The second you arrive at Québec’s Gaspé Peninsula at the beginning of your visit, it’s immediately obvious why National Geographic calls it one of Canada’s Top Adventures of a Lifetime. Named after a spit of land that literally means “end of the world” when translated into French, embark on an adventure to the end of the world and back. It’s an outdoor paradise that’s easily accessible from both Canada and the United States. And it’s one of the most breathtaking destinations we’ve ever traveled.
1. The Gaspé Peninsula is One of the Most Beautiful Places We’ve Ever Set Foot In
At the eastern tip of the Gaspé Peninsula in Forillon National Park, you’ll find a spit of land called le bout du monde. With its original Mi’kmaq name “Gaspeg” meaning “End of Land”, in French it translates to “The End of the World.” Majestic cliffs rise up from the cold waters of Gulf of St. Lawrence as the Appalachian Mountains meet the Atlantic Ocean.
But that’s just a small microcosm of what you’ll experience when you visit the Gaspé Peninsula. You’ll see the majesty of the California Coast, the ruggedness of Downeast Maine, plus experience incredible French Culture along with Gaspé’s own unique beauty. There are very few places in the world like it, which is why you need to come visit and experience the Gaspé Peninsula for yourself.
2. You Can Easily Experience the Entire Gaspé Peninsula in Less Than 2 Weeks
Highway 132 runs approximately 800 km (500 mi) around the perimeter of the Gaspé Peninsula. If you drove it without stopping it would only take a day or two to complete. But you don’t want to do that. Take your time, make plenty of stops, as well as some jaunts inland to places like Gaspésie National Park. You can still make your way around the peninsula very comfortably in 2 weeks or less. That’s averaging only 60 to 80 km (40 to 50 mi) of driving per day.
3. The Gaspé Peninsula is a Stunning Outdoor Paradise
Name your favorite outdoor activity and you’ll likely find it on your visit to the Gaspé Peninsula. With easy access to both the mountains and the ocean, it’s most famous for its world-class hiking. It’s also one of the top scuba diving destinations in Canada. Whether you’re hiking the tallest mountains, diving the deepest depths, or anything in between, the Gaspé Peninsula is an outdoor paradise for all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life.
And if you’re looking for something more relaxing, you have nothing to worry about. Take a scenic drive on one of Gaspé’s breathtaking coastal or mountain roads. Take some time to yourself and go sit on the beach. The Gaspé Peninsula has some of the most scenic drives and best beaches in Canada. And that’s saying a lot for a country that is home to the Icefields Parkway, the most scenic drive in the world.
4. There are Amazing Outdoor Activities Year-Round
While the Gaspé Peninsula’s primary tourism season is the summer, don’t discount the rest of the year, either. In the winter, take advantage of some of Québec’s best skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing. Far from major population centers such as Montréal and Québec City, trails are well-groomed and absolutely pristine. And you shouldn’t have to look too hard to find a pick-up game of ice hockey, either.
However, where the Gaspé Peninsula really shines is during the fall. Shorter days and colder nights light up the countryside in golden yellows, oranges, and reds during the iconic fall foliage. When contrasted against the cool blues and turquoises of the sea, it’s simply stunning. The Gaspé Peninsula is breathtaking any time of year. And as you’ll see later in this post, its fall colors will take your breath away.
5. The Wildlife is so Incredible You Can Go on Safari
Yes, you read that right. But unlike the traditional African Safari, you won’t be riding around in the back of an open-air jeep on your visit to the Gaspé Peninsula. Instead, you’ll most likely load up into a boat, and head out in search of whales, seals, birds, and plenty more of Gaspé’s incredibly diverse wildlife.
If you’re into bird watching, the Gaspé Peninsula is a birder’s paradise. Take one of the boat cruises to Île Bonaventure, a small island just off the coast of Percé. There, you’ll find the largest colony of Northern Gannets in North America. If you can, get off and hike one of the many trails on the island. And if you’re there during the offseason or don’t have time for a cruise, you can observe the Northern Gannets diving right from Forillon National Park, the beaches in Percé, or the many scenic lookouts along Highway 132.
You’re not limited to just the sea, either. Gaspésie’s mountains provide an excellent habitat for bear, moose, elk, and much more. While we only saw marine wildlife during our adventure at Gaspé, we saw plenty of evidence of both moose and bear while hiking in Gaspésie National Park.
