Friday, September 7, 2018

Truly, I have been pretty amazed by the North Coast of the Gaspé Peninsula, and I might have a small preference for this landscape over the Baie-des-Chaleurs. Not by much, mind you… but the scenery here is more rugged, with a diversity of twists and turns that take your break away.

So, we did spend the day taking it in. The mountain. The sea. The soothing sound of waves.

Sainte-Anne-des-Monts is a large community (6700+ people), with a good selection of places to eat. Each year, in August, artists from all over gather here for a 4-day display of creative arts.

Talking about art, the Centre d’art Monique et Gisèle Benoit offers a unique collection of paintings from Monique Benoit and her daughter Gisèle. They are known on the international scene for their special connexion to wildlife, and their permanent exhibition is here, in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. Definitely worth stopping by.

Note to travellers:

1. If you are looking for some local products… stop at Les Délices de la Mer. From local delicacies to meals-to-go, it is a good place to start.

2. If you are looking for a bakery… you found it! Pâtisserie-Boulangerie Marie 4 poches is a fine bakery, with good baguette and fresh pastries! You can order to go, or you can stay and savour a coffee with some goodies (I suggest the choco amandine). We also ordered two sandwiches for a picnic. All set to go!

3. If you are looking for a heavenly chocolate made on the premises… go straight to Couleur Chocolat. I promise you this:  you will have a real hard time choosing and you will spend MUCH more than you intended! Oh, well…

We drove to two lighthouses:

• The first one was in La Martre (Cap-au-Renard). The red lighthouse is entirely made of wood, but the site was closed and we could only manage a short visit around the property.
• The second one was in Cap-Chat (Les Capucins). A nice discovery. With an adjacent camping (now empty) overlooking the Gulf, the site was very well kept. It offered lookouts and lovely trails in wooded areas or along the coastline.
  

  

  

Also worth mentioning is the Eole de Cap-Chat, even though the historic site was closed (from August 27 to October 21: open weekends only, from 9:30 to 5:30). Wind energy is flourishing here and with windmills everywhere, it is quite a sight!

Dinner at Poissonnerie Restaurant du Quai, close to the pier. It is in fact a fish store, with fresh daily catches, with a restaurant on the side. No more mussels on the menu when we arrived (good for them, bummer for us…). I had a clam chowder with plenty of clams and a seafood coquille, also filled with seafood. Good meal. No fuss.

Back to the hotel.

Tomorrow morning, we are starting the loooooong stretch back home… with a first stop in Drummondville.

Bonne nuit…

Anna