Sights and landmarks in Gaspé

Sights and landmarks in Gaspé

1. See

   Cap-des-Rosiers Lighthouse

   Phare de Cap-des-Rosiers

   The tallest lighthouse in Canada at a height of 34.1 metres (112 feet), Cap-des-Rosiers Lighthouse has been warning traffic on the St. Lawrence away from the rocky headland on which it stands since 1858 — using the original optical apparatus, no less. Now fully restored and automated, it was named a National Historic Site of Canada in 1973.

   Site open daily 8AM-6PM, late Jun through early Sept; guided tours every half hour 9AM-5PM·Admission only: $3, children 6 and under free. With guided tour: $10, children 7-17 $7, children under 6 free; families $25 for 2 adults and 1 child, $30 for 2 adults and 2 children, $3 per additional child

2. See

   Christ the King Cathedral

   Cathédrale du Christ-Roi

   The only wood-framed Roman Catholic cathedral in North America, Christ the King Cathedral is the seat of the Diocese of Gaspé, whose territory covers most of the peninsula. Erected in 1969, this is the third church to be situated on this site; its striking design — wherein the fundamentals of traditional Christian religious architecture are totally subverted and reinvented along modernist lines — is the handiwork of Montreal-based architect Gérard Notebaert, working here in the "Shed Style" that had been pioneered only a few years earlier by Charles Moore with his Sea Ranch condominium community on the North Coast of California. Faced monochromatically in glue-laminated slats of red cedar, the sleek lines and angular geometric forms of this vaguely boat-shaped building certainly set it apart from the prototypical Gaspesian church. The interior is no less impressive, austere yet handsome and lit by a quintet of glass skylights built into the slopes of the roof. Bishop Gaétan Proulx delivers the Sunday Mass weekly at 11AM.

3. See

   Fishery Interpretive Centre

   Centre d'interprétation des pêches

   Rivière-au-Renard once had one of the busiest fishing harbours in the region, and this interpretive centre traces its history from the glory days of the Gaspesian cod fishery to the cutting-edge, technology-driven industry of today. You can even sample freshly-caught local seafood onsite!

   Mon-Sat 9:30AM-5:30PM, late Jun through late Aug·Call for rates

4. See

   Gaspé Regional Museum

   Musée de la Gaspésie

   The Gaspé Regional Museum's purview cuts a broad swath, covering the rich history, charming culture, and surprisingly vibrant art scene of the region. In the museum's main exhibit, "Gaspésie... A Grand Journey" (Gaspésie... Le Grand voyage), the region's story is told through the mouths of the men and women who shaped it, but that's just the beginning: fans of old-fashioned chanson can peruse a collection of old photos and heirlooms belonging to Mary "La Bolduc" Travers, the so-called "Queen of Canadian Folk Singers" who lived in Newport just down the road, and those interested in the history of the Gaspesian cod fishery — once the linchpin of the area's economy — can step aboard the Gaspésienne No. 20, a historic fishing boat restored and outfitted to its original appearance, and/or strap on a virtual-reality headset and "set out" on Gaspé Bay with a pair of friendly fishermen to learn more. There's also a range of temporary exhibits focusing on more specific aspects of Gaspesian identity (check website for current offerings), extensive archives of documents and artifacts for researchers, an onsite bistro, and a gift shop selling original artwork and gifts produced by local artists and artisans.

   Jun-Oct daily 9AM-5PM; Nov-May Wed-Fri 10AM-5PM & Sat-Sun 12:30PM-5PM·Museum entry $11, students (18+ with school ID) and seniors (65+) $9.25, children (6-17) $5.25, children 5 and under free. Virtual-reality film is $6.50 per person. Discounts available for admission to both museum and film and to families; see website for detailed price breakdown

5. See

   Gaspé, Birthplace of Canada

   Gaspé, Berceau du Canada

   Located on the waterfront across from Place Jacques-Cartier, this cluster of about a half-dozen buildings operates as a sort of miniature living-history museum depicting the village of Gaspé as it was around 1900, complete with interpreters in period costume. Tuck in to a nice meal at the tavern, explore the fish warehouse and old general store, tour the Horatio Leboutillier House (the genuine article, built c. 1850), or take off on one of the walking tours of modern-day downtown Gaspé that begin and end here. At the centre of it all is a granite replica of Jacques Cartier's cross, dedicated in 1934 on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of his landing.

