Travel log

The territories of the Gaspé and the Maritimes covered in this Guide have been occupied for millennia by the Mi'gmaqs whom the French called Micmacs. Even today, it is the communities of this First Nation that you will meet throughout this territory.
In Gaspé, the symbolic site of the first encounters between French explorer Jacques Cartier and this Aboriginal nation, the Micmac Interpretation Site of Gespeg's mission is to showcase the Mi'kmaq culture of the Gaspé community. Through its interpretive activities, this site highlights the history of the community from 1675 to the present day, offering an authentic and original experience to its visitors. The on-site store offers a range of authentic and quality handcrafted products. It showcases Mi'gmaq craftsmanship as well as other products from native cultures of Quebec.
On the Baie des Chaleurs side, Gesgapegiag attracts many tourists eager to take advantage of the various attractions of this part of Mi'gmaq territory. For tourists coming to tour the Gaspé, it is possible to stop in the community for a picnic in the community park or to admire the tipi that was erected by the sea in 2018.
The community of Gesgapegiag has acquired a chalet estate and has set up several tipis in Anse Sainte-Hélène to offer tourists the chance to experience an authentic stay. It is also possible for tourists to stay in the replica of the ship La Grande Hermine, one of the ships used by Jacques Cartier. For hikers and snowmobilers, Le Relais de la Cache is located near the Chic-Chocs mountains.
Every year in July, the community organizes a Pow-Wow, a traditional festival attended by all the Mi'gmaqs of the region and to which all those interested in learning about their culture and traditions are invited. This celebration combines songs, dances, cuisine and traditional stories.

Just over a month before its launch, the team of the Mtl en Arts festival, an urban, inclusive, and immersive festival that democratizes the arts, announces that comedian and host Dany Turcotte will serve as the new spokesperson for its 25th edition, which will be held from June 27 to July 1, 2024, on the pedestrianized Sainte-Catherine Street in the Village!

For this significant anniversary, the organization wanted to go all out by partnering with a public figure who shares the same values and passion for art.

“I've been following this festival for a few years now, which I've always liked, by the way, and I see an opportunity to help restore the reputation of the Village, which has suffered a lot in recent years. Moreover, I will have the chance to once again give visibility to an organization like Interligne, which is still dear to my heart. I can’t wait for June 27,” said Dany Turcotte.

“It was very important for us to have a spokesperson who shares our values regarding inclusion and diversity. Someone who also understands the importance of supporting the Village. We were already in discussions with Interligne before approaching Dany Turcotte, and when he accepted, we were really happy. Let's just say it was a happy coincidence. We are very fortunate to have a spokesperson of his caliber,” explains Stéphane Mabilais, General Director of Mtl en Arts.

Mtl en Arts takes place between St-Hubert and Papineau streets, in the Village in Montreal: 5 days, 50 visual and craft artists, emerging and professional artists from here and elsewhere. It includes animation, games, contests, participatory spaces, community organizations, diverse artistic styles, and much more.

The friendly and relaxed atmosphere of the event provides a fertile ground for exchanges and meetings between the public and artists, and it allows for an exercise in awareness and initiation to art. Mtl en Arts makes art accessible to the general public. Many of the exhibiting artists participate in its impressive exhibition-sale, while others offer a series of multidisciplinary and interactive performances.

Mtl en Arts 2024
25th edition
June 27 to July 1, 2024
mtlenarts.com
(514) 370-2269

Early one morning in early May, over coffee at Adorable Chocolat in Shediac, Acadia, his hometown, Julien Cadieux agrees to share a portion of his already extensive experience as a filmmaker, screenwriter, director, and editor.

Quickly, the issue of inclusion arises and almost becomes the central point of this interview. Because for him, that's what motivates his work as a filmmaker: giving voice and exposing the experiences of people who face issues related to their identity, origins, sexuality, interactions with institutions and organizations, social justice, among others.

