FORILLON NATIONAL PARK

Located at the very tip of the Gaspé Peninsula, it's Gaspé's main attraction. Enter at Saint-Majorique and exit at Rivière-au-Renard (or vice versa). To explore the entire park, we recommend a day's drive to discover the villages and main attractions in the area, followed by a day or more on foot in the park's conservation zone. For winter activities, please contact the park, as some services are not available.

The word forillon means little lighthouse. This national park was conceived in 1970 under the theme of harmony between man, land and sea. In addition to its landscape configuration of sheer cliffs, pebble beaches and caves, the park's great appeal lies in its flora and fauna. Lynx, beaver, moose, red fox and bear live here in harmony with nature. The various forests (mixed, coniferous and deciduous), freshwater marshes, meadows and dune vegetation will enchant you. The park is home to large colonies of seabirds, as well as various species of seals and whales, including humpback, minke and white-sided dolphins.

The park has two visitor centers at the entrances to the North and South sectors, open from late May to mid-October. However, services and activities are mainly offered from June to early September, and in some cases until mid-October. The park remains accessible in winter for cross-country skiing (three trails), fat-biking and snowshoeing (reservations by telephone with Centre culturel Le Griffon). Four buildings are open in winter: the chalet at the La Vallée and Le Portage departure points, the Répi-Nord chalet and the service buildings at Grande-Grave and Penouille.

Lodging: 3 semi-developed campgrounds, for a total of 350 sites (reservations: +1 877 737 8783 - reservation.pc.gc.ca). The Cap-Bon-Ami clifftop campground offers breathtaking views. Other accommodations: ready-to-camp (oTENTik tents, small MicrOcube chalets and Ôasis teardrop-shaped unusual lodgings), yurts, wilderness camping (no charge, but registration required at the Visitor Centre or at the collection point).

Activities: hiking, biking, discovery and whale-watching cruises, recreation center with pool and wading pool, sea kayaking, kitesurfing, swimming, saltwater and shore fishing, scuba diving and snorkeling, visits to heritage sites, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fatbike, etc.