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Enjoy sweeping views over mountains and sea as you hit the links on this beautifully manicured 6,428-yard, par-73 course on the Gaspé-Percé city line, but don't get too distracted by the scenery: with the ruins of a World War II-era coastal fortification doubling as hazards and a doozy of a second hole at 702 yards and par 6, Fort-Prével presents a truly challenging scenario for the golfer. There's also an onsite putting green for those looking to hone their short game, a practice field that plays host frequently to free training sessions for beginner golfers, an onsite restaurant, and even a hotel and campground. Staff is unfailingly polite and friendly. Website in French only.
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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.
Miniature golf course in Cap-aux-Os with attached snack bar.
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.
Phare de Cap-des-Rosiers
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.
Club de ski de fond Les Éclairs
No, your GPS hasn't misdirected you — the way to Les Éclairs ski club does pass through a nondescript industrial park in York Centre. But there's nothing ugly about the extensive network of well-manicured trails, open to cross-country skiers and snowshoers alike, on the club's vast forested tract whose back end abuts the grounds of Michel Pouliot Airport. Website in French only.
Gaspé, Berceau du Canada
Located on the waterfront across from Place Jacques-Cartier, this cluster of about a half-dozen buildings operates as a sort of miniature living-history museum depicting the village of Gaspé as it was around 1900, complete with interpreters in period costume. Tuck in to a nice meal at the tavern, explore the fish warehouse and old general store, tour the Horatio Leboutillier House (the genuine article, built c. 1850), or take off on one of the walking tours of modern-day downtown Gaspé that begin and end here. At the centre of it all is a granite replica of Jacques Cartier's cross, dedicated in 1934 on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of his landing.