If you’re thinking about planning a trip to Quebec’s Gaspésie region, don’t miss these travel tips and tricks to help you create the perfect road trip itinerary for the Gaspé Peninsula.
The Gaspé Peninsula (also known as Gaspésie) is one of Quebec’s most beautiful destinations. Think the Atlantic Canada coast but with a French Canadian twist. Filled with national parks for hiking, breathtaking beaches, amazing whale-watching opportunities, and remote islands where you can truly get away from it all, there is so much to discover in Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula.
Gaspésie – a little history lesson
Gaspésie’s first inhabitants were the Mi’qmaq. As the original residents of the Atlantic region, the Mi’gmaq nation had already been living in the area for more than 10,000 years before the Europeans arrived in the 16th century. Living peacefully along the St. Lawrence gave them easy access to both the Mitis and Matapedia rivers, where they established intricate and sustainable fishing routes for salmon and eel.
Travellers to the Gaspesie region can see villages scattered across the peninsula which have been named by the Mi’gmaq, and a few thousand people of the nation still reside on the peninsula today.
Where is the Gaspé Peninsula?
Head east along the St. Lawrence River from Montreal and Quebec City and you’ll hit La Gaspésie. Stretching 250 kilometres, this is a peninsula in the southeastern section of the province of Quebec where the St. Lawrence River flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
Places to visit in the Gaspé Peninsula
Start your road trip by exploring some of the top places to visit along the Gaspé Peninsula. Between the national parks, quaint small towns, and outdoor adventures, there’s no shortage of fun things to do.
Rocher Percé
The Gaspésie is home to an array of gorgeous mountains and rock formations along the coast. And once you reach the tip of the peninsula, you’ll be treated to the highlights of your road trip – the Rocher Percé. Some of the best places to view this major attraction is at the Percé UNESCO Global Géopark or the Parc national de l’Ile-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher Percé.
During the summer months, the park becomes the nesting home to more than 200,000 northern gannets and 300+ other species. So if you’re coming here for bird watching, be sure to add Rocher Percé to your Gaspé Peninsula itinerary.
Forillon National Park
Filled with whale-watching opportunities and other major attractions, Forillon National Park is one of the most beautiful places to visit in the Gaspésie. Here you’ll find stunning cliffside hikes, forests, and scenic beaches with sandy and pebbled shores to walk along.
Travelling with your pets? This is the only national park in Québec with dog-friendly trails. The park is also home to Cap-des-Rosiers Lighthouse, which is the tallest lighthouse in Canada! Now a national historic site, this 34-metre (112 ft) tall building sits at the top of a cliff on the mouth of the St. Lawrence River.
Îles de la Madeleine
Located in the middle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Îles de la Madeleine is an archipelago of seven small islands surrounded by white-sand beaches and red cliffs. They are the perfect place for a romantic getaway or for families looking to enjoy a scenic and exciting escape by the water. Each of the islands has its own features and attractions, but you can expect to find incredible seafood, warm hospitality, and stunning landscapes on them all.
Although the Îles de la Madeleine are part of the Gaspésie Peninsula and province of Quebec, they’re actually closer to the Maritime provinces of Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. There’s even a ferry to the islands that leaves from Souris, Prince Edward Island if you’re visiting here from the East Coast.
Reford Gardens
The Reford Gardens, known as the Jardins de Métis, are recognized as one of Quebec’s outstanding horticultural gems. You can see over 3,000 kinds of native and exotic plants displayed in 15 English-style gardens here. Located about halfway between Quebec City and Percé, this is a perfect pitstop for your road trip.
Best time to visit: Every year, the Gardens host the International Garden Festival during the warmer months when the flowers are in full bloom. This year’s festival is on from June 24th until Sunday, October 1st.
Parc national de la Gaspésie
The Chic-Choc Mountains in the Parc national de la Gaspésie offer some of the best hiking in Quebec. During the winter months, they’re also a popular destination for snowmobiling. These mountains run parallel to the St. Lawrence River and are home to moose, elk, and, other wildlife.
Best time to visit: While the national park is most accessible during the warmer months, outdoor enthusiasts prefer to snowmobile through the Chic-Choc mountains in the winter when they are covered with snow.
