Discover Gaspé: Nature, Coastline and Culture

Gaspé can be discovered through a wide range of experiences: protected landscapes in Parc national Forillon, beaches along Gaspé Bay and the Site d’interprétation Micmac de Gespeg. Parc national Forillon is located within the Ville de Gaspé. When planning your trip, you can first decide whether hiking, the coast, wildlife watching or cultural interpretation will be your main focus.

Forillon: protected landscapes and hiking trails

Parc national Forillon protects an area of 244.8 square kilometres. It represents the terrestrial natural region of the Monts Notre-Dame et Mégantic as well as parts of the marine natural regions of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Bancs Madeleine. This combination of different natural regions gives the park a distinct landscape character and makes it an important destination for anyone who wants to get to know Gaspé through its nature.

The park has a total of 70 kilometres of hiking trails. Of these, 45 kilometres are part of the International Appalachian Trail. These figures help put the scale into perspective: the trail makes up a substantial part of the network, but not its entire length. When planning, you can distinguish between the park’s hiking trails overall and the designated section of the International Appalachian Trail.

Beaches with different highlights

At Penouille Beach, in Gaspé Bay, the water is warm enough for swimming. Cap-Bon-Ami Beach offers something different: it is a pebble beach in a cliff-lined setting, with opportunities to watch various seabirds. If you are planning a day on the coast, you can choose between swimming in the bay and taking in the cliffs and birdlife.

Whale watching and kayak tours

Whale-watching trips depart daily from Grande-Grave harbour in Parc national Forillon from June 1 to October 23, 2026. On board, experienced captain-guides share information about the marine mammals being observed, their history and current scientific findings. This combines wildlife watching with an explanation of the animals’ lives. Check departure dates before your trip.

Cap Aventure offers another way to observe wildlife, with guided kayak tours to watch seals in Parc national Forillon. The company takes an educational approach and uses sustainable wildlife-watching techniques. It is an authorized concessionaire of the park. Tours may be seasonal, so check in advance whether they are offered during your travel dates.

Traditional culture in Gespeg

The Site d’interprétation Micmac de Gespeg complements nature and coastal experiences with cultural interpretation. The site includes a faithful reconstruction of a traditional village as it would have appeared in the 17th century. The reconstruction offers a tangible historical connection and provides a different way to experience Gaspé than its hiking trails, beaches or wildlife watching.

The Site d’interprétation Micmac de Gespeg also offers workshops on making traditional items. Examples include dreamcatchers, medicine wheels, traditional baskets, animal bracelets and necklaces made with porcupine quills. Workshops may be seasonal. If you are interested in these activities, they can add a hands-on craft experience to your visit.

Plan your trip and vacation rental to suit

When looking for a vacation rental in Gaspé, it helps to keep your trip’s main focus in mind. Hiking trails and beaches offer different experiences from guided wildlife-watching trips or workshops in Gespeg. Travel dates also matter: a specific period is given for whale-watching trips in 2026, while kayak tours and workshops may be seasonal. If one of these activities is central to your plans, check departure dates or availability in advance.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Grande-Vallée, Murdochville, Cloridorme, Riviere-Au-Renard.

Return to the main travel overview: La Côte-De-Gaspé.