peninsula

[RangerJay]

We're planning a return trip to our Canadian East Coast this year - and the target for this time around is the Gaspe Peninsula. In years past we've really enjoyed exploring New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland but have by-passed the Gaspe on each of those trips. We've decided that it is time to go back and fill in the gap.

For this trip we'll be travelling the latter half of August through to mid-September.

Am hoping to get advice on where to spend quality time regarding the Gaspe and what not to miss - towns, parks, attractions, boat tours, cultural activities (festivals/theatre) etc.

Thanks - and really looking forward to your thoughts.


Jay

[dcason]

This past fall in the off season (october) we went from NY to gaspe' and around the coast in New brunwick and PEI and home.

Our favorite part was Miscou Island. We were in time for the fall colors of the wild berries and we overnighted for two nights at the lighthouse as it was closed. Pretty sure that wouldn't fly when you are going. Bought some veggies from an Acadian man (fun trying to converse with him) selling by the roadside.

Forillon Naitonal Park was great...nice hiking but even in October there were busloads of hiking groups...

PEI was pretty and we were glad that we were not there in the ON season. We did a lot of the coast but in the end cut that short because we got it already. Our favorite was the Wind Energy Institute of Canada up in North Cape. It gave us a place to walk and a place to overnight (thanks!)...fell asleep to the whirring of the windmills. WE stopped at a few closed provincial parks to have a walk around as well.

It was a driving vacation with not a heck of a lot offered as far as hiking trails beyond forillon National park..other parksclosed for season...which we knew. No beaches to walk. Pretty yes but not our favorite...just something we wanted to do.

The town that Perce' rock was in was well touristed and it showed. Scenic.

We stayed in a lot of picnic parks along the way and a couple of walmarts in the north part of peninsula.

[woodhog]

On our Gaspe jaunt last summer, it took about 2 weeks for us to go around, we found our very limited knowledge of French was sufficient.
Most times our feeble attempts were greeted with a very friendly smile and the person would switch to English, if they could not it was loads of fun trying to communicate.

Many people were happy to switch to English for practice for themselves.

A simple greeting phrase and a goodbye were all we needed.

Effort spent on learning the road signs would be time well spent as your safety may depend on that....

It was a fun trip around for us..nice people everywhere.

[RangerJay]

Thanks for all your thoughts - good feedback here, on another forum and also private messaging - we are really looking forward to this trip - and more so based on the advice and thoughts received.

Gonna start trying to resurrect my French - just downloaded a Google Translator app to my smartphone - pretty slick - if only something like this had been available when I was failing French in high school ..... guess the mid-60's wasn't part of the electronic age .....

Thanks again,


Jay

[Harvey51]

We enjoyed our trip about four years ago, in a rental car. South shore going east and the North shore going west from Quebec city to Montreal on the way back from the maritimes. No trouble with language; only one or two occasions when I wished I had finished French in high school.

I found people quite friendly and there was even an epiphany between this unilingual Albertan and a Francophone hostess at a Parc National. While knowing that a Parc National was not a federal National Park, I tried my national park season pass just to see what would happen. It wasn't excepted, but the striking thing was that the lady was embarrassed about it, obviously thinking this Anglo was getting a raw deal. That's when I knew the separatists were finished.

[VTLee]

We toured Gaspe in 2012. Was not impressed. Nova Scotia and Newfoundland much better and friendlier.

[lizzie]

We spent two weeks touring the Gaspe' this summer. We began at Camping de la Pointe-Reviere De Loup and ended at Bonaventure. Along the way we stayed at Parc de Mer at Mont-Louis, Camping Gaspe' near Forillon NP, Perce', and the municipal campground in Bonaventure. It was a beautiful trip and I highly recommend it. lizzie

[Little_Kopit]

Your timing is good. Quebec construction workers will be taking their holiday July 19 - August 2.

There are lots of town parks that have overnight camping. Make sure to stop and prowl as you go.

One can also boondock here and there.



& remember Forillion National Park.

:B

[K_Charles]

My parents got a pop-up in the early 60s and my brother and I went with them around the Gasps. Even us teenage boys thought it was beautiful and well worth the time. I will go again some day but I bet it's nothing like it was then.