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An Advertising Feature
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Maritime Magic
In Québec's Exotic Far East...5 reasons to love it !
1 - Cetacean sagas
Québec maritime is great for spyhopping, logging and lobtailing—according
to whales! Spring brings 13 cetacean species to the St. Lawrence
to feast, making this one of the best whale-watching spots in the world. From
the Saguenay to Côte-Nord and all around Gaspésie, sea excursions
and roadside lookouts offer the thrill of spouting whales and splashing tails.
Observe and learn about these mammals in a Zodiac or sea kayak, or join a
field expedition to study blue, humpback, fin and minke whales.
2 - The Lighthouse Trail
Scattered like winking stars along the coastline, over 40 lighthouses used
to guide ships and visitors to safe passage from the St. Lawrence River out
to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Candy red, spiffy white, plain or striped, some
have been converted into craft shops, enchanting inns, or museums that recount
tales of the sea. Play lighthouse keeper for a night and watch belugas float
past your bedroom window before your morning coffee.
3 - Walk on the wild side
You never know who you will meet on a hike in the many national
parks of
Québec maritime. It could be Mr. Moose, Madam Porcupine or a whole
family of caribou. Mt. Jacques-Cartier and the Lac aux Américains glacial
cirque in Gaspésie National Park are particularly worth the detour.
End your day at the Gîte du Mont-Albert hotel, which offers worldclass
slumbers in the alpine air of the Chic-Chocs, surrounded by 25 peaks over
1000 metres (3300 feet) high.
4 - Exotics islands
The islands of Québec maritime are little worlds of their own. Was
there ever brandy on “ Brandy Pot Island”? Today its only tipplers
are fluffy eider ducks and harbour seals, which have the views of the St.
Lawrence all to themselves. Île Verte offers whale watching, friendly
islanders and a seascape of weathered herring smokehouses and wild roses.
Far out in the gulf, the sunny Îles de la Madeleine are a paradise for
kite and wind surfers and seafood gourmands.
5 - Wow on wheels
If Jack Kerouac were around to write a sequel to On the Road, he’d
go on a motorcycle
tour through Québec maritime. His two-wheeled odyssey
would take him through the postcard villages of Bas-Saint-Laurent, then out
to legendary Gaspésie, where he would meet larger-than-life local
characters and stomp to Acadian fiddle music. From Chandler he’d hop
the night ferry to the Îles de la Madeleine —“one big beach,” he’d
call it. He’d end his trip in Côte-Nord, with one thought in
mind: doing it all over again!
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