   Wed 9:30AM-6PM, all other days 10:30AM-6PM, late Jun through mid-Sept

6. See

   Gespeg Mi'kmaq Interpretive Site

   Site d'interprétation micmac de Gespeg

   The Gespeg Mi'kmaq Interpretive Site's goal is to expose visitors to the culture of the Mi'kmaq people, who inhabited the Gaspé Peninsula and adjacent lands for centuries before the arrival of Europeans, as well as chronicling more recent chapters of local First Nations history since the 17th century. Volunteers are on hand to lead folks on guided tours through a reconstructed village, interpretive exhibits and artifacts detail Mi'kmaq history, cosmology, and everyday life, and there's even a display of medicinal herbs and plants used in traditional Mi'kmaq culture. As well, in the gift shop you'll find a range of authentic handicrafts produced by local artisans.

   Daily 9AM-5PM, mid-Jun through mid-Oct·$11, seniors (65+) $9.50, children 7-15 and students with ID $8.50, children 6 and under free, $32 for families of two adults and two children

7. See

   In Memory of Her

   En mémoire d'Elle

   Located on the grounds of the Gaspé Regional Museum, this concrete statue — the work of Percé native Renée-Mao Clavet — was dedicated in 2013 in honour of the contribution of women to Quebecois history and society. 5 metres (16 feet) in height, the sculpture depicts a pregnant woman in a flowing skirt, with a face designed in an ambiguous way so as to be representative of Francophone, Anglophone, and First Nations women alike. The book and the satchel of traditional medicinal herbs that the figure carries symbolize women's contributions to the fields of education and medicine.

8. See

   Jacques Cartier Monument National Historic Site

   Lieu historique national du monument à Jacques Cartier

   Also situated on the grounds of the museum, with an apropos setting overlooking the bay roughly halfway between In Memory of Her and the museum building itself, is this cluster of six upright granite tablets, carved on one side with bas-relief sculptures depicting Cartier's historic landing at Gaspé on July 24, 1534 — the founding date of the colony of New France — and inscribed on the other with passages from the journals of both Cartier and Father Chrestien Leclerq, who accompanied him on the expedition.

9. See

   La Griffonne Art Gallery

   Galerie d'Art la Griffonne

   Montreal native Pauline Saint-Arnaud is an accomplished watercolourist whose oeuvre is dominated by the placid forest, farmland, and seacoast scenery found all over the Gaspé Peninsula — little wonder, then, that "The Sea and the Coastlines" (La Mer et les bords côtiers) is the title she chose for the permanent solo exhibition displayed at the farmhouse-turned-gallery in L'Anse-au-Griffon, where she spends her summers. Website in French only.

   Open early Jun through mid-Oct

10. See

    Le Boutillier Manor Socio-Cultural Centre

    Centre socioculturel Manoir Le Boutillier

    This National Historic Site of Canada was once the cozy timber-framed house of John Le Boutillier, a shipbuilding magnate and local politico who, in his day, was one of the most prominent citizens in the hamlet of L'Anse-au-Griffon. Nowadays, tour guides in period costume lead you through the main house, servants' quarters, and vast grounds — all restored to the way they looked in the 1850s — furnishing a glimpse at upper-class life in 19th-century Gaspé. There's a gift shop that sells locally-made clothes, accessories, and handicrafts, or cap off your visit with a stop in the attached tea room and pastry shop. Website in French only.

    Daily 9AM-5PM, mid-Jun through mid-Oct·$8; seniors and students with ID $6, children under 11 free, $18 for families of two adults and two children

11. See

    Le Griffon Cultural Centre

    Centre culturel Le Griffon

    Once a cold storage warehouse where local fishermen stored their catches, this handsome old clapboard building overlooking L'Anse-au-Griffon's harbour is nowadays a multipurpose space — there's a breezy seaside café where local seafood is on the menu, a boutique where Gaspesian artisans sell handmade souvenirs, and above all, the Claude Côté Gallery and Workshop (Atelier-Galerie Claude Côté), where the eponymous artist in residence displays his watercolours during the tourist season. Côté has said of his work "I am inspired by my immediate environment, where 'intellectualism' is forgotten and gives way to the poetry of everyday life, the beautiful freedom of simple things", and that's as apt a way as any to describe the stark beauty of his landscapes and nature scenes. Website in French only.