6. You Don’t Have to Fight the Crowds
Yes, you can get crowds in popular places like Percé and Forillon National Park at the peak of the summer season. But during our visit to the Gaspé Peninsula at the peak of the fall foliage, there were no crowds to be found anywhere. And that includes the national parks.
7. Wake Up Early to Soak in the Gaspé Peninsula’s World-Famous Sunrises
Get up early and watch dawn break on North America. Outside of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Gaspé Peninsula sees one of the first sunrises on the entire continent. But what makes the Gaspé sunrises so world famous is the scenery. Sitting on the easternmost points on the peninsula you’ll find the iconic Rocher Percé (Pierced Rock), Île Bonaventure (Bonaventure Island), as well as Le Bout du Monde (the end of the world). With the sun rising behind Gaspé’s most iconic landmarks, it’s no wonder why people flock from all over Canada and the United States to photograph it.
8. Get a Little Taste of Europe in North America on the Gaspé Peninsula
One of Québec’s not-so-well-kept secrets is that it lets you experience Europe without having to leave North America. And the Gaspé Peninsula is one of the most underrated destinations in Québec to experience that little taste of Europe. In every town and village you pass through, you’ll dive into rich French culture, accented by the world-renowned Canadian friendliness.
But what makes the Gaspé experience so unique is that each town and each village is different, no matter where on the peninsula you are. And if you still can’t get enough Europe on the Gaspé, both Québec City and Montréal are easily within a day’s drive of the Gaspé Peninsula.
9. The Gaspé Peninsula Has Some of the Best Seafood in North America
And that’s coming from a New England native who spent 6 years living on the Gulf Coast of Florida and made plenty of our famous Shrimp and Tequila Runs to Mexico. In the waters surrounding the Gaspé Peninsula, you’ll find Nordic Shrimp, a special type of cold water shrimp that rivals the incredible shrimp you’ll find both in Florida and Puerto Peñasco.
And if shrimp’s not your thing, the Gaspé Peninsula has the best lobsters in Canada, an abundance of fresh fish, and the best smoked salmon east of the Rockies. In many fish markets on the Gaspé, you will need to order in French, so here are a few useful terms for you.
| English | French |
|---|---|
| Nordic Shrimp | Les Crevettes Nordiques |
| Lobster | Le Homard |
| Smoked Salmon | Le Saumon Fumé |
| Fish | Le Poisson |
| Fish Market | La Poissonnerie |
| 1 Kilogram (2 Pounds) | Un Kilo |
| 1/2 Kilogram (1 Pound) | Un Demi-kilo |
10. You’ll Meet Incredibly Friendly and Happy People on the Gaspé Peninsula
While you will be getting a taste of Europe in a French-speaking destination, don’t forget that you are still in Canada. And that comes with Canada’s world-renowned friendliness and hospitality.
At Forillon National Park, we hiked Mont Saint-Alban to the observation tower overlooking Le Bout du Monde. As one of the most popular trails in the park, you saw plenty of people, but it was certainly not crowded. Saying this as both a nod to the Canadian friendliness, as well as a French speaker, I don’t think I’ve said the word “Bonjour” as many times in my life as I did hiking the Mont Saint-Alban Trail.
Bonus: The Gaspé Peninsula’s Fall Colors are Among the Best in Canada, with No Crowds
Along with New Brunswick, the Gaspé Peninsula is the most underrated destination to see the fall colors in Canada. The foliage peaks in late September and early October as the countryside gets painted in brilliant warm hues of gold and red. You can easily make the argument that it features the best fall foliage in Canada, too. It rivals the iconic fall foliage you’ll find in Vermont and throughout New England. In some instances, may even be better. To settle that debate however, we’ll let you be the judge.
And when we say no crowds, we literally mean it! On La Route des Belvédères (Route of Scenic Lookouts), we had the entire place to ourselves. We did not see another person. At Gaspésie National Park, we passed maybe 5 or 6 other small groups of hikers. Ditto for La Chute de la Rivière aux Émeraudes (Emerald River Waterfall). Even the peninsula’s most popular spots were largely devoid of people.
Final Thoughts
No matter what time of year you come, a visit to the Gaspé Peninsula should be on everyone’s bucket list. It’s a true outdoor paradise featuring breathtaking scenery and activities for everyone. However, your visit to the Gaspé Peninsula will be particularly special in the fall. With very few other people around, get your own front-row seat to Gaspé’s iconic fall colors as the landscape transforms into an endless sea of gold.
What are you most excited to see on the Gaspé Peninsula? Let us know in the comments below.
