Since they border the St. Lawrence, the maritime regions of Québec have a rich maritime heritage. While navigation has marked the history of Bas-Saint-Laurent, it's mostly the fisheries that have left their mark in Gaspésie, Côte-Nord and the Îles de la Madeleine. To immerse yourself in the history of these regions, all you need to do is visit their many historic sites. Below is a brief overview of a few of them.

Bas-Saint-Laurent

The lighthouses of the St. Lawrence are an important part of the maritime heritage of Bas-Saint-Laurent. Many were built in the mid-19th century, following numerous shipwrecks and groundings. Between 1840 and 1850 alone, over 200 such maritime incidents occurred. The Île Verte, Île Bicquette and Pointe-au-Père lighthouses were the first to be built while the Pot-à-l’Eau-de-Vie Lighthouse followed shortly after. Today, these sentries still stand guard along the St. Lawrence—visiting these lighthouses is an opportunity for unique maritime experiences!

Pointe-au-Père has long been the gateway to the St. Lawrence Seaway and is where pilot changeovers took place. In fact, it was during such a manoeuvre, while a dense fog rolled over the water, that the village of Pointe-au-Père witnessed the Empress of Ireland shipwreck, which claimed over 1000 lives in 1914. Visiting the Pointe-au-Père Maritime Historic Site will give you the opportunity to learn about the village’s role in the history of the St. Lawrence Seaway. You’ll also find out more about the Empress of Ireland shipwreck and the difficulties of navigating the St. Lawrence in this area. Finally, you can also climb the 128 steps to the top of the second tallest lighthouse in Canada.

Beyond naval stories, Bas-Saint-Laurent was also a prime tourist destination in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Every summer, vacationers from Montréal, Ontario and the United States would come to Cacouna, Notre-Dame-du-Portage, Kamouraska and other nearby coastal villages to enjoy the fresh air and the sea. By following the Navigators’ Route, you’ll be able to see the English influences on the architecture of the houses in these villages while enjoying a trip back in time!

Did you know that in 1839, a British campaign fortress was erected in Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac during a border conflict between the United States and Canada? Explore the past and immerse yourself in this war in the company of soldiers in period costume as you watch cannon- and musket-firing demonstrations. The many artefacts found during archaeological digs are also sure to pique your curiosity!

Gaspésie

Long before colonization, during the Devonian period, Gaspésie was the birthplace of many vertebrates and invertebrates, as demonstrated by the fossils found in Parc national de Miguasha. While visiting the prehistoric site and the Natural History Museum, you’ll see actual specimens collected in the park, some dating back about 380 million years!

It was only about 400 million years later that Christopher Columbus, Jacques Cartier and other Europeans explored the North American continent. In Gaspé, stop at the Birthplace of Canada, a representation of the village as it was in 1900, where costumed interpreters bring this period to life. You can also discover several historic sites in the area that commemorate Cartier’s first voyage to the New World and retrace the region’s history from colonization to today. Among other things, you’ll learn that one of the last battles in the Seven Years’ War took place in Restigouche. The Battle of the Restigouche National Historic Site presents the highlights of this historic event.

Following the Seven Years’ War, many Acadians, Loyalists, Jersey Islanders and Guernsey Islanders settled in Gaspésie. A number of historic sites commemorate this fact, most of which are part of the Route de la Morue (Cod Route): Manoir Le Boutillier, the Grande-Grave heritage site, Parc national de l’Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé, the Paspébiac National Historic Site, etc. Along with forestry, cod fishing is one of the industries that most shaped the history of the Gaspé Peninsula.

Because Gaspésie is located at the mouth of the St. Lawrence, it played a key role in the history of navigation in Canada. The many lighthouses that dot the coast of the peninsula bear witness to this. The Pointe-à-la-Renommée Historic Site, which was home to North America’s first maritime radio station, presents exhibitions on the evolution of communications over the years and the lives of the lightkeepers, while the Cap-des-Rosiers and Cap-Gaspé lighthouses offer various interpretive activities.

Gaspésie has also been a renowned Atlantic salmon-fishing destination for decades. See for yourself by visiting the Site patrimonial de pêche Matamajaw, a fishing heritage site in Causapscal that was once one of the most famous private fishing clubs in Québec. Immerse yourself in the history of this luxurious establishment that welcomed prestigious guests, thanks to an immersive audio experience that will guide you through the site’s heritage buildings.

Îles de la Madeleine

As is the case in Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie, the history of the Îles de la Madeleine is steeped in maritime traditions. Fishing was what drew people to the Islands, which were mostly settled by Acadian families as well as a few English-speaking families, largely of Scottish descent. The latter are concentrated on Grosse-Île and Entry Island. The Entry Island Museum retraces the history of these families on the only inhabited island not connected to the rest of the archipelago by land.

Along with tourism, fishing has always been, and still is, the primary economic driver in the region. In the early 20th century, the Islands were renowned for their many smokehouses where herring, cod and other fish were preserved. When overfishing led to dwindling fish stocks, the smokehouses closed their doors one by one. It was not until decades later that Fumoir d’Antan resumed its activities, so now tourists and locals alike can enjoy a variety of products that have been smoked using traditional methods handed down from generation to generation.

Vestiges of the cod fishery can still be found at the La Grave heritage site, where the fish were prepared. Several of the original buildings have been given new vocations, thanks to local efforts to develop this historic gem. Today, restaurants, boutiques and inns operate alongside each other on this site.

Want to learn more? Visit the exhibition at the Musée de la Mer (maritime museum), which recounts the history of the Îles de la Madeleine from yesteryear to today. The museum’s collection of photos and artefacts presents the daily lives of the Islanders as well as the shipwrecks off the Islands and the rudiments of fishing, agriculture and navigation.

Côte-Nord

The Minganie and Lower North Shore areas in Côte-Nord also have Acadian roots; in addition, many Islanders settled these areas in search of new fishing grounds. Les Galets in Natashquan is a heritage site made up of fishing cabins once used by the cod fishery. These buildings still stand along the sea and bear witness to all the hard work involved in this industry.

Further east, in the heart of the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, two lighthouses still guard the coast of Côte-Nord on Petite Île au Marteau and Île aux Perroquets. Both have witnessed many shipwrecks, as well as the isolated lives of the lightkeepers and their families.

Towns and villages west of Minganie have a more recent history, since their economies were based on industrialization and the exploitation of natural resources, particularly through mining. The Manic-2 and Manic-5 dams on the Manicouagan River are some of the greatest human achievements in Québec.

All of this is only a very brief overview of hundreds of years of history and doesn’t even include the Indigenous heritage of these areas. Discovering our regions through their many historic sites will give you an even greater appreciation for the natural and human heritage of the maritime regions of Québec!