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
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
They say good things come in small packages, and that's certainly the case with this casse-croûte in Rivière-au-Renard — Croque-Faim may be small in size, but it's certainly not short on friendly, lightning-fast service or unequivocally delicious, scratch-made comfort food. Nosh on hamburgers, fries, pizza, club sandwiches, and — most popular of all — 17 different varieties of poutine in the dining room or, on pleasant summer days, outdoors on picnic tables. Website in French only.
Mon-Wed 5AM-9PM, Thu-Fri 5AM-10PM, Sat 6AM-10PM, Sun 7AM-8PM·$10-25
A really nice, comfortable, fashionable yet unpretentious women's clothing shop in an out-of-the-way location: Rivière-au-Renard. Andréa's house style is statement-making without being over the top: bright colours and vibrant prints married to timeless traditional designs. Website in French only.
Mon-Wed 10AM-5PM, Thu-Fri 10AM-6PM, Sat 10AM-4:30PM