Ile Bonaventure and the Rock of Percé

The tip of the peninsula is heavily touristed, but for good reason; the scenery is quite spectacular. Above is the famous Rock of percé ("Percé" is French for "pierced")

This is where the end of the Appalachian mountain range disappears into the sea. The Rock last gasp of the Appalachians. You can walk out to this enormous natural arch at low tide...it's not to be missed...just make sure you don't get stranded by the incoming tide!

The northern shore, along the Gulf of St Lawrence, is very different. [144k Map of the North shore] Forested hills come down almost to the water's edge. There's a good, but lightly traveled road along the shore, and a railroad track...and very little else. Every 10-25 km you'll come to a little fishing village where a stream cuts through the hills to the Gulf. In between the villages, the coast is deserted. It's quite a contrast from the south shore. You'll need a good tolerance for cold water to swim here.