Percé, Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec, Canada

Marjorie Turner Hollman is an author, creator, observer, and disability advocate who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

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It’s the rock that will grab you when you come around the bend in the road. Massive, kinda rectangular. My first view was near sunset. The light hit the massive stone structure just off shore and turned it a glowing gold-reddish hue. A small arch at the bottom, at sea level, added an intriguing detail to this iconic landmark, Percé Rock, just offshore from the boardwalk and bustling tourist town of Percé.

We visited at the end of tourist season. The sidewalks were still thronged with visitors. The mountains are so close to the shore that buildable land is at a premium. Locating parking, free or paid, was a challenge. The French pastry shop was busy, but we managed to grab some fresh croissants for breakfast and other delicacies. Percé UNESCO Global Geopark (with an adjoining campground) is open June 1 to Oct. 4, 9-5.

The hiking trails in this area were challenging for me. Getting to trail heads was either a substantial hike (for me) or costly. Being driven to a view and short hike was an option, for a fee, a van ride up the rough road to the top of the mountain overlooking the town of Percé.

A much easier walking option is in the midst of the downtown of Percé. An extended, ten-foot wide boardwalk allows visitors to stroll along the shoreline, take advantage of the multiple benches situated on the boardwalk itself, and admire the shops of the downtown. The boardwalk goes past the public dock and then beyond. A viewing tower stands at the edge of the boardwalk. During our walk a musician climbed the tower and treated us to a half-hour acoustic guitar concert (in French).

The tower offers a different perspective from below on the boardwalk of Percé Rock and Bonaventure Island, both just offshore. Plaques along the way (in French and English) educate visitors about the efforts undertaken to restore the boardwalk and seawall after a massive storm surge destroyed the wall and the former walkway. On our travels in Quebec we saw multiple references to concerns about climate change and the steps the province is undertaking to preserve what is possible and prepare for the future.

Percé Rock and Bonaventure Island stand just offshore and are reachable by boat. We signed up for the boat tour which allowed us to get close to the massive rock, then took us in a circle around the island. Cliffs on the far side of Bonaventure Island, not visible from shore, host a huge gannet rookery.

Seals take advantage of the island’s inaccessible cliffs.

These large seabirds nest on the island’s steep cliffs.  The birds travel miles from there to fish along the shoreline. Our campsite was within view of the rock and the island. Gannets that were inclined to stay near their nesting sites spent much of the day diving for fish in the small cove that we overlooked.

Watching gannets dive for fish is a world of entertainment in itself. I spent an afternoon at our campground. (my husband was off to the mountain to hike) watching these birds perform their hunting routine. They soar about, scanning the water’s surface. Suddenly, they will tip sideways, then fold their wings and smash through the water’s surface. Each dive produces an explosion of spray. (They clearly never were coached on those smooth entries springboard divers work to perfect.) I was reminded of summers spent at the swimming pool, launching myself into the water, grasping my knees in a tuck position, and shouting, “Cannonball!” before plunging into the water. The bigger the splash, the better.

The multitude of birds in the area meant that I often witnessed two, three, sometimes more birds hit the water simultaneously. “Fire one, fire two…” Some say I am easily amused. I am inclined to agree.

Other than walking directly up the mountain from the visitor center, each option for taking advantage of activities at the Percé UNESCO Global Geopark appeared to have a separate fee. After paying for parking at the geopark and learning of their fee structure we chose to find other ways of exploring. On my husband’s hike he stopped at The Grotto (one of the geopark’s destinations by shuttle van) and felt it would be a path I would be able to navigate. He had stopped there in the midst of his 4-5 mile hike.

But when we set out to visit the grotto, we discovered that access was limited. We would have to walk uphill at least a mile on the rough track to reach our destination. The access road has warning signs posted prohibiting motorized vehicles. We found an historic church nearby that had parking. The sign asked for payment for parking there too. Honor system. We try to think of ourselves as honorable. We began our walk from there.

Fall had begun to show its colors on this trip. Not at peak, for sure, but we found many hints of the coming season of change. When we reached the Grotto trail we found parking spaces. Perhaps others knew better than us and understood they could ignore the “no entrance” warnings. The grouse beside the path certainly had no qualms about our being there.

Several benches offered resting places along the short walk up from the head of the Grotto trail. Some stairs provided an assist as we drew near to cascade of water sliding down the side of the rock overhang.

A statue of Sainte-Anne stood at the edge of the Grotto. Multiple prayer cards, photos, trinkets and other memorabilia served as a reminder that the grotto has become a pilgrimage destination.

The quiet, the gentle drips that fall into the small pools below, inspire a sense of the sacred. We allowed those ahead of us on the trail to linger in solitude. We then approached the platform and stood in silence. No other visitors stood waiting. We took our time before heading back down the stairway.

We decided to send my husband back for our car and I remained near the small cascade. A quick trip up the road to pick me up would surely not disturb anyone. Walking back downhill for a mile on loose gravel was not a great option for my tired legs.

Walking along the restored boardwalk, hearing French spoken in all the shops. Snacking on one more French pastry. Enjoying locally-grown fresh strawberries. Taking in the views. I understood the draw of this special place. When it was time for us to head on for our tour of the Gaspé Peninsula, I was reluctant to say goodbye. Till we return…. Happy trails!

Marjorie