    Mon & Wed-Fri 11AM-9PM, Sat Sun 8AM-9PM, late Jun through late Oct; by appointment other times

12. See

    Marie-Josée Gagnon Art Gallery

    Galerie d'Art Marie-Josée Gagnon

    Working only with a spatula, Marie-Josée Gagnon creates dazzlingly colourful scenes from around her native Gaspé: landscapes, seascapes, and lovely flower paintings where the interplay of colours, light, and shadow are of foremost importance (or, to use her words: "it is the essence of a landscape that I wish to render, rather than a mere imitation of what I see"). In the small gallery in Pointe-Jaune that bears Gagnon's name is displayed not only her work, but also the evocative portraiture of Stella Joncas-Veillet and the abstract-expressionist paintings and sculpted figurines of Estelle Francoeur.

13. See

    Our Lady of Pointe-Navarre Shrine

    Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-de-Pointe-Navarre

    In a peaceful setting several kilometres (miles) outside the town centre, Our Lady of Pointe-Navarre has been a place of retreat and pilgrimage for the local Catholic community since its founding in 1940 by Father Jean-Marie Watier. The complex consists of a spacious church building that's replete with breathtaking works of religious art and hosts novena recitals, personal visitations, and a Tuesday evening Mass every week at 7PM; the smaller Chapel of Remembrance, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for private prayer and meditation at the site of Father Watier's tomb; and a verdant hillside hermitage out back whose pleasant paths and grottoes offer a peaceful setting for spiritual reflection (not to mention spectacular views over Gaspé Bay). Website in French only.

    Church open daily 8AM-7PM; gift shop Mon-Sat 9AM-4:30P & Sun 1PM-4PM

14. See

    Plourde Sawmill

    Moulin des Plourde

    This is the only remaining steam-powered sawmill building on the Gaspé Peninsula, and was one of the last remaining ones in operation when it closed its doors in 1986 after eight decades of manufacturing shingles for local builders. Nowadays it functions as one of Quebec's famous "econo-museums" (économusées), where you can check out the original equipment still in place and learn the history of the Gaspesian forestry industry as well as that of the Plourde family, who owned the mill.

    Mon-Sat 9:30AM-5:30PM, late Jun through late Aug·Call for rates

15. See

    Pointe-à-la-Renommée Lighthouse

    Phare de Pointe-à-la-Renommée

    Located a short distance west of L'Anse-à-Valleau, the photogenic Pointe-à-la-Renommée Lighthouse was built in 1907 to replace a smaller, wood-frame light dating to 1880, and guided ships along their path for nearly 70 years before it was decommissioned and "exiled" (as the locals put it) to the Old Port of Quebec City, where it stood for another three decades in front of the Coast Guard headquarters there. The lighthouse was moved back to its original site in 1998 thanks to a grassroots community effort, and today the striking red tower — along with its reconstructed keepers' quarters and other outbuildings — serves as a museum that contains two permanent exhibitions: "Pointe-à-la-Renommée: The Space of a Lifetime" (L'Espace d'une vie à Pointe-à-la-Renommée) relates the history of the lighthouse itself, the Ascah family who tended it during its operational life, and the small, tight-knit fishing community that surrounded it, while "Marconi and the Story of Radio Communications" (Marconi, histoire des communications et radio) deals with Guglielmo Marconi, the inventor of wireless radio who in 1904 established one of North America's first marine radiotelegraph stations at Pointe-à-la-Renommée. Guided tours include both exhibits and end at the top of the tower, with stunning views over the mouth of the St. Lawrence Estuary.

    Daily 9AM-5PM, mid-Jun through late Sept·$10 for guided tour, $6 each individual exhibit. Children age 6-10 admitted at half price, children 5 and under are free

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Gaspé (CC BY-SA 4.0).