 
Since 2008, after studying film at Concordia University in Montreal, he has taken on numerous projects and productions, some of which have been awarded and have been highly successful among various communities. "Cinema in Acadia has a real impact on the community. People need to see themselves in cinema. That's what drives me first in my productions," he assures.

He has personally scripted, edited, and directed a dozen productions, most related to Acadian subjects, the best known of which are Y'a une étoile (2023), Daniel Le Tisserand (2023), Farlaques (2021), Métisser une rivière (2020). In Quebec, his documentary Guilda: elle est bien dans ma peau (2014) about this famous Montreal transformist artist of French origin, a true pioneer of sexual diversity for sixty years.

 
Many of these films have been awarded at film festivals here and elsewhere, in Quebec, Canada, and even in France and the United States. It is particularly his queer-themed films that receive greater visibility and recognition. Precisely because they give voice to or highlight specific situations related to members of various LGBT communities.
Julien Cadieux has also contributed to the editing and scripting of about twenty other film or video productions since 2006.

 With Dan Robichaud, from the film Daniel Le Tisserand

Is there a queer life outside of big cities? To this question, Julien Cadieux responds that it is possible, but that various constraints may discourage those who wish to continue their life in rural areas, for example in Acadia, where LGBT-friendly healthcare services are almost non-existent. Many therefore choose to leave the regions to live in urban areas, such as Moncton, even though not everything is easily accessible there. These are the kinds of issues he addresses in several of his documentaries.

The issue of inclusion particularly interests him. In this context, he is soon to undertake a film about an immigration project in the Cap-Pelé region where many temporary foreign workers from Mexico, Jamaica, and the Philippines, among others, face difficult inclusion situations. The case of LGBT individuals among them is also of concern, according to Julien Cadieux.

 
In his film "Y'a une étoile," we meet Samuel Leblanc, a young transgender musician, who embarks on a journey with his friends from the band Écarlate through the work of Acadian artist Angèle Arseneault. Originally from a small village, Samuel has long questioned his queer identity and cultural identity. Through his double minority and the journey of young people like him, we discover that despite the obstacles, "there is a star for each of us."

This film is a very frank evocation of what Julien Cadieux wishes to demonstrate and present in his documentary cinema, in connection with Acadia, queer identity, the reality of the arts that fascinates him, and the human encounters he makes throughout his journey.

It should be noted that Julien Cadieux was named "Artist of the Year in Media Arts," specifically for the film Y'a une étoile at the Les Éloizes 2024 ceremony, the annual gala of the Association acadienne des artistes professionnel.le.s du Nouveau-Brunswick, in Shediac last Sunday, May 12.

Julien Cadieux, filmmaker
Shediac, NB
facebook.com/julien.cadieux

Nothing seems to dampen the enthusiasm of entrepreneurs Sébastien Després and Heather Wright (photo), the owners and shareholders of Shediac Wonderland. After the Auberge Le Griffon, the Moque-Tortue restaurant, and the Adorable Chocolat café-chocolaterie, they are now embarking in 2024 on the revival of the Neptune drive-in theater, its canteen, and have become concessionaires of the Parlee Beach canteen at Pointe-du-Chêne Provincial Park.

The announcement of the drive-in reopening on May 17 received positive feedback from the community and the region. “This addition to our collection of Alice in Wonderland-inspired establishments will keep its historic name (Neptune) while adopting the imaginative fantasy that has made Shediac Wonderland renowned, our company that oversees all these establishments,” say Sébastien and Heather. In this spirit, the drive-in and beach canteens will be named Morse et Marteaux.

The drive-in and Parlee Beach canteens will be called Morse et Marteaux

A Wood-Fired Meat Smoker
Additionally, Sébastien Després dreamed of a Texan-style meat smoker to supply his Moque-Tortue and Adorable Chocolat kitchens. After visiting numerous places that used such a smoker, he decided to build his own with one of his artisan-handymen. Installed at the drive-in canteen from May, it will be used to smoke wood-fired chicken and beef, which will be served at both canteens as well as in his two Shediac restaurants.

