Percé, Quebec
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Percé is a small touristic village on the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec. It is 432.41 square km in area and had a population of 3,614 at the 2001 census. It has a strong history of being an important fishing centre for the Mi'kmaq people and later in the 17th century, the area became the most important fishing location on the Gaspé Peninsula for the European settlers when Charles Robin, from Jersey, constructed the infrastructure for a fishing industry. Some of the old buildings related to fishing can still be seen however today the area is mainly a tourist location particularly well known for the attractions of Percé Rock and Bonaventure Island.
[edit] Tourist locations
Percé Rock is a natural tourist attraction with impressive size, colour and beauty, and can be seen from any of the belvederes in the area including Mount Joli, Mount Sainte-Anne and Pic de l'Aurore. Tourists can walk up to the hole in the rock at low tide.
Bonaventure Island occupies an area of 4.16 square km facing the town of Percé. It is populated by one of the most important gannet colonies in the world and many other species of birds such as puffins, cormorants and murres also use the island as a home and breeding ground.
Further inland from Percé lays Mount Blanc with its very deep and spectacular crevasse, as well as many other belvederes that overlook Cannes-de-Roches. Mount Sainte-Anne, with a height of 375 metres, provides views of the sea, and at times the further off Miscou Island in New Brunswick.
Percé can only be accessed through Route 132, coming either from the north or the south.
