Day 0

A day spent in my office, but I was all ready to catch my 7:35 p.m Porter flight from Toronto Island's Billy Bishop Airport to Québec City. Another Toronto journalist was on the flight, but we didn't get to meet until we saw the driver from Château Bonne Entente waiting to drive us the short distance to this pleasant resort-style hotel. Its proximity to Québec City Airport is a definite advantage and the group was assembling there ready to take the first flight to Gaspé the next morning.
We gathered over a good dinner on the patio in the warm evening air where we met our new colleagues and a gracious representative from the hotel who was happy to answer our questions about the property and who stressed that yes, there is an on-request shuttle for the short drive to downtown Québec City.

My trendy room with its fabulous bathroom (with flat-screen tv set in the wall at the end of the bath) was so hi-tech that I had some trouble getting everything to work (it doesn't take much to confuse me!), but soon I was in a gloriously comfortable bed eagerly anticipating the morrow.

Day 1

I was up early enough to take a walk around the pretty hotel grounds with my camera and have a good breakfast before we were off in a mini bus and on our way to the Airport. An Air Canada Jazz Dash-8 took us on the 1½ hour flight to the town of Gaspé and our trip was due to begin.
We landed safely at the little airport, met our host - Suzie - and soon were on our way. As we neared the town of Gaspé we spied three brightly-painted buildings on the far shore of the bay. "That's where we're having lunch," Suzie told us and soon we were all seated at the obviously-popular Brise Bise Restaurant, testing our French and anticipating our chosen dishes … most of which were fish or seafood. My cod (or morue) was delicious.

Thus fortified it was into the bus again for the 83 km drive to Percé. Most Canadians are familiar with that famous Rock, but it was still a thrill reaching the crest of a hill and seeing it in the distance. We clambered out of the bus with our cameras, but of course we were to take many more, better shots.

Percé is most definitely a tourist town. Souvenir and craft shops, hotels and motels line the funky main street, while seafood restaurants have claimed prime positions beside the shore. Various boat companies offer trips of varying lengths to see whales or visit Bonaventure Island … but the latter was on our itinerary for the following day. First we were to learn more of the region at Le Chafaud Interpretation Centre on the quay in the middle of town where some of the region's geography, wildlife and history are revealed. An hour later, in glorious late-afternoon sun, we arrived at the Hotel-Motel Le Mirage on a gentle hill overlooking the little town and the famous Percé Rock. We emerged from the French doors of our rooms into the gardens almost in unison, cameras in hand, to record the lovely scenery. This hotel has one of the finest positions in Percé … all rooms overlook the Rock and Bonaventure Island. Older rooms could do with a bit of a make-over but the new block is very nice. And, jumping ahead, the breakfast we enjoyed the following morning was 'The Best' … all fresh and made to order, served in the pretty dining room with, again, that memorable view.

Our free-time before dinner yielded more photographs and a variety of items from the local stores to take home: little maritime sweaters and hats for children, model boats, recipe books or merely postcards destined for faraway shores. Pleased with ourselves, we gathered in Restaurant la Maison du Pêcher for a good dinner with, yet again, fish and seafood taking pride of place, although the menu was extensive. It being mid-June, the large restaurant had just opened, but we were told it is always busy in the height of the season and reservations are necessary. (All details at the end.) Before we left, we were invited to look at the rafters on the top floor where graffiti from another era in Québec's history have been preserved as this was once a popular meeting place for
ardent separatists.

Day 3

Marvelling at the wonderful weather that greeted us once again next morning, we were off at the appointed hour for our day-trip to Bonaventure Island courtesy of Cruise (Croisière) Julien Cloutier. Several day-cruise companies are based in Percé; they offer hourly trips close to the Rock and then over to Bonaventure, just a few kilometres away, where you may stay as long as you wish. The tourist boats are sturdy, with lots of deck room. As we circled the island - where several families once lived and fished and whose little timber-frame homes are now part of the park - we saw seals on the rocks and, soon, started to appreciate what a bird watcher's paradise. In fact, this island is one of the largest and most accessible bird sanctuaries in the world. Approximately 300,000 seabirds nest here, including razor-billed auks, gulls, kittiwakes, murres, cormorants and Arctic puffins. In all, 223 different species have been recorded as visiting, migrating to, or living on the island. The largest single group are the over 120,000 northern gannets that call the island home, the second largest colony of this species in the world. The fish that thrive in the shallow, nutrient-rich waters surrounding the island provide these birds with their
sustenance.

