The Gaspé Peninsula (Gaspésie region of Québec) is an area of unique coastal and mountainous beauty, and Percé is probably its most famous area due to its iconic “pierced” rock (aka the Rocher Percé) located just offshore from the small coastal town. Beyond this famous landmark, Percé and the surrounding area have so much more to offer, definitely enough to keep you entertained for several days. You’ll find several beautiful hiking areas, the world’s second-largest Northern Gannet colony on nearby Bonaventure Island, a few popular microbreweries, and some of the best seafood restaurants the region has to offer. Below we present our Best Things to See and Do in Percé to help you get the most out of your time in the area.
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You might also be interested in these pages:
Gaspésie Best Attractions and Road Trip Itinerary
10 Awesome Hiking Trails to Discover in Gaspésie
Best Things to See and Do Percé
Gaspésie’s Most Beautiful Lighthouses
Orientation – Percé Location
The small town of Percé (population of approximately 3,000), located a the eastern tip of the Gaspésie region of Québec (Gaspé Peninsula), is about 1,000 km from Montreal. Most people will visit Percé (and the Gapsé Peninsula) via a road trip from Montreal or Québec City. Although it is a long drive, it is very scenic, particularly as you get east of Québec City.
To get here from Québec City, it’s about an 8-hour drive (750 km) and it’s about a 10h30 drive from Montreal (1000km). There are a lot of great places along the way where you can spend a night (or more) to break up the long drive, and we detail some of these in our Gaspesie Road Trip Itinerary Travel Guide. Some of our favorites include BIC National Park and Gaspésie National Park.
An alternative way to reach Percé is to take a bus with Orléans Express from either Montreal, Ottawa or Québec City. However, you’ll be limited in your ability to visit the region afterwards, which is best explored with your own or rented vehicle. Public transportation options in Gaspésie are limited and infrequent given the region’s low population density.
If you need to book a rental vehicle, we highly recommend using Discover Cars to get the best rates on your rental in Montreal.
We also highly recommend Airalo (eSIM card) for your connectivity needs when travelling abroad. Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide.
Three regional airports in Gaspésie have passenger services (Mont-Joli, Gaspé, and Bonaventure). Gaspé Airport (YGP) has direct flights with Québec City, whereas Bonaventure Airport (YVB), which is along the region’s south coast and is unrelated to the nearby Bonaventure Island, has direct flights from Montreal. Gaspé, Gaspésie’s largest town with a population of about 15,000, is about a 45-minute drive from Percé. Bonaventure is further away, about a 2-hour drive from Percé.
Gas Stations
Percé being such a small town (and often referred to as a village), it has no gas stations. The nearest ones are 15 km outside side, in either direction.
Car Parks
If you are not staying in town and would like to park your car for ty there, there are several options, all of which charge hourly or daily rates.
Best Time to Visit Percé
Finally, note that because of its remoteness and harsh winters, many sites and attractions in the area are only open for a few months during the summer months (usually from early/mid-June to mid/late September). Moreover, the boat service to Bonaventure Island only from June 2nd to October 14th (2024).
Although the warmest months to visit are July and August, they also tend to be the busiest. We would suggest visiting in late June or late August/early September to benefit from good weather with fewer other tourists around. That being said, given the short season when the region is open to tourism, there isn’t really a bad time to go.
Best Things to See and Do in Percé
The Percé Rock (“Le Rocher Percé“)
For many, the town of Percé is synonymous with its major attraction, the Percé Rock.
The Percé Rock is a huge sheer rock formation in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence on the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula (433 metres (1,421 ft) long, 90 metres (300 ft) wide, and 88 metres (289 ft) high, with an arch 15 metres (49 ft) high on its seaward southern end). It is one of the world’s largest natural arches located in water and is considered a geologically and historically rich natural icon of Quebec.
There are many ways to experience and see the Rocher Percé.
1. From the town boardwalk and beach. Some of the best views are easy to have and free. Percé has a beautiful boardwalk and a pebble beach from which you can admire the imposing Percé Rock.
2. From Cap Mont Joli. If you want to get a closer view, this is the place to go. Just a short walk from the boardwalk is the small hill next to the Rocher Percé known as Cap Mont Joli. You’ll need to walk uphill for a few minutes and pay a 1$ entrance fee to access the viewpoint.
Aside from the fantastic views of the Rocher Percé, the scenery around Cap-Mont-Joli is quite beautiful and scenic.
3. With a boat cruise. Two private companies offer trips departing from the Percé wharf (by the boardwalk): Les Bateaux de Croisières Julien Cloutier and Les Bateliers de Percé. Tickets are available on-site only from one of the ticket booths in Percé. To our knowledge, no boat trips only go around the Rocher Percé, but combine a visit to the rock with a trip to Bonaventure Island. Both companies charge $45 for a trip that includes a close-up tour of the Rocher Percé and a trip to the Bonaventure Island with return (2024 rates; reduced rates available for children). Consult the ferry company websites for up-to-date boat transit schedules, as they change throughout the tourist season (though typically the first departure is around 9 am and the last return trip leaves the island around 4 or 5 pm).
