Paspébiac National Historic Site
Netting 200 years of fishing stories
The walls of the striking buildings of the Banc-de-Pêche-de-Paspébiac historic site seem to echo with voices. They tell tales of miraculous catches, salting and drying tonnes of cod and the daily lives of the fishermen, carpenters, coopers and blacksmiths who made this site the hub of the Gulf of St. Lawrence fishing industry. It’s a site brimming with history, tucked between the land and the sea.
To see and experience
Visit eight of the eleven period buildings, including the cook-room, office, carpentry shop, blacksmith’s shop, cooperage, powder magazine, shed and LeBoutillier warehouse – the largest wooden building in North America, erected between 1845 and 1850.
Explore two exhibitions! Theexhibition in the LeBoutillier warehouse tells the story of Paspébiac as the historic capital of fishing in the Gaspé, the international growth of the local fishing industry, spurred by companies from the island of Jersey, and the lives of the people who shaped this part of the country. In the carpentry shop, you can learn all about the busy Robin shipyard in the 19th century.
You can watch presentations and demonstrations of traditional boatbuilding techniques, fishing net mending, blacksmithing and cooperage (barrel making).
Before setting sail, visit the La Barge gift shop, featuring Gaspé handicrafts and tasty fare.
Exceptional experience
Breathe in that salty air
Stroll along the path next to the beach and head to the wharf. If you’ve worked up an appetite on your walk, drop into L’Ancre, the site’s restaurant, for delicious traditional fish and seafood dishes.