When asked, many of our hometown friends would state that the ultimate road trip is a journey up the ''North Shore'' of Minnesota. Highway 61 hugs the coastline of Lake Superior, and at any given point, views of lighthouses, waterfalls, cliffs, and quaint towns fill the traveler with a deep sense of awe as the beauty stretches out before them.
So when we asked our new Canadian friends about what to see and do in Quebec, they all had the same answer. We need to follow the Fleuve Saint-Laurent (St Lawrence River) and seek out the Route des Baleines (Whale Route) as we make a road trip of a lifetime up the Cóte Nord (North Coast) and around Gaspésia (Gaspé Peninsula).
When we left Quebec City, we had a week to travel to Nova Scotia where we catch a ferry that will take us to the provincial island of Newfoundland.
Not nearly enough time to discover every rocky cove,
... or hidden waterfall,
... or quaint village along the way,
but we did develop an appreciation for the kilometres of natural beauty that lies along the coastline of Quebec.
Our route was planned, the ferry ride across the St Lawrence River was booked,
... and our skillful driver was ready to handle the twisty, bumpy and steep roads that would lead us to some amazing sights as we cruised along the Quebec coastline!
A few of our highlights along the way included ...
Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre
Thirty minutes up the road from Quebec City is the oldest pilgrimage site in North America. The Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre Shrine is dedicated to the grandmother of Jesus. Towering over the St Lawrence River, it was built in 1658 by sailors in the area seeking divine protection against the harsh elements of their trade. The church was dedicated to St Anne who is known as the patron saint of sailors.
The basilica is magnificent .... adorned with stained glass and filled with hundreds of works of art that celebrate the life of St Anne, St Mary, and Jesus.
It is also a revered holy place of healing as many miracles have been attributed to St Anne's intercession through the years. Candles are lit by visitors seeking and/or receiving answers to their prayers.
Two giant pillars embellished with crutches of all types signified the miraculous acts of healing that have taken place in this holy place over the years.
Whale Watching Tour
Attracted by abundant sources of food and cold summer waters, whales of many types call this northern area of the St Lawrence River their summer home. The area around the village of Tadoussac is primo for seeing humpbacks, belugas, and blue whales.
While there we took advantage of one of the many whale-watching tours that are offered. Although the day was sunny and warm, it was quite chilly on the water, so we were happy to be given the fashionable orange parkas along with waterproof pants.
The zodiac boat that we rode in was smaller, faster, and lower to the water than typical tour boats,
... therefore, we had a greater possibility of getting wet. But we also enjoyed the chance to see a number of these gentle giants up close.
At one point, a humpback gave us an up-close and personal greeting as he swam right underneath our boat. Peak whale-watching season is June through September, and we would highly recommend getting off the highway like we did to check out the real Routes des Baleines (Whale Route).
Ferry Ride Across the Fleuve Saint-Laurent
At one point in our journey we had to cross over the Fleuve Saint-Laurent (St Lawrence River) to Gaspésia (the Gaspé Peninsula). It was fun to look for more whales and catch the sunset during this two hour cruise across this vast and beautiful waterway.
A check of the on-board vending machines revealed candy bars unique to this area, but Doug wouldn't mind if Coffee Crisp chocolate bars would catch on in the United States.
Percé
Another fun destination was located on the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula. The cute hamlet of Percé attracts many tourists every summer. They come to see its unique rock formations and view the thousands of birds that hang out on nearby Bonaventure Island National Park.
While not usually a fan of ''touristy'' towns, Doug was allured by the promise of lobster ... specifically lobster rolls at La Maison de Pecheur (The Fisherman's House).
I enjoyed the chance to relax along the water on the fancy beach chairs that adorn many of the public parks and beaches in the area.
Spectacular Side-of-the-Coast Sights
Down every hill and around every curve, spectacular sights greeted us as we made our way down the coast.
We could tell that we were approaching a new town when the majestic silver church steeple appeared on the horizon.
Waterfalls could be found all along the route. Canyon Ste. Anne, which is near to the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre, is even taller than Niagara Falls (242 feet vs 167 feet).
Water birds just begging to be the next subject of one of my ''artsy'' photos lined the waterfront.
The guides at the Visitor Information Centres along the route were always happy (I think) to practice their English as they gave us hints of neat ''off-the-beaten-path'' places to see. Following their suggestion, we stretched our legs with a short hike/rock scramble along the shore in the cute village of Port-au-Persil.
Halfway up the ''Cote Nord'', the road transformed into a ten-minute ferry ride in order to cross the Riviére Saguenay as it flows into the St Lawrence River.
The summer weekend traffic was more than the ferry could handle, but we were ok taking in the views while we waited.
Hard to see in this picture, but the mouth of the river was teeming with white beluga whales who come here every summer to give birth.
On the other side of the river, the road continued, but we took a side detour to the check out another Canadian microbrasserie (microbrewery).
Lighthouses are also a common sight along this jagged coastline, and it is this co-pilot's job to make sure that we stop at as many as we can.
Marinas became welcome sights along the way because, as we soon found out, amazing food truck preparing fresh seafood could often be found intermingled among the fishing boats.
It is at one such marina food truck that we found our winner for the best Canadian Poutine. This shrimp poutine with a delicious white sauce made Doug forget that he really doesn't like gravy that much.
The only thing better than watching this dad teach his sons to fish was seeing the excitement on the little guy's face as he reeled in a decent sized fish.
Pop-up art is evident in this area that attracts artisans as well as fishermen. This large creation was on the side of the local sanitation department ... and was made of ''re-purposed'' garbage.
Even lobster traps become a part of the local art scene!
Beautiful Coastline Resting Spots
One thing that continues to amaze us is the number of beautiful boondocking locations that invite us to come and rest free-and-easy for the night.
Many halte municipales (city rest areas) allowed us to park overnight, and they usually had bathroom facilities and comfy park benches so that we could enjoy our view of the coastline.
We use the app iOverlander to find primo boondocking locations like this local fisherman's hangout between the river's edge and a quiet neighborhood.
Marinas also have plenty of quiet,
... as well as scenic resting spots.
It is also fun to stay with local people that we meet through our Boondockers Welcome membership.
One gracious host couple gave us a healthy supply of wild blueberries, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, green beans and broccoli from their garden as well as useful information about what to see and do in the area.
The ultimate perfect boondocking spot is when I can set my alarm, get up, grab my camera, open the door, and capture the beauty of a sunrise while still staying warm in my cozy van.
Yes, just as this French phrase translates to ''I want this paradise everyday'' ...
... we are grateful for all the bits of paradise that we enjoy!
Port of Sydney
The end of our coastline journey brought us into the port town of Sydney, Nova Scotia.
A walk along the downtown boardwalk
... gave us another beautiful sunset view as we looked forward to tomorrow and a journey that will take us to a place which up to this moment, I don't even know how to pronounce correctly.
Next up:
Hop on the ferry with us as we head to the most easterly province of Canada ... we are excited to explore the island of Newfoundland
... or as a native would pronounce it ... ''newf'in-LAND''!
No comments:
Post a Comment