This type of equipment sells for around $30,000 in specialized businesses. The Acadian entrepreneur plans to use the experience of this first model to produce a second one that will be mobile and used to offer smoked meat barbecues from fall 2024. He already has orders for such activities at major events.

Thus, the menus at Moque-Tortue and the Adorable Chocolat café-chocolaterie will be modified to include smoked meat dishes. The second floor of Moque-Tortue will be freed from its sweet products kitchen to accommodate the meat preparation for all the establishments. Similarly, all sweet product production will be centralized in the Adorable Chocolat kitchen.

“The Neptune opportunity goes beyond just a drive-in accommodating 350 cars and screening films projected with an ultra-modern 4K projector. We saw it as the perfect opportunity to add equipment that will enhance the on-site dining offerings, as well as those of our other restaurants,” explains Sébastien Després.

An Anticipated Cinema Season
From May 10, the Neptune drive-in will welcome its first moviegoers in two years. This popular spot for several decades is already delighting many outdoor cinema enthusiasts, come rain or shine. Not to mention that evening activities are few in Shediac during the summer.

Visitors will enjoy quality sound technology via the FM band of car radios. Contracts signed with a dozen distributors will allow exclusive screenings of new releases as well as classic films that people love to rewatch during the peak tourist season. Occasionally, themed weeks will be presented, along with a big Halloween party at the end of the season. Moviegoers are expected to arrive early in the evening to enjoy the new culinary offerings while ensuring a prime spot for the screening starting after sunset.

 Sébastien, Heather, and their children.

All these transformations in the Shediac Wonderland universe mean that the company will manage more than 75 jobs over the coming months. Moque-Tortue boasts a quality kitchen team that delights its owner and will allow for the creation of new dishes, such as meat pies, among others. For the Adorable Chocolat café-chocolaterie, preparations are underway to offer a bar service.
Sébastien Després explains that he is confident that 2024 will mark a major turning point for Shediac Wonderland. Is he worried about facing significant challenges? “If I can't be the best in the region at what I do, I don't do it,” he answers without hesitation.

Neptune Drive-In
neptunedrivein.ca
506 351-0367
691 Main Street
Pointe-du-Chêne (Shediac), E4P 4Z9

Cantine Morse et Marteaux
parcsnbparks.info
506 351-0367
Parlee Beach Provincial Park
45 Parlee Beach Road
Pointe-du-Chêne, NB E4P 8V5

Shediac Wonderland
thewonderland.ca
506 351-0367

Sign of the times, the non-profit organization Le Pays de la Sagouine in Bouctouche, which launched its 2024 program on May 1st, is a victim of its own success after 32 years of existence. In just a few minutes, on Thursday, May 3rd, all $100 tickets for Zachary Richard's show "La Louisine au Lumina," scheduled for the evening of August 9th, including a festive Louisiana-flavored dinner, an intimate performance with the artist and his musicians, sold out.

Nevertheless, the executive director of the organization, Monique Poirier, reminds us that the 2024 program offers a large number of activities for everyone from May 4 to December 21, 2024. The program includes theater, entertainment, and music for the whole family, new texts, and more activities on the terrace.

Although the Ile-aux-Puces and the Terrace are open from June 23 to September 1, the full program started on Saturday, May 4, and runs until December 21, 2024.

Some new features are added in 2024: a grand show "Au pays imaginaire," Nounours Theater "L’heure du conte Bouton d’Or Acadie," two more days of music on the terrace on Wednesdays and Sundays, and new adaptations for the Clin d'œil à la Sagouine.

 
Le Pays de la Sagouine is a cultural destination where Acadian traditions are alive and joy prevails. For over 30 years, the small theatrical village located on an island in the middle of Bouctouche Bay has been buzzing all summer around the imagination of Antonine Maillet, creator of La Sagouine and many other beloved characters.

It is a unique tourist attraction in Canada. Indeed, it is entirely derived from a literary work. More than 150 people contribute their talent and energy to ensure presentations throughout the season on the mainland site and at Île-aux-Puces.

