Cantine du Golf

Le Centaure offers a diversity of equestrian experiences whose durations, intensities, and skill requirements vary widely — from one-hour sessions on the grounds of their spacious ranch in Cap-aux-Os that are perfect for beginners, to longer expeditions to Sandy Beach (2 hours) and Forillon National Park (5 hours), to multi-day expeditions to further-flung destinations like Gaspésie National Park. Website in French only.

Sea kayaking is the name of the game at Aube sur Mer, with several different regularly-scheduled excursions setting off from their Cap-aux-Os headquarters. "Ride with the Seals" (Balade aux phoques) is a two-hour jaunt suitable for all skill levels, departing four times daily (8AM, 11AM, 2PM, and 5PM) for a visit to the Forillon seal colonies. More avid kayakers can get up bright and early for the "At the End of the World" (Au Bout du monde) excursion's 7AM daily departure, which goes further afield to the tip of Cap-Gaspé: five to six hours in all. Real kayaking fanatics can inquire about longer two-, three-, and four-day excursions around the region, and if you don't quite trust your sea legs, Aube sur Mer offers a choice of two Paddle Canada-accredited training courses: a one-day introductory class for $115, and a more in-depth two-day course for $225. And if human-powered vessels aren't your thing, Aube sur Mer also offers customized sailboat excursions on the bay accompanied by a trained captain.

The Gaspé Regional Museum's purview cuts a broad swath, covering the rich history, charming culture, and surprisingly vibrant art scene of the region. In the museum's main exhibit, "Gaspésie... A Grand Journey" (Gaspésie... Le Grand voyage), the region's story is told through the mouths of the men and women who shaped it, but that's just the beginning: fans of old-fashioned chanson can peruse a collection of old photos and heirlooms belonging to Mary "La Bolduc" Travers, the so-called "Queen of Canadian Folk Singers" who lived in Newport just down the road, and those interested in the history of the Gaspesian cod fishery — once the linchpin of the area's economy — can step aboard the Gaspésienne No. 20, a historic fishing boat restored and outfitted to its original appearance, and/or strap on a virtual-reality headset and "set out" on Gaspé Bay with a pair of friendly fishermen to learn more. There's also a range of temporary exhibits focusing on more specific aspects of Gaspesian identity (check website for current offerings), extensive archives of documents and artifacts for researchers, an onsite bistro, and a gift shop selling original artwork and gifts produced by local artists and artisans.

Also situated on the grounds of the museum, with an apropos setting overlooking the bay roughly halfway between In Memory of Her and the museum building itself, is this cluster of six upright granite tablets, carved on one side with bas-relief sculptures depicting Cartier's historic landing at Gaspé on July 24, 1534 — the founding date of the colony of New France — and inscribed on the other with passages from the journals of both Cartier and Father Chrestien Leclerq, who accompanied him on the expedition.

Located on the grounds of the Gaspé Regional Museum, this concrete statue — the work of Percé native Renée-Mao Clavet — was dedicated in 2013 in honour of the contribution of women to Quebecois history and society. 5 metres (16 feet) in height, the sculpture depicts a pregnant woman in a flowing skirt, with a face designed in an ambiguous way so as to be representative of Francophone, Anglophone, and First Nations women alike. The book and the satchel of traditional medicinal herbs that the figure carries symbolize women's contributions to the fields of education and medicine.

The tallest lighthouse in Canada at a height of 34.1 metres (112 feet), Cap-des-Rosiers Lighthouse has been warning traffic on the St. Lawrence away from the rocky headland on which it stands since 1858 — using the original optical apparatus, no less. Now fully restored and automated, it was named a National Historic Site of Canada in 1973.