The island's importance for birds was recognized as long ago as 1919, when the federal government designated it as a bird sanctuary. In 1971, the province of Quebec acquired the island and in 1985 it, along with the Percé Rock, were christened Parc national de l'Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé or Bonaventure Island and Percé Rock National Park. More simply, they are known as the jewels of the Gaspé.

After circling the island we disembarked and were greeted by our naturalist guide, Carole Couet, who first invited us into one of the historic buildings, set up as a small museum, for a talk and to answer our questions. It was during this exchange that we realized how timely our visit was and the present severe threat to the island's beautiful northern gannets. Carole said "It breaks my heart," and this wasn't difficult to believe as she was almost in tears as she explained the gannets head to the Gulf of Mexico after breeding in Canada. They spend the winter in the Gulf and, in fact, the young birds remain there for two or three years until they reach maturity and are ready to mate, at which time they find their way back to Bonaventure.

"We do not know what the future holds for these birds," said Carole, "nor how many juveniles have already perished in the Gulf. And who knows, after this oil spill, whether things will ever be the same here." Apparently the first oil-covered feathered victim to be pulled from the waters off Louisiana was - you guessed - a northern gannet.

Feeling rather sad, but nonetheless privileged to be here, we set out on the three-quarter-hour hike on a well-marked trail to see the nesting colony for ourselves. Nothing can prepare you for this experience, although I hope my photos will give you some idea. Behind a simple boundary rope, so close you could touch the closest, are about 60,000 'nests', each home to a breeding pair of northern gannets, each just inches from its neighbour. They all look identical - pure white with a soft cap the colour of apricots and eyes outlined in bright blue and black as though a make-up artist has been creative with each of them. Male and female appear identical, but each knows its partner, returning to their own spot after flying off to fish in the ocean or retrieve some seaweed for home improvements. They mate for life and return to their own shallow nest mounds each year to lay and nurture one more egg. The sight is nothing short of spectacular. See it this summer if you possibly can for, as Carole said, nobody knows what effect the Gulf oil spill will have on these birds and this spectacular Canadian site.

At the appointed time our group made its way back to the landing stage. We'd been provided with packed lunches that we'd eaten on the island at our leisure, and as we awaited our return boat we gathered at Bonaventure's little restaurant for a welcome, locally-brewed beer. Full lunches or snacks are also available here.

Visitors to the island may spend as many hours as they wish here. There are many other bird species to be seen and more extensive hiking trails. A truly gorgeous place.

Back at Percé after our return boat trip, we found our minibus awaiting us and were soon en route back to the little town of Gaspé and our home for the night - the 1860 La Maison William Wakeham overlooking the harbour. As Suzie had been driving us safely and insisted on handling our luggage without help, we all agreed she was to have the showpiece room in this unusual property - the Queen's Room. But of course we all had to have a peek into this circular, paneled room with its four-poster bed and luxurious amenities before she settled in. Your host will proudly tell of the room's history and why it is so called!

We later all agreed that the dinner we enjoyed in this inn was the best of the trip … and the comments on various website attest to this, with many comments claiming it to be the best restaurant in the Gaspé region. Lobster ravioli or sweetbreads in wine sauce were popular starters, followed by a variety of fish, meats and game. We tasted each other's choices, gave a round of applause to the chef and had a grand old time.