Le Pays de la Sagouine is open from Wednesday to Sunday but will be closed on August 16 due to the Acadian National Holiday.
For ticketing (site visits and shows), visit the website www.sagouine.com, the offices of Le Pays de la Sagouine, or purchase by phone.

For those planning to visit in November or December 2024, Le Pays de la Sagouine presents its 25th edition of its traditional Christmas dinner show from November 14 to December 21. Details (dates and information) are available at www.sagouine.com in the ticketing section.

Le Pays de la Sagouine (administration)
57, rue de l’Acadie
Bouctouche, NB E4S 2T7
1-800-561-9188
(closed between noon and 1 pm)

Akadi Lumina: Shedding Light on the Culture
From May 17 to October 14, in the evening after sunset, Akadi Lumina offers a magical 1.5 km nocturnal journey to encounter a vibrant culture. For a second year, the public is invited to discover a multimedia entertainment path designed by Moment Factory, a luminous and immersive trail, the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada.

No one leaves indifferent to this experience that combines light, projections, special effects, soundscapes, and original music, all in a real forest specially designed for this purpose.

Inspired by Acadian culture and history and the region's iconic landscapes, the presentation follows a walking trail near the Pays de la Sagouine site. The whole family will undoubtedly enjoy this sensational show.

Check the full schedule and rates on the website akadilumina.ca or by phone at 1-800-561-9188.

An authentically Mexican restaurant in the heart of Caraquet, in Acadia? This has been a reality since 2022. Forget some fast-food joints that offer "Mexican" dishes, which are far from representing the gastronomic delights of a country whose cuisine is undoubtedly one of the most varied and refined in the Americas.

All of this came about after the meeting of an authentic Mexican, Rodolfo Cantu, originally from the city of Monterrey, and a pure Acadian, Marie-Pier Cormier. The couple envisioned their project based on a menu of traditional gastronomic dishes inspired by Mexican cuisine, using local and regional products. The result: flavorful, fresh, and unique dishes.

The menu is simple yet varied. The dishes may vary according to the season and the arrival of products. Charcoal grilling and wood smoking, on highly professional and modern equipment, ensure exceptional quality for meats, among other things.

 
We enjoyed the tasting menu, which offers four different dishes. For starters, a shrimp cocktail, cut into pieces, in a savory sauce enhanced with avocado and seasoned tomatoes. A delight for the taste buds.

Next came the duo of Ensenada tacos (battered fish) and Pollo a la Parrilla (chicken), both made with corn flour and exquisitely prepared with accompanying sauces. In the third place, it was the Cochinita Pibil, Yucatan-style braised pork, which added a truly surprising touch of taste and flavor to the meal.

To finish, the Pastel Tres Leches (three milk cake) came to close this series of dishes, leaving no room for restraint or disappointment.

The restaurant also offers various cocktails, tequilas, and mezcals, as well as pairing wines to start the meal or accompany the dishes.
Another element that adds to the pleasure of a meal at Casa Guajillo: it is housed in a more than century-old building that has been creatively and colorfully decorated, as Mexicans know how to do. It can accommodate 22 people, and groups of up to 12 guests. It is also possible to reserve for private events (parties, office parties, etc.).

Marie-Pier, at the bar and service, and Rodolfo in the kitchen, are proud to contribute to diversifying the restaurant offerings in Caraquet and the region with their Mexican gastronomic experience. The numerous clientele has already embraced the place for two years, which is a source of joy for the restaurateur couple.

Casa Guajillo
618, boul. Saint-Pierre
Caraquet, NB E1W 1A2
506 727-4696
facebook.com/casaguajillo

According to many, Gérald Leblanc was a poet of youth and urbanity. On May 30, 2005, the artist succumbed to a long battle with cancer at the age of 59. Originally from Bouctouche, he influenced Acadian cultural life in numerous ways.

