Gaspé, the main town of the peninsula and the administrative and commercial center, is on a hillside overlooking the York Rivière, which runs into Gaspé Bay. The town owes its fame to Jacques Cartier, since it was here that he first set foot on the continent of North America in July 1534, fashioned a wooden cross under the gaze of the local settlers and took possession of the land "in the name of the King of France".
Nowadays Gaspé is a community based on fishing and the fishing industry.
The local museum, Musée de la Gaspésie, tells of Jacques Cartier's voyages. It also gives an account of the Anglo-French struggle for power over this region, and depicts the lives of those early settlers.
Visitors will learn about the social and cultural history of the area through a large collection of artefacts and fine art.
Address: Musée de la Gaspésie, 80, boulevard Gaspé, Gaspé, QU G4X1A9, Canada
Phone: 1 (418) 368-1534, Fax: 1 (418) 368-1535
Hours:
June 1 to October 31: 9am-5pm
November 1 to May 31: 9am-12pm, 1pm-5pm; Sat:9am-12pm, 1pm-5pm
Read More
Read Less
