More so than many of the other regions of Québec, Gaspésie is an ideal destination to discover during an extended road trip. The drive around the entire Gaspé Peninsula covers 885 km (550 mi.), but if you leave room for adventure and follow your curiosity and appetite, you’re likely to explore many more miles of wonders via mountains and rivers as well as along the sea.

To fully enjoy all that this region has to offer, you’ll need to spend at least a week on your trip. This will give you enough time to discover the attractions and activities in each sector as well as get a feel for the place and get to know the locals.

We went on a grand tour of Gaspésie, starting in Bas-Saint-Laurent and travelling via the northern side of the Gaspé Peninsula first (in a clockwise direction). Below, we share some of our favourite places to stay in three of the region’s sectors: La Haute-Gaspésie, Percé and La Baie-des-Chaleurs.

Which way to drive around the peninsula

One of the first questions you’ll get asked if you’re driving around the Gaspé Peninsula is: “Which way are you going, southward or northward?”

If you opt to drive via the southern side of the peninsula first, this means heading from Sainte-Flavie down through the Matapédia Valley, alongside the river of the same name, to the La Baie-des-Chaleurs sector, then up to Percé and back around via the La Haute-Gaspésie sector. Although this direction may seem counterintuitive (perhaps because it’s counterclockwise), this is the best way to do it according to many locals since the sea will always be on your right. This means you get to soak up the best views and can more easily stop to take photos along the way.

Since we’re a bit contrarian and wanted to travel along the St. Lawrence right away, we opted to go against conventional wisdom and head first along the northern side of the peninsula, continuing our already ambitious road trip that had begun in Bas-Saint-Laurent.

Flavours of the land and sea

Whichever way you decide to drive around the Gaspé Peninsula, you’re guaranteed to feast your eyes and tastebuds all along the way!

Since we wanted to be able to cook up for ourselves the many culinary treasures we found on our drive, we chose accommodations that gave us this option. Although Gaspésie offers many excellent restaurants, we wanted to fill our cooler instead, to be able to take our time enjoying our finds as well as savour drinks in exceptional locations… without then having to drive back to wherever we were staying.

As you drive throughout the maritime regions of Québec, you’ll come across many fish markets, smokehouses, snack bars (which are very popular throughout the province) and other intriguing foodie spots. This is your opportunity to try such things as lobster poutine, a crab guédille (crab roll) or whelk in brine or vinegar!

In this blog post, we offer you a tour of our favourite places in Gaspésie where you can relax and enjoy your gourmet finds.

Panora: Exceptional seaside pods (aka Paradise on Earth)

Even though our photos and video (in French only) will give you an idea of what Panora’s seaside pods are like, this digital content obviously cannot fully do justice to this place. Located in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, Panora’s 10 modern and comfortable units will offer you the opportunity to admire some of the most beautiful sunsets in the region from the privacy of your deck (which also happens to come with a hot tub!).

To say that we were happy to arrive at Panora with our provisions would be an understatement. But then why would you ever want to leave Paradise? Fortunately, you’ll have to stay for at least two nights, which means you’ll have time to enjoy the best of both worlds: restaurants, gourmet shops and the many activities available in the Sainte-Anne-des-Monts area (which is tucked between the sea and the mountains) along with the tranquility of your little corner of paradise, where you can observe seabirds and marine mammals…

Once you leave Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, get ready for one of the most spectacular stretches of road in the entire region, with cliffs on one side and the St. Lawrence Estuary on the other, which gradually widens into the gulf for your viewing pleasure. We recommend a quick stop at the La Martre Lighthouse to soak up the scenery and snap a few photos.

By this point, we were feeling a bit peckish—which we blamed on the sea air! Luckily, our next gourmet stop was not too far up the road!

Atkins & Frères: Smoked fish and seafood since 1993

A family-owned artisanal smokehouse, Atkins & Frères has been making exceptional products for several decades. Their smoked fish and seafood were some of the first to appear in grocery stores across Québec.

Located in Saint-Maxime-du-Mont-Louis (just before the bridge over the Mont-Louis River), the smokehouse’s boutique offers a wide range of options for a perfect appetizer platter. All their rillettes (lobster, crab, salmon, trout and shrimp) are delicious, and the smoked mackerel is perfect: neither too salty nor too smoky. Everything here is prepared with attention to detail—seafood lovers are really in for a treat!

In the video we filmed onsite (in French only), current CEO Guillaume Thibault, who originally emigrated from France and was trained by the Atkins brothers, conveys his passion and pride for his adopted country and the excellent products made here.

My favourite discovery was their succulent hot-smoked Atlantic salmon pavé! Now that I’m back home, I buy it at the Atkins & Frères shops in Montréal (in the Jean-Talon Market and on Mont-Royal Avenue) or even at my local grocery store when I can find it.

Feeling happily satisfied after our tasting session with Guillaume Thibault, we were ready to hit the road again and enjoy the 200-km (125-mi.) drive that would take us to Percé, where our next stop awaited us.

Domaine du Capitaine: Cottages you’ll never want to leave

Whichever way you’re driving along Route 132, you’ll never forget your arrival in Percé. Dignified, proud and much larger than you might imagine, Percé Rock will take your breath away as soon as you spot it rising up around a bend in the road. The town and bay of the same name will also enthrall you with all that this area has to offer: an extraordinary location, a long pebble beach, the large wharf, plenty of places to go for a stroll, charming shops and, always, the rock watching over residents and visitors alike.

