While on a road trip, you’ll want to take a break every so often to stretch your legs for a few minutes. Why not combine this with the pleasure of stopping in a beautiful spot where you can also take great photos with your camera or smartphone? Here are 8 places to stop and take photos on your next vacation in the maritime regions of Québec.

Bas-Saint-Laurent

1. From Route 132 in Saint-André-de-Kamouraska, turn onto Rue du Quai to reach Parc de l’Ancien-Quai. From there, walk along a short trail lined with rosebushes to the Petit Phare (Little Lighthouse), which resembles the one that used to stand on Le Long Pèlerin Island. This photogenic spot is also a great place to enjoy a picnic!

2. As you continue your road trip along Route 132, you can also stop at the wharf in Trois-Pistoles. Locals like to come here to watch sunsets, and it’s also a favourite spot for visitors who want to soak up stunning maritime scenery. To get to the wharf, take Rue Jean-Rioux and then Rue du Parc. Be sure to capture a few photos as you breathe in the fresh sea air!

Gaspésie

3. Route 132 in La Haute-Gaspésie is dotted with coastal villages, all of which offer incredible views of the St. Lawrence. In Cap-Chat, you can admire both beautiful maritime scenery and the Le Nordais wind farm, the largest in Canada. Some 75 wind turbines dominate the landscape here. Stop along the beach to take photos of them!

4. The Coin-du-Banc Beach, on Route 132, is a great place to find treasures of all sorts: agates, jasper, sand dollars, shells and more! Pause here on your way to Percé (or on your way back) and go for a leisurely stroll or picnic—and snap a few photos while you’re at it! The parking lot is easily accessible from Rue de la Plage.

Côte-Nord

5. About 8 km (5 mi.) east of Baie-Comeau on Route 138, you can stop and admire a magnificent view from the St-Pancrace lookout, which is a short walk from the parking lot. At a height of 600 metres (nearly 2000 feet), you’ll be dazzled by the fjard, the cove and the St. Lawrence—and you’re bound to take some amazing photos!

6. Built on rocky flats, the village of Rivière-au-Tonnerre is also a pleasant place to stop along Route 138. Drive along Rue du Port for a lovely view of the bay and the church, which features a vault that’s 8 metres (26 feet) high and is decorated with motifs carved with a penknife! If you have time, be sure to visit this impressive wooden church.

Îles de la Madeleine

7. Located on Cap aux Meules Island, the village of L’Étang-du-Nord is accessible via Chemin de l’Étang-du-Nord from Route 199. Stop at the Site de La Côte, a public park where you can admire the fishing harbour and take photos of the colourful boats moored in a row. By the way, this spot is even more beautiful at sunset…

8. On Havre aux Maisons Island, from Route 199, take Chemin de la Pointe-Basse, which turns into Chemin des Échoueries, to reach the parking lot facing the Cap Alright Lighthouse. From here, you can walk to the edge of the road to take some lovely photos of a typical scene from the Îles de la Madeleine: a winding road, cliffs, hills, the beach and the sea.

Are these suggestions inspiring you to hit the road? Can you recommend any other spots to stop and take photos in our regions? Check out our road trip ideas to help you start planning your trip through Eastern Québec today!