Itinerary to Discover La Baie-des-Chaleurs in Gaspésie

Here’s a suggested four-day itinerary to explore the Bonaventure area in the La Baie-des-Chaleurs sector. Discover beaches, crystal-clear rivers, a mountain of trails and a wide variety of gourmet delights in this area.

Day 1 – Arrival in Gaspésie and in La Baie-des-Chaleurs

Once you arrive in Mont-Joli, you’re in Gaspésie! To get to the La Baie-des-Chaleurs sector, head east towards Amqui along the south side of the Gaspé Peninsula. It will take you about 3.5 hours to drive to New Richmond.

Drop off your luggage at one of the many lodging establishments in New Richmond, Bonaventure or the surrounding area and then head to Taylor’s Point Park in New Richmond. The park offers a beach, kayak and paddleboard rentals, a bike path and a playground.

 If you’re looking for somewhere to eat, Resto-Pub Bayou offers grilled dishes, tartare and burgers along the banks of the Petite Cascapédia River in New Richmond. In Bonaventure, Poissonnerie du Pêcheur serves the freshest fish and seafood. Another option is Kano (Riôtel Bonaventure) where you can enjoy seafood specialties, pasta, grilled dishes, burgers or pizza overlooking Chaleur Bay.

At Café Acadien, near the marina, you can sample a menu inspired by regional flavours featuring fish and seafood dishes. Finally, at Le 1760 Bar & Grill in the centre of town, you can choose from a varied menu that includes seafood poutine and pasta dishes with a local twist.

Day 2 – Hiking, mountain biking or fishing

Start your day with an active morning of hiking or mountain biking! Located inland in New Richmond, the Pin Rouge tourist resort (which is a ski hill in the winter) offers 21 km of hiking trails, nearly 9 km of mountain bike trails and a bike park with a pump track and skills course. From the top of the mountain, at an altitude of over 670 metres, you can admire the Chic-Chocs and Chaleur Bay!

Pour le 5 à 7, dirigez-vous à la Microbrasserie La Belle Aventure, au cœur de Bonaventure, pour une bière bien fraîche et des bouchées aux saveurs locales, dans une ambiance chaleureuse.

Next, head to the Boisé Le Malin lookout, which offers a unique and spectacular view of the Bonaventure River. In the afternoon, relax on the beach between dips into the salt waters of Chaleur Bay. Choose from the seven beaches found in the Bonaventure area.

Want to go fishing in one of the crystal-clear rivers in La Baie-des-Chaleurs? At Zec de la Petite-Rivière-Cascapédia, you can go fly fishing for salmon or brook trout. You can also camp on site or stay in a fully equipped cottage.

You can also fish for salmon or take a fishing class at Zec de la Rivière-Bonaventure. On site you’ll also find a campground that offers glamping options. 

If you’d rather go on a sea outing, Rats de Marées offers sport fishing excursions on Chaleur Bay departing from Bonaventure. Your guide will provide you with invaluable tips on how to catch striped bass, cod, mackerel and flounder.

Based in Paspébiac, La Belle Vie Sailing offers sailing discovery packages and classes aboard a 4-cabin luxury catamaran.

For happy hour, head to La Belle Aventure in the centre of Bonaventure. Enjoy a cold beer and appetizers featuring local flavours in this microbrewery’s warm atmosphere.

Day 3 – Gourmet treats and local crafts

Start your day in Bonaventure with a delicious breakfast at the La Pétrie bakery, where you’ll find it hard to choose between the freshly baked breads, butter croissants, danishes and other tempting treats!

Then stop by Verre et Bulles, a glass-blowing studio and shop selling beautiful objects made of kiln-formed glass, a collection of glass and sterling silver jewellery pieces and a range of soaps made with natural ingredients.

In Saint-Siméon-de-Bonaventure, stop by Ferme Bourdages Tradition, a strawberry farm that also makes spreads and pies as well as strawberry and rhubarb wines.

Then head back to Caplan to the superb facilities of Distillerie des Marigots, which overlook the water. Here you can sample or purchase their award-winning gins or get your hands on one of their other spirits produced in small batches. Their copper pot still is also worth a look!

Also in Caplan, fill your cooler with fresh fish and seafood from Poissonnerie La Coquille, a fish market that’s renowned for their rigorous quality control processes.

In New Richmond, take Route 299 and then Route des Ponts to reach Fumoir Cascapédia, a smokehouse selling tasty hot- and cold-smoked trout and salmon. On your return journey, you can follow Route de Patrickton back to Route 132.

Day 4 – Discovering Maria and local culture

Next, drive a little further along the coast to Maria. This stretch of road, which runs along the Maria sand bank, is magnificent! Along the way, you’ll find a rest area with access to Plage des Goélands (Gull Beach), where you can go for a dip. In the middle of town, go for a stroll in Parc du Vieux-Quai, which offers shows and exhibitions in the summer as well as access to the beach. Have lunch at Auberge du Marchand, which specializes in dishes made with local fish, seafood and lamb, and then shop in their specialty food corner.

Treat yourself to dinner at a restaurant such as Pub St-Joseph Carleton, which offers a varied menu (grilled dishes, pizza, seafood pasta, etc.) in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. If you’re looking for something more upscale, opt for the Le Marin d’Eau Douce, where you can enjoy flavourful fish, seafood and meat dishes in a cozy atmosphere.

After dinner, head to Quai des Arts, a cultural centre in Carleton-sur-Mer offering exhibitions, theatre and musical performances. Operating within the centre, Théâtre À Tour de Rôle stages original productions, readings and other activities.

Day 5 – Outdoor activities or spa

To get your last day off to a good start, head to the La Mie Véritable bakery and let your nose guide your decisions… The delicious aromas of coffee, pastries and freshly baked bread are bound to make your mouth water! Next, head back to Maria to stock up on honey and mead at the Rucher des Framboisiers.

Head next to [ÈST] Éco-cabines where you can enjoy a spa experience, including a hammam (steam bath), dry sauna, hot and cold pools as well as relaxation areas. Holistic treatments and massage therapy are also available on site. Finally, La Yoga Shala offers outdoor yoga, conscious breathing and meditation classes near the Carleton-sur-Mer-Lighthouse in the summer, for a complete wellness experience.

A variety of outdoor activities are offered on local rivers, at sea or in the forest in this sector of Gaspésie. For a river or mountain expedition, Nature Aventure in Matapédia offers guided canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, snorkelling and hiking packages.

After your day in the great outdoors, enjoy a refreshing beer at the Microbrasserie Le Naufrageur brewpub, which offers live entertainment and an outdoor patio with a fireplace.

To extend your stay, find out more about the 7 sectors of Gaspésie.

* Please note that this itinerary is intended for information purposes only and is not a package. It is meant to inspire you and may be modified as you wish.