Day 4

Today we were to travel along the southern shore of the Gulf (the northern shore of the Gaspé peninsula) to our desination: a moose wildlife reserve near Matane. But first we enjoyed a treat that was not on our itinerary. Hearing that the well-known lighthouse in La Martre was not yet open for the season, we nonetheless requested a photo-op stop. But we were lucky … Yves Foucreault, the curator and keeper of this lighthouse and its museum, was putting the finishing touches to its red paint and noticed us milling about with our cameras. He immediately opened everything for us and gave us a personal tour. As a sailor, I do appreciate lighthouses, but little did I think I would become so intrigued with the history of the different lights used and all the details of the lighthouse keeper's life that I learned on this visit. Yves is passionate about lighthouses, and 'his' historic one in particular. First we visited the well-kept little museum and its charming little gift shop that offers locally-made crafts, then we climbed to the top of the unique wooden lighthouse, built in 1906, taking care not to touch the bright-red wet paint. Yves was a wonderful guide on this little excursion, not only sharing his great knowledge of lighthouse lights, but also amusing us with some of the Gulf's bootlegging stories. The climb up the interior of the lighthouse may not be suitable for all, nor the top balcony for those who don't like heights, but for everyone else this is a great stop along the shore.

We were later than planned for our lunch at the Monaco des Monts Restaurant in Saint-Anne-des-Monts, but were given a gracious welcome and we all ordered quickly. This area is famous for its shrimps, so that is what I chose - a lovely fresh salad topped with these little seafood gems.

Before leaving Sainte-Anne-des-Monts we paid a quick visit to Exploramer … an attraction that focuses on the marine environment of the St. Lawrence River with various exhibits and a small aquarium. We enjoyed watching some visiting children there, and if you are in the region with young people I'm sure they will enjoy it too.

Back in the bus we checked our itineraries and remembered our next destination was the Matane Wildlife Reserve for some moose watching. We headed inland up the Matane River valley and entered the Reserve where we changed from our smart minibus into a rather more shabby one for the one-hour drive to the site of our chalets. En route our new guide from the park gave us lots of moose facts and figures and we expected to see them at every turn. But no luck. Upon arrival at our rustic, three-bedroom chalets (with living room and full kitchens) we settled in and quickly devoured an early picnic supper before embarking on yet another drive. This was to an observation tower near a watering hole apparently popular with the creatures. But it wasn't popular that evening! Although some were heard in the nearby forest they did not appear.

A glass of wine and a couple of 's'mores' around the camp fire cheered us up, but not the prospect of getting up at 2:30 a.m. Yes, that was the plan. Another hour's drive was to take us to a lake where we were to kayak in the hopes of seeing moose on the shore. But I'm jumping ahead to tomorrow.

Day 5

At 2:30 in the morning I wasn't sure whether I cared about seeing moose or not. I think my companions felt the same … but who wants to be a bad sport? We set off at 3, a flask of coffee cheering us up a bit, as did the sight of a lovely lake upon arrival at our destination about an hour later.
The sky was showing signs of light, and the mist was rising as we set off in our kayaks. It was all tranquil and beautiful and we started to enjoy ourselves. But again the moose did not co-operate and we left disappointed.
There were more miles to be covered later that morning as we left the Reserve, but our next destination was another highlight of the trip.

The Reford Gardens in Grand-Métis, a National Historic Site of Canada, are not only the pride of the region but also renowned internationally as an outstanding example of horticultural art. The gardens were created by Elsie Reford between 1926 and 1958, years in which this visionary gardener and her helpers transformed a Québec wilderness into a place of wondrous beauty.

Our small group was honoured to be greeted by Elsie's great grandson - Alexander Reford - who enthusiastically told us about his family and the history of the gardens over a delicious lunch in the dining room of Estevan Lodge, the gracious house that was once the Reford family's fishing lodge on the Mitis River. Edible flowers featured conspicuously during this lunch, to the delight and interest of those amongst us who love food and cooking; 'foodies' always love new ideas!

When lunch was over Alexander led us on a brief tour of the 15 distinct gardens, which ended when he proudly showed us the garden's famous blue poppies, fortunately for us blooming early this year due to a warm spring. Alexander's own words, from one of the guidebooks which he has authored, sum it all up best: "Elsie Reford's is a garden of character. It is bold and unique, innovative but traditional. Few gardens have been built under such difficult conditions, hundreds of miles from the nearest plant nursery."

