Mont Sainte-Anne

Its name isn't exactly accurate, but it's lovely all the same: this is not a grotto but a lovely little waterfall nestled in the niche between Mont Sainte-Anne and Mont Blanc, where a mountain stream tumbles over a wall of red rock into a shallow pool. All this takes place inside a semicircular natural amphitheatre where — in keeping with the history of these mountains as a Catholic pilgrimage site (see below) — statues of the Virgin Mary and other religious baubles abound.

It's a longer hike to Mont Blanc than either The Grotto or Mont Sainte-Anne, but it's worthwhile: the Sentier de la Crevasse trail takes you alongside a deep crevice in the side of the mountain which, at a height of some 300 m (1,000 feet) straight down, makes for a dizzying experience. Mont Blanc is a bit taller than Mont Sainte-Anne; its summit is accessible via a steep dirt track that begins at the end of sentier de la Crevasse and affords beautiful views over the Gaspesian coast north of Percé and out to the open ocean.

The Percé Yacht Club is the Gaspé Peninsula's foremost epicentre of scuba diving. Founded as a not-for-profit organization with a mission of educating visitors about the diverse and fragile aquatic ecosystem of Bonaventure Island and Percé Rock National Park, the club offers dives at a dozen sites along the north and east shore of Bonaventure Island. Half- and full-day excursions unveil a great variety of spectacular submarine sights such as majestic rock formations, huge undersea caves, and a burnt-out fishing boat that wrecked in 1984 — not to mention sea life like sponges, lobsters, sea anemones, and harbour seals. If you don't have your PADI certification, $300 will buy you a full-day certification course with a test dive — that price includes equipment, transportation to and from the dive site, the National Park entry fee, and your provincial certification card — but if you want to fast-track it, there's also a half-day "Introduction to Deep-Sea Diving" course for $150 that suffices for a dive alongside a certified instructor. Your second dive is $75 if you choose the latter option. Website in French only.

Take your pick: two-and-a-half hour whale-watching cruises are offered in the comfort of the climate-controlled Capitaine Duval II, or you can charter a Zodiac for a more wet-and-wild, up-close-and-personal experience (waterproof gear is provided for your convenience). Knowledgeable bilingual staff.

This family-run business operates 3-hour whale-watching cruises in a large, comfortable ship: if you're prone to seasickness, this is the option for you. Website in French only.

The stunning scenery of the Percé area has inspired a boatload of landscape artists over the year, and their works are displayed at this museum on the ground floor of an old 19th-century waterfront warehouse once owned by the Charles Robin fishing company. Le Chafaud's permanent collection includes mostly paintings, but also some engravings, photographs, and pen-and-ink drawings. Travelling exhibitions are frequently hosted as well.