Page 23 - DreamScapes Magazine | Spring/Summer 2026

PHOTOS: NADEAU JULIEN | MATHIEU DUPUIS/LE QUÉBEC MARITIME | ROGER STLAURENT PHOTOGRAPHE | AUDET PHOTO/MICMAC INTERPRETATION SITE OF GESPEG
Before we sped past this living time cap-
sule of Canadian history, I was prepared to
stand and declare, “Visiting Québec without
seeing Gaspé is like touring the Louvre
Museum and skipping the Mona Lisa.”
That thought lingered long after landing.
As a new visitor to one of the most carbon
neutral places on the planet, my own journey
continued by rail, tracing the coastline east-
ward aboard VIA Rail’s Ocean route. Stepping
off at Rimouski station, often associated as
the gateway to the Gaspésie Peninsula, you
will wish you could have stayed longer.
I came to Gaspé in the footsteps of my par-
ents, who spent a delayed honeymoon here
two years after their 1938 wedding. Today, it
remains a singular destination in a region
entirely powered by renewable energy.
Getting Started
Begin your first morning in Rimouski at the
beloved Les Baguettes en l’air. Stock up on
artisanal breads and incomparable cinnamon
rolls on your way to the fascinating trails of
Bic National Park. From here continue
onward to the not-to-be-missed Jardins de
Métis, home to over 3,000 plant species, a
state-of-the-art eco-house, and the Interna-
tional Garden Festival.
The Long Drive
Moseying along the unique maritime penin-
sula’s perimeter can easily take a week or
longer. Take your time to visit classic seafood
restaurants like Sainte Flavie’s Capitaine
Homard where I swooned over Casserole de
Fruits de Mer. Continuing east, you have your
choice of three notable lighthouse tours,
including Matane, Cap-Chat and Percé. Con-
tinue on to some of Gaspé’s most spectacular
views at Forillon National Park. Be sure to
detour into the high country along one of the
river canyons popular for salmon fishing and
winter sports. I found Highway 299 linking
Sainte-Anne-des-Monts with Chaleur Bay to
be a good gateway for photo ops at Gaspésie
National Park.
From tourist cabins to bed and breakfasts
like Auberge Sous les Arbres, Gaspé suits all
price ranges. Choose between vetted off-the-
beaten-track getaways, cabins and biopark
options. Before making a restaurant reserva-
tion you can visit Gaspésie Gourmande
(gaspesiegourmande.com) to be sure the
seafood at your table was caught or farmed
locally.
Museums
The maritime science centre, Exploramer in
Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, gives you a chance
to explore the region’s biodiversity via a St.
Lawrence River research vessel. This is a per-
fect destination for families with children
who will love the aquarium and hands-on
exhibits. Further east, explore the Gaspé’s
Musée de la Gaspésie and the Mi’kmaq
WHEN TO GO
Summer is peak season and reser-
vations are strongly recommended.
Get an early start to beat traffic.
Fall is an ideal time to visit. While
Rimouski and Gaspé are year-round
destinations, many smaller towns
and historic sites are on hiatus. Late
spring, i.e. May, can be a good
choice for off-season travel.
Plan your visit at Québec Maritime
Gaspésie quebecmaritime.ca/en/
discover-our-regions/gaspesie
(Micmac) Interpretation Site. In Gaspé, see
the Jacques Cartier Cross monument
(Berceau du Canada). The historic site is
where Cartier “discovered” Canada for the
French, and is the heart of the community’s
old town.
Off The Beaten Track
Farming land and sea are central to the penin-
sula’s past and present. Diver Antoine Nicolas
harvests coastal algae along the coast by
hand. He offers a variety of products inclu-
ding seasonings and cosmetics at Gaspé’s
Océan de Saveurs, Québec’s first certified
organic seaweed producer. In Douglastown,
Belgian immigrants Gérard Mathar and
Catherine Jacob’s Gaspésie Sauvage is a step
back in time to farming self-sufficiency. At
their store you can sample some of their wild
chanterelles, lobster mushrooms, teas, seeds
and other fruits.
SPRING/SUMMER 2026 DREAMSCAPES 23