Today this once-private place is visited by thousands every spring, summer and fall. Visitors come not only to enjoy the beautiful gardens, but also to see the contemporary works of art throughout the grounds, to enjoy the exhibitions in the Lodge, to delight in a wonderful meal, to partake in literary gatherings or outdoor concerts and to browse in the two gift stores that are full of art and crafts, books, gardening paraphernalia and seeds. An International Garden Festival takes place here early every summer; an occasion that attracts gardeners, landscape architects and artists from around the world. A whole day could be devoted to this garden … please don't miss it when you visit this region. We could happily have spent many more hours here … it's a place in which to relax and literally 'stop and smell the roses' as the cliché goes. But Suzie had been keeping an eye on her watch because we were due to take a ferry from nearby Rimouski across the St. Lawrence River to Forestville and she knew it wouldn't wait for us!

We made it to the dock in good time and gathered on deck for the one-hour crossing with our mini-bus parked safely on the lower deck. The crossing often offers an opportunity for whale watching, but although we kept our eyes peeled in all directions we were not rewarded with a sighting. We enjoyed the one-hour trip nonetheless. The ferry service - known simple as Traverse - carries 175 passengers and 30 vehicles at 55 km per hour. It was the first 'fast ferry' built in Canada and, with the cancellation of the fast service between Maine and Nova Scotia, the only rapid ferry service in operation in Eastern Canada. Snacks and drinks are available, there's an observation lounge with wrap-around windows for those who prefer to be inside and lots of deck space for the others. Everything about the service was efficient and the hour passed most pleasantly.

On the north shore a drive westwards of about 100 km brought us to the famous little town of Tadoussac at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord. Our home for the night was the Hôtel Tadoussac, the grande dame of local hotels and a famous landmark with it white walls, crimson roof and clock tower. Premier rooms overlook the pretty harbour here, but my window revealed only the rear gardens. But I didn't mind, it was a comfortable little room and we had only a short while to freshen up before meeting for our early buffet dinner in the hotel's spacious and gracious dining room. And you won't be surprised to hear that we were all early to bed. After all … we had been up since 2:30 a.m!

Day 6

Over breakfast the next morning I made a difficult decision. I would not join my colleagues on the planned three-hour whale watching expedition. The reason was that I had sailed these waters before, in my own boat, on a trip taken with my family back in the eighties. At that time we'd seen many whales both in the St. Lawrence and in the Saguenay. We'd anchored up in the fijord and enjoyed the spectacular scenery there, but we hadn't actually visited Tadoussac itself. I knew that if I went whale watching the same thing would happen: I would leave Tadoussac without really having seen it. So, although whale watching is always a thrill, I set off to explore alone.

The weather was overcast but warm as I waited to see my colleagues, kitted out in their survival suits, settle into their large Zodiac for their trip. Then I started out on the lovely boardwalk trail that leads around the peninsula that divides Tadoussac Harbour from the entrance to the Saguenay Fjord. Large signs - unfortunately only in French - describe the history and geography of the area that is a true beauty spot. Back near our hotel I took photographs of the harbour and landmark church before heading up into the little town. That this is a tourist town is immediately apparent … it seems almost every pretty home is a B&B and souvenir shops and a variety of day-trip providers line the main street, but it's all very charming and tasteful. I paused for an excellent coffee at the trendy Café Boheme before heading back to meet my colleagues at the hotel.