Acadia lost one of its most illustrious poets, for whom the search for personal roots served as a springboard for a fundamentally Acadian voice. His poetic language is that of "chiac," the dialect of southeastern New Brunswick, of which Leblanc was the undisputed champion. His poetic voice, rich and abundant, proudly asserts itself without seeking any external validation.

 

Author of an anthology of Acadian poetry, he stimulated other voices. His poetry poses the following question: "What is Acadian identity?" His literary work is immense, with multiple themes. In 1986, the author celebrated the absolute of love in "Lieux transitoires" and took the opportunity to affirm his homosexuality.

He led Éditions Perce-Neige in Moncton, a publishing house dedicated to new Acadian literature, from 1991 until his death. During this period, he organized numerous literary evenings and meetings. He was also one of the main lyricists for the group 1755, which made a splash in the 70s. He is credited with several Acadian song classics, some of which were covered by Marie-Jo Thériault.

This prolific and committed man of letters also shared on several occasions what inspired and shocked him. In a long correspondence (Lettres à mon ami américain 1967-2003) maintained with his cousin Joseph Olivier Roy, an American teacher of Acadian origin, comprising 161 letters written over 36 years, he shared his interest in literature and his personal evolution alongside that of Acadia over the years.

He also addresses elements that reveal much about his personality: "Alcoholics, whores, religious fanatics, homosexuals, etc. I have very, very vicious blood flowing through my veins; I have a heritage full of passion, hatred, debauchery, and sin (note that I do not say LOVE, finally, funny race)."

Leblanc states that he has "always loved writing letters" and that Roy was just one among his many correspondents of that time: " […] about fifteen people, ten 'Gay boys,' one lesbian, a few others of these 'normal' beings over the last ten years, if we collected all my correspondence, there would be enough to fill at least 2,000 volumes."

Rodrigue Jean's feature-length documentary "L’extrême frontière" (2006) at the NFB celebrates poet Gérald Leblanc. Combining wandering and belonging, this child of the Beat Generation lived far from all taboos and propelled Acadia into modernity. The film was released a year after the poet's death.

In 2020, at the initiative of two university professors, the City of Moncton inaugurated a park now bearing his name right in front of the city hall.

On the heights of Campbellton, near the Restigouche River, stands a grand manor over a hundred years old that Philippe Lévesque acquired, renovated, and lovingly furnished with good taste over the past seven years, a true passion project. But what will first delight travelers who visit is the lush and vast garden that surrounds the property.

The owner's background in botany is evident in the profusion of flowers and plants of all kinds that can be admired from May to October. Not to mention the large number of green plants and other types of greenery that occupy various spaces inside.

On its three floors, rooms and suites filled with antique or vintage furniture make this cottage a place where history and regional traditions have converged since 2022, all year round. This lover of vegetation and nature cultivates the art of warm hospitality as much as that of the plants in the vast garden.

According to some comments read on the booking site, the quality of the stay at Maison Napier is noteworthy. “The architecture and associated furniture, Napier House has retained its charm! Philippe's welcome is very warm, the breakfast just perfect, with silverware and homemade jams,” can be read among the mentions.

From the entrance, you can smell something baking in the oven, which adds to the pleasure of the stay. Breakfasts are always a precious moment of the day.

Maison Napier offers 4 bedrooms and a two-bedroom apartment for rent daily or weekly. The house's decor is in keeping with its architectural style and age, but it offers all the comforts of modern life.

Its host and owner continues his work of landscaping and renovating the residence which once hosted a senior American executive of a manufacturing company who stayed there with his family during his tenure with the Campbellton company.

Worth noting, the place is only a few steps from the Interprovincial Bridge that connects Listuguj and Pointe-à-la-Croix at the start of the Baie des Chaleurs in Quebec, and the Restigouche region on the New Brunswick side.