After such a long drive, what a joy it was to arrive at Domaine du Capitaine and take in the marvellous view of Percé Rock! (This is said to be one of the best views of the town and its famous limestone giant.) If you stay here, you can soak up the sunrise with your cup of coffee on your private deck in the early morning. You can also enjoy a drink by the fire at sunset with Percé Rock in the background, reflecting the many colours of this magical hour. If you’re here during lobster season, in May or June, you’ll see and hear the fishers hauling their traps into their boats right below your cottage. What could be more enchanting?

We stayed in the Port cottage, the largest of their units. Visitors who dream of staying here can choose from one of a total of four cottages that vary in size but are all equally charming.

That evening we took a break from cooking because we had a reservation at one of Percé’s most renowned restaurants…

La Maison du Pêcheur: Seafood and history

If you only go out for dinner once in Percé, the restaurant not to miss is La Maison du Pêcheur (and be sure to book early to avoid disappointment!). A local institution, this restaurant had its own part to play in the history of Québec. Established in 1969, it was a gathering place for young politically minded people with revolutionary ideas. Members of the FLQ (an infamous Québec separatist group) shared more than a few beers here. To this day, the walls of the restaurant on the second floor are covered in political graffiti as well as a few risqué drawings that serve as reminders of another era.

The restaurant itself was founded about 40 years ago by Georges Mamelonet, who emigrated to Québec from France in 1977. Since his death in a car accident in 2015, it has been owned by his widow, France LeBreux. Their son, the young and talented Christophe LeBreux-Mamelonet (who appears in this video [in French only]), is now the chef. With his first-class culinary training and experience, LeBreux-Mamelonet has made La Maison du Pêcheur one of the top gastronomic destinations in Eastern Québec. It’s clear that he has big dreams for this restaurant, which is as much a part of his own history as it is of the people of Percé.

Offering a picture-perfect setting with a front-row view of Percé Rock along with dishes prepared with passion using local ingredients (including wood-fired pizza), a large sunroom and a maritime atmosphere, this establishment will charm you and make you want to come back before you’re even halfway through your meal!

As for us, it was time to hit the road again and head towards La Baie-des-Chaleurs sector…

Distillerie des Marigots: Spirits infused with local flavours

On the way to our next place to stay, a stop at Distillerie des Marigots in Caplan seemed like a perfect idea, in anticipation of evening drinks around a fire.

This distillery was founded in 2019 by Joseph St-Denis Boulanger, a native of Caplan, who appears in our video [in French only]. A mechanical engineer by training, he left his job in Montréal with his partner Laurie-Anne Cloutier in search of a better quality of life for his family and a return to the sea and nature.

Thanks to a crowdfunding campaign and the distilling experience the owners had gained in their Montréal apartment, the distillery started big right from the beginning. Overlooking the sea, the modern facilities house a boutique as well as a welcoming tasting counter offering a range of products that are sure to appeal to everyone.

We opted for a bottle of Récif, a seaside gin. Joseph St-Denis Boulanger, who is the master distiller, created this gin inspired by the nearby coastal environment. Featuring juniper berries as well as notes of citrus, spices and roots, the gin is delicious, powerful and perfect on a cool fall evening.

In addition, the distillery is finally (in 2025!) offering their first single malt whisky, made exclusively from grain grown and malted in Québec. (The production of this whisky had begun in 2021.) This new product is only available in small batches, so you have to be very lucky to get your hands on it!

[ÈST] Éco-cabines: High-end glamping and a Nordic spa experience

When we arrived at [ÈST] Éco-cabines in Nouvelle, we were greeted by coniferous trees, the scent of eucalyptus and the promise of a peaceful night. The term glamping (a portmanteau of glamorous and camping) is, in our opinion, an understatement for the quality of stay offered here.

You can choose from two types of cabins: Ublo (located near a cliff and accommodating up to five people each—we opted for one of these) and Thuya (located in the middle of a cedar forest and accommodating two people each). These unique Scandinavian-style accommodations have comfortable beds as well as a composting toilet, kitchenette, small refrigerator, woodstove and outdoor firepit.

In addition to enjoying our cabin, which provided an amazing view of Chaleur Bay, we also tried out one of the site’s three thermal spas. Quite uniquely, guests can reserve three hours of private access to a complete Nordic spa, with a steam room, Finnish sauna, outdoor hot and cold pools, and two relaxation areas. What a luxury to be able to enjoy this moment of relaxation all to ourselves!

Heading back via the Matapédia Valley

From Nouvelle, we were only a short distance from the “Matapédia Road,” as it’s called by the locals. Heading inland, Route 132 will take you through quite different landscapes, which are no less breathtaking than those found along the northern part of the peninsula.

Winding along the Matapédia River through breathtaking scenery is enough to make you want to try your hand at fly fishing in this wild and majestic area. In about two hours, you’ll find yourself back where you started, in Sainte-Flavie, the gateway to Gaspésie. (Sigh.) It was with heavy hearts but a well-stocked cooler that we found ourselves on our way back home, already dreaming of our next trip to Gaspésie…

Watch our video (in French only) about accommodations in the Îles de la Madeleine. (Even if you can’t understand it, the video will give you an idea of what the places mentioned above look like!)