They duly arrived. They'd had a great excursion, they'd seen whales and they were happy! Then we were off again, covering some of the same route that we'd travelled the previous day from the ferry dock in Forestville and then on to Baie-Comeau and our next attraction - the Glacier Exploration Centre. The Ice Age left its mark on this region, which was explained at the unusual displays in the Centre, located in a finely-renovated church, before two charming young guides led us into the Maritime Adventure Park to observe first hand what we had learned. Of special interest, in the boreal forest, are the unique 50-foot banks of shells left behind by the retreating glaciers some 10,000 years ago. For those with more time here there's a variety of adventure activities: zip-lining, rappelling, hiking, water activities and a Via ferrata - an amateur climbing experience on secure lines equipped with lifelines. One of our party - who lives in Maine and was therefore closer to home than the rest of us - had decided to stay an extra day to experience some of these adventures. She later e-mailed the rest of the group to say that it was "a spectacular day, a day spend zip-lining and scaling rocky walls with two of the nicest and most patient guides on the planet." Now we all wish we could have stayed!

We were staying in the quaint Le Grand Hôtel which, I am sure, has seen a lot of Baie-Comeau history. My room was one of the most unusual I have ever stayed in and when I came downstairs after freshening up for dinner the owner proudly asked what I thought of my room. I took photos and it also appears on their website!

Day 7

Our group had had fun and we were sad knowing this was to be a day full of "good-byes". Most of us were due to fly Air Canada from Baie-Comeau to Montréal, where I then caught my Porter flight home to Toronto, enjoying views of the St. Lawrence, the 1,000 Islands region and familiar the north shore of Lake Ontario as we flew. Safely home, I went to bed with visions of gannets, lighthouses and the blue poppies of the Reford Gardens dancing in my head. Those had been the highlights in the lovely region known as the Gaspé, but I am sure there are many more experiences, waiting to be discovered.

The details …
* Getting to Gaspé: Air Canada from Québec City or Montréal to the town of Gaspé , VIA Rail overnight from Montréal or it's approximately seven hours' drive from Montréal to the western border of the Gaspesie region. Porter Airlines fly from Toronto to Montréal and Québec City: www.flyporter.com
* Château Bonne Entente (near Québec City), tel: 418 653 5221, www.chateaubonneentente.com
* Hotel-Motel Le Mirage, Percé, tel: 1 800 463 9011, www.hotellemirageperce.com
* Restaurant la Maison du Pêcheur, Percé, tel: 418 782 5331 (high season reservations necessary).
* Bonaventure Island and Percé Rock National Park: www.quebecmaritime.ca/parcperce. There's a $3.50 charge on the island.
* Julien Cloutier Cruises, Percé, tel: 418 782 2161, www.quebecmaritime.ca/croisieresjc, the return boat ride costs $25.
* La Maison William Wakeham, Gaspé, tel: 418 368 5537, www.quebecmaritime.ca/maisonwakeham
* La Martre Lighthouse Museum, La Martre. Yves Foucreault, the curator of this museum, was awarded Le Grand Prix de l'Excellence touristique in 2007. And for more lighthouses, visit www.routedesphares.qc.ca
* Exploramer, Sainte-Anne-des-Montes, www.quebecmaritime.ca/exploramer
* Matane Wildlife Moose Reserve: www.quebecmaritime.ca/reservematane
* Reford Gardens, Grand-Métis, tel: 418 775 2222, www.jardinsdemetis.com
* Traverse Rimouski-Forestville high-speed car ferry offers two or three crossings per day, depending on the month, from mid-May to mid-October, tel: 1 800 973 2725, www.traversier.com, reservations necessary.
* Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, www.quebecmaritime.parcmarin
* Hotel Tadoussac, tel: 1 800 561 0718, www.hoteltadoussac.com
* Le Béluga is a quaint 3-star hotel/motel on Tadoussac's main street, tel: 418 235 4784, www.le-beluga.qc.ca.
* For full tourist information on Tadoussac, including all available accommodations in all categories, visit www.tadoussac.com
* For large-Zodiac whale-watching excursions from Tadoussac contact Croisières AML, tel: 418 235 4642, www.croisieresaml.com
* Jardin des Glaciers, Baie-Comeau, tel: 1 877 296 0182, www.jardindesglaciers.ca
* Le Grand Hôtel, Baie-Comeau, tel: 418 297 6994, www.legrandhotel.ca
* Typing <Gaspesie Tourism> into your search engine will lead to several official sites, and the region is also covered by www.quebecdmartime.ca