Maison Napier
5 Stanley Street
Campbellton, NB
506-760-1945
phili664.wixsite.com/maison-napier

Crossing the Matapedia Valley, one reaches the Restigouche River, into which the Matapedia flows. The Restigouche empties into the Chaleur Bay in the heart of the Appalachians. It is a river globally renowned as a salmon river and part of Canadian heritage. The name Restigouche comes from the Anglicization of Listuguj, the name of the Mi'gmaq community that camped along its banks hundreds of years before the arrival of the first French colonizers. Even today, the community of Listuguj, one of the most significant Mi'gmaq communities in the Maritimes, stands on the Quebec side opposite the town of Campbellton in New Brunswick.

On the right bank of the Restigouche, the newly merged town of Campbellton forms, along with the communities of Listuguj and Pointe-à-la-Croix connected by the interprovincial bridge, the most significant conurbation in the Chaleur Bay with its some 15,000 inhabitants.
The Mi'kmaq called the site Wisiamkik, meaning muddy place, referring to the sediments in the narrows of the Restigouche. The site was named Pointe-des-Sauvages around 1700 during the French colonial era, and a small village was founded there by deported Acadians in 1755, while more than 1,000 deportees settled across in Petite-Rochelle. This significant village only had a brief existence as it was razed under the orders of James Wolfe after the fall of New France in 1760. The site became a mere trading post for decades as the Acadians dispersed and founded various villages around Chaleur Bay. The town truly emerged with Scottish immigration to the region in the early 19th century. The town originally bore various names. The current name was given in 1833 in honor of Sir Archibald Campbell, Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick from 1831 to 1837.

When you reach the end of the road leading to the tip of the peninsula and spot the vast seaside estate featuring a 24-room hotel including an aesthetic care center (spa), a convention center, and 33 chalets available for rent scattered about, one realizes the scale of the welcoming place.
The site impresses with its magnitude, its streets marked like those in a village, its tranquility, and the sense of well-being it exudes, thanks to a uniquely designed layout. A stay will convince even the hardest to please. The hotel offers all the amenities one might expect from such a location. Breakfast is included and served in a room with a full sea view, but no other meals are provided during the day. Several dining options are available a short distance away in the town of Tracadie.
Villégiature Deux Rivières truly provides hotel service worthy of major hotel chains, but without the associated constraints. Martin Albert, a native son with an MBA in Business Administration from the Université de Moncton, has been the general manager since 2013. Albert was previously the general manager of the municipality of Paquetteville.

“What sets Villégiature Deux Rivières apart from chain hotels is that everything is decided and managed locally,” explains its general manager.

Martin Albert is proud to have been part of this wonderful adventure for nearly 10 years. For him, the mission and vision of Villégiature Deux Rivières are part of his everyday life. Although the place has already become a staple for quality accommodation and stays in recent years, he aims to make it “the preferred destination in Atlantic Canada, where guests can capture unforgettable Acadian-flavored memories.”
The introduction of a bike path in the area has attracted a new clientele for whom the environmental tranquility of the place, with the omnipresence of the sea and breathtaking sunrises, are key attractions. In winter, the snowmobile trails also bring many visitors.

A story that began almost 25 years ago.

It was in 1999 that the adventure of the Deux Rivières Resort Center began in Tracadie-Sheila. The municipality had entrusted the Two Rivers of Tracadie Development Corporation (CDDRT) with developing this exceptional site.
From then on, thanks to a public-private partnership agreement between a group of local investors and the CDDRT, construction of 33 chalets began. The following year, the convention center was built. In 2001, 17 new chalets were added. Then in 2009, a 20-room hotel was built. Just in time for the World Acadian Congress.

In 2012, the company underwent a name change to become Villégiature Deux Rivières, better reflecting the services offered by the business. In 2013, the Two Rivers Development Corporation of the municipality withdrew from the resort center, which is now fully managed by this corporation of owner investors.

The company wanted to grow and have enough accommodations to host medium-sized conventions on the site. The chalet investors then became shareholders of the hotel with the registration of a Deux Rivières Hotel corporation to oversee its management.

Villégiature Deux Rivières
www.deuxrivieres.ca
100, rue Deux Rivières
Tracadie-Sheila, N.B.
506.394.4050