Other attractions in Gaspésie
Planning your Gaspé Peninsula road trip
To get to the Gaspé Peninsula, your best route would be to fly to Quebec City or Montreal, rent a car and start exploring. If you begin from Montreal, you’ll end up passing through Quebec City, so why not plan a day or two of sightseeing in Quebec’s capital city!
There’s only one route to follow for a Gaspé Peninsula road trip, which is Route 132. From Quebec City, it’s 350km to Sainte-Flavie, which is considered the gateway to the Gaspé region. From here, the route splits to the Grand Tour Circuit. For the best views, follow the route north along the St. Lawrence River all the way to Percé at the tip of the peninsula.
How long does it take to drive around the Gaspé Peninsula?
The scenic drive from Quebec City to the town of Gaspé at the tip of the peninsula is almost 700 kilometres, so you’ll want to break it into a few days of driving each way.
You will need at least five days to drive the loop of Gaspé, but most travellers spend at least 7-10 week exploring the region on a road trip.
Gaspé road trip itinerary
Although a week is recommended to travel around Gaspé, you can always take longer as well if you want to do some camping and really explore the region. With that in mind, here’s a rough itinerary for a perfect Gaspé Peninsula road trip:
Day 1: Fly into Quebec City or Montreal
Day 2: Quebec City to Sainte-Anne-des-Monts
Day 3: Sainte-Anne-des-Monts to Gaspé
Day 4: Gaspé (Forillon National Park)
Day 5: Gaspé to Percé (Rocher Percé)
Day 6: Percé to Mont-Joli (or another stop to break the drive to Québec City)
Day 7: Mont-Joli to Québec City
Festivals in Gaspésie
Plan your road trip to coincide with one of Gaspé’s festivals to learn more about the history and culture of this unique region of Quebec.
Festival Acadien
The Festival Acadien takes place each summer on Havre Aubert Island in the Îles de la Madeleine. In the late 1700s, the British expelled the Acadians from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. Many of them settled as refugees in the Gaspésie region, and their descendants are still there today. This popular festival celebrates Acadian cuisine, music, and culture with boat-building competitions and races.
This summer’s festival is scheduled for August 4-15. To stay close by on the island, check out Petit Hotel de la Montagne.
Les Percéides
Les Percéides, or the International Festival of Cinema and Art of Percé, has been going strong for 15 years in the Gaspésie rgion. This year’s festival is scheduled for August 15-20, 2023. It’s located in the town of Percé, where there is a number of hotels, bed & breakfasts, and camping options for attendees.
When is the best time to visit the Gaspé Peninsula?
The best time to plan a Gaspésie road trip is during the warmer months from the end of May to mid-October, when you can take advantage of water-related activities, fresh seafood, and good driving conditions.
Summer is also the best time to see wildlife in the Gaspé Peninsula as this is when whales migrate here. But if you want to get away from the crowds, avoid booking your trip during the peak of summer during July and August. Instead, plan a trip during the shoulder months when you’ll still get the same benefits but fewer people and lower prices on hotels.
If you’re visiting the Gaspé Peninsula to see hundreds of species of birds that call this region home, you’ll be happy to know that the maritime climate and mild temperatures make for a long bird-watching season that starts in spring and goes on until November. The autumn months can be a great time to visit Gaspésie with the fall foliage in full bloom.
Where to stay
The Gaspé Peninsula has several hotels and bed & breakfasts to choose from to rest and rejuvenate during your road trip. Check out these hotels along the way:
- Hôtel & cie (Sainte-Anne-des-Monts)
- Riotel Percé (Percé)
- Hotel Le Mirage (Percé)
- Hotel Motel Manoir de Perce (by Perce Rock)
Camping in Gaspésie
There are over 60 camping sites and locations to choose from throughout Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula. From rustic campgrounds to ready-to-camp cabins at Camping Baie de Percé, there are outdoor accommodation options for every level of camper. Within Forillon National Park, stay in on a campsite or reserve a oTENTik or micrOcube through Parks Canada for more of a glamping experience.
With its natural beauty, rich history, and commitment to the arts, the Gaspesie region has something for everyone. Rent a car, book your hotel stay, and start planning your trip to see this unmissable Quebec destination!
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