Classic tour of the Gaspé Peninsula

Classic tour of the Gaspé Peninsula

What should you see on your trip so you can tell your friends you’ve had the true Gaspésian experience?

Good question! It all depends on your tastes and interests, but here are some of our musts: Discover Percé Rock and Bonaventure Island, home to one of the largest Northern Gannet colonies in the world. Paddle down the Bonaventure River and take in the incredible scenery. Have a beach bonfire and sample some of our local products. Take in the breathtaking view all the way along Route 132… All you have to do is choose from the endless list!

Day 1

Visite des Jardins de Métis

Visit Reford Gardens, a true plant paradise on the banks of the St. Lawrence, famous for being one of the largest gardens in North America.

Meal and overnight accommodation at RIÔTEL MATANE – enjoy your evening by the bonfire, we light it every night during the summer.

Day 2

Matane's salmon

Visit Matane’s salmon run observation centre, where you can watch the salmon run and take advantage of the guides’ wealth of knowledge. You can also watch fisherman hard at work right in the centre of Matane. Then walk down the Promenade des Capitaines, you’ll come to the Place des Rochelais, where you can watch fisherman hard at work on the dock! Why not follow the locals’ example and fish for smelt on the dock? In the afternoon you can visit Vignoble Carpinteri for a guided tour of their wine cellar and a free tasting.

Meal and overnight accommodation at RIÔTEL MATANE.

Day 3

Visit Forillon National Park

Take in the view along Route 132, it’s one of the prettiest roads in the province! Take a break at the La Martre lighthouse, the jewel of the Gaspésian coast and home to the lighthouse museum.

Visit Forillon National Park, the North sector has fantastic geological sites such as the sheer cliffs and long sandy beaches of Bon-Ami Cape. The hiking trail to Mont Saint-Alban (283m) is family friendly and lets you see the cliffs and incredible mountainous landscape up close.

Meal and overnight accommodation in Gaspé.

Day 4

Parc National de l’Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé

Head towards Percé and then take a boat trip out to the Parc National de l’Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé. We suggest disembarking at Bonaventure Island so you can visit the Northern Gannet colony, which is one of the largest in the world. Once back on dry land in Percé, head out on a hike in the Mont Sainte-Anne and Mont Blanc sector, where you can explore majestic mountains and discover the Grotte and the Grande Crevasse, there are also incredible views from the viewpoints on Mont Sainte-Anne.

Meal and overnight accommodation at RIÔTEL PERCÉ.

Day 5

Whale-watching

Head out on a whale-watching trip. If you don’t fancy another trip out at sea, we suggest visiting the Magasin Général Historique Authentique 1928, where storytellers in period costumes will tell you about the great pioneers! Then, head to L’Anse-à-Beaufils, a fishing paradise!

Meal and overnight accommodation at RIÔTEL PERCÉ.

Day 6

Bonaventure’s musts

You have to stop off at the Site Mary Travers Dite La Bolduc, in Newport, which showcases Quebec and French-speaking Canada’s first female author-composer-interpreter’s work. In Bonaventure, head to the Bioparc wildlife park and discover the wealth of our region’s wildlife through its five ecosystem. We suggest you then visit the Musée acadien du Québec in Bonaventure, where you can learn more about our rich Acadian heritage through several different activities.

Meal and overnight accommodation at RIÔTEL BONAVENTURE.

Day 7

Paddle down the Bonaventure River

The Bonaventure River is one of the top 10 clearest rivers in the world! Kayak or canoe down the crystalline river with Cime Aventures, who offer a range of guided tours for beginners.

Meal and overnight accommodation at RIÔTEL BONAVENTURE.

Day 8

Visit the Parc National de Miguasha

On the way back to Matane via the Matapedia Valley, you have to stop off at the Parc National de Miguasha: its fossilized cliff is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Meal and overnight accommodation at RIÔTEL MATANE.