Driving Quebec’s Gaspésie coastline is dramatic and awe-inspiring, with charming sea-side communities, and one of my favourite highlights is the town of Percé.
Nestled between the ocean and the cliffs in Quebec’s maritime region, Percé is a lively, scenic vacation destination that offers everything for a memorable trip.
Cozy up by the ocean and enjoy the views looking out over Percé rock and Île Bonaventure. Enjoy fresh seafood and go on a hike, or head out on a boat cruise. Percé is warm and welcoming, and worth a road trip on your next vacation.
The charm and appeal of Percé is as simple as walking the boardwalk through town, but there are a wide variety of places to stay, a world-class UNESCO heritage site, and an island like few others to hike and explore.
Why you need to visit this coastal vacation town
Percé feels casual, natural, and relaxed, and it’s ideal to explore for at least two nights on a Quebec maritime road trip, whether you’re driving from Montreal, Fredericton, Toronto, or elsewhere.
The main street is dotted with restaurants and stores, alongside hotels and inns, near the wharf, and the shoreline. Benches along the water offer the perfect place to sit and relax, and take in the view of Percé rock. There’s even a lookout tower you can climb to get a better view of the waterfront.
Near the wharf, l’Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé park offers an interpretive centre before visiting the island, and Musée Le Chafaud has rotating art exhibitions in a heritage building.
From the wharf you can take a very informative cruise of the harbour to see Percé rock, and around l’Île-Bonaventure, where you’ll see some of the thousands of birds that live on the islands, and learn about their habits and the history of the area.
At the end of the boat cruise you can also get off at l’Île-Bonaventure park so you can explore, and it’s a beautiful place for a hike. More than that though, you can also walk across the island trails to the Northern Gannet bird colony where an estimated 50,000 birds gather during summer to nest and lay their eggs.
The walk across the island takes about an hour on the shortest hike, and it’s an incredible sight to see all the birds gathered, flying around, and taking care of their young. You can also hike through the remnants of the village that used to be on the island, and take in the coastal beauty looking back toward Percé.
For the adventurous, you can also book sea kayaking in Percé, and discover the sea caves nearby, as well as whale watching, fishing, and other cruises around the coast.
Nearby you can explore Chute de la Rivière-aux-Émeraudes, a park with rapids and a waterfall that’s perfect for swimming, or try local beer at Microbrasserie Pit Caribou.
Last but certainly not least, Geopark de Percé is a UNESCO heritage site with over 18 km of hiking trails, and a magnificent view overlooking the town with a suspended glass platform you can step onto to feel the thrill of standing 660 feet in the air.
Where to stay in Percé
Percé has a lot of options for where you can stay, including hotels, inns, and nearby B&Bs, as well as camping.
Riotel Percé is one of the largest properties in town with a restaurant, rooms with balconies, and an overall upscale style.
There’s also Manoir de Percé, Hôtel le Mirage on the edge of town, Hôtel la Normandie, Motel et Chalets Glenn, and Chalets Camping Nature Océan.
For travellers with an RV or who want to go camping there’s Côte Surprise, Le Camping Havre de la nuit, and Camping Village.
A little further outside town, but on a scenic stretch of driving and near the bird watching area of Pointe Saint Pierre, I really enjoyed Le Nordet, an upscale motel with a cafe and bar, Nordic spa, and they also offer kayaking experiences.
The area has some wonderful places to stay, and the prices are excellent, so it’s worth visiting for at least 2-3 nights to see the area, and explore all of the highlights.
A few ideas for your trip
Summer is beautiful in Percé, with the peak season running from the start of June until the end of August. During this season you’ll see a wide range of animals in the area, including the Northern Gannets, whales, seals, and other marine and bird life.
The season is warm, but the sea breezes cool you off nicely, so it’s often more comfortable than inland, and the area is lively and fun.
During peak season, and sometimes on popular days in the early fall, it’s wise to book boats, excursions, and other tickets in advance, as they may sell out. Plan to book accommodations and other tickets at least 4-6 weeks in advance to avoid disappointment.
Late summer and early fall are also wonderful in Percé, and it’s slightly quieter between the start of September and mid-October. During that time it’s somewhat easier to book accommodations, but keep in mind that some activities, restaurants, stores, and parks may offer reduced hours. Ideally, you should check ahead with anything you want to see and do, and book tickets in advance.
The drive to Percé from Montreal is just over 10 hours, but there are a number of places where you can stay, depending on the route you pick. Driving directly from Montreal, the route along the St. Lawrence River is gorgeous, and you can make it even more interesting by driving through Tadoussac, on the north west side of the river, and then taking the ferry from Les Escoumins to Trois-Pistoles to continue the drive to Percé.
Not far from Percé you’ll also find Forillon National Park, and numerous lighthouses along the northern coastline.
Driving to the area from New Brunswick is also a great road trip, and it’s close to a 7 hour drive from Moncton. The drive between Pointe-à-la-Croix and Percé is also filled with great places to stop and enjoy the scenic coastline.
More information
Plan your trip with some helpful resources from Tourism Gaspésie, with full guides on exploring the region of Le Rocher-Percé.
Le Québec maritime also offers guides and activity suggestions with helpful tips to plan your trip.
La Sépaq, Quebec’s parks organization, offers a lot of helpful information about Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher park, and visit the Les Croisières Julien Cloutier to learn more about the boats to the island.
Watch my video to see more about visiting Percé, with a few highlights from the area.
Looking for hotels and places to stay in Percé? Use the map below to search for options.
All photos by W. Andrew Powell/The GATE.