4. From Mont-Joli Beach at Low Tide. We will start here with a word of caution. The cliff faces around Cap-Mont-Joli and the Rocher Percé are prone to rock slides, and thus it is forbidden to walk along them during low tide (but you will likely see several people ignoring these warnings).
However, you can walk around the beach just north of Cap Mont Joli during low tide while maintaining a safe distance from the cliffs.
You will also notice the sand/pebble bar that is revealed during low tide that connects the Rocher Percé to the mainland. We didn’t venture further than the point where we took these pictures, but as you can tell, people didn’t heed the warnings about falling rocks.
5. From a viewpoint a short walk south of town. If you are willing to walk along the side of the main road through town, you’ll get a different perspective as you move further south. There are several spots along the road where you can great views of the Rocher Percé. You can walk all the way to what’s known as “Surprise Hill“, about a 30-minute walk south of town. There’s also a small car park and a picnic table area if you would prefer to drive there.
6. Glass platform of the UNESCO Global Geopark of Percé. Located near the summit of Mont Saint-Anne, the glass platform offers panoramic views of the Rocher Percé, Bonaventure Island, and the open sea. You can reach the platform either via a short hike or via a shuttle bus. Accessing the platform costs $15 (2024). Note that we will cover the UNESCO Geopark in greater detail further below.
A Brief Geological History of Percé Rock
You probably know that Percé Rock is one of the world’s largest natural arches located in water and is considered a geologically and historically rich natural icon of Quebec, but did you know that there used to be a second arch where there now is a gap between the large rock and the obelisk on the right? It collapsed on June 17th, 1845 due to severe erosion. Scientists estimate that at the current erosion rate, the last remaining arch will collapse in approximately 400 years, and the entire rock structure will disappear in about 16,000 years.
We also know that as far back as 1760 there were two arches as well, as depicted in a drawing of the rock by an English officer, Captain Hervey Smyth. There are also several anecdotal reports suggesting that there used to be as many as 4 arches during the early settlement of the area, but there is little actual data to support that claim.
Stroll along Percé’s Boardwalk
Officially known as the “Promenade de Percé“, this beautiful but short wooden boardwalk runs parallel between the town’s main drag and its pebble beach. Along the boardwalk, you’ll find swing sets, long chairs, an observation tower and, more importantly, nonstop views of the Percé Rock. It’s the perfect place for a morning or evening stroll. The entire promenade area was rebuilt and modernized in 2018.
Though you can go for a swim by the beach, know that the water is very very cool here, peaking at around 16°C (60°F) in August, and will only usually be around 10°C in early June or late September (50°F).
Several of the town’s best restaurants can be found along the boardwalk (more on the restaurants below).
Visit Bonaventure Island National Park and the Northern Gannet Colony
Bonaventure Island is, without a doubt, one of the gems of the Gaspé Peninsula. Despite its relatively small size, the island is home to the largest migratory bird refuge in North America. Its colony of 110,000 northern gannets is the most accessible in the world – you can almost walk right up to them. It is estimated that a total of 300,000 seabirds nest on the island, including razor-billed auks, gulls, kittiwakes, murres, and cormorants.
Bonaventure Island also offers four hiking trails, one of which is a heritage trail that reflects the island’s historic past. In fact, you have to hike one of the trails (any one of them) to reach the Northern Gannet viewing areas. The shortest trails take less than an hour to reach the Gannets, but there are also longer and more scenic trails.
The only way to reach the island is by boat, and overnight stays are not permitted. The island is only open to visitors from early June to mid-October. For more information on visiting this spectacular island, check out our Île-Bonaventure National Park and Gannet Travel Guide.
Hiking in Percé’s UNESCO Global Geopark
Percé has a fun hiking area around Mont Saint-Anne, that is neither a national nor a provincial park. It’s in fact quite more unique – a UNESCO Global Geopark, one of only five in Canada. These Geoparks are “unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development”.
The are many things to do at the Percé UNESCO Global Geopark, including exploring a network of 18 km (11 mi.) of hiking trails, visiting Tektonic — a multimedia center that brings you on a virtual journey through 500 million years of geological history, enjoying a fantastic view of the area from a suspended glass platform — which juts out the side of a cliff at an altitude of 200 metres (660 feet), and a 300m long zip line.
The trails and standard lookouts are free of charge at all times. Visiting the suspended glass platform or the Tektonic exhibition costs 15$ (2024), and ziplining costs 35$ (reduced rates for children for all activities). For more information, you can visit the Percé Geopark website.
Of the many hiking trails, the two most rewarding trails in our opinion, especially if you are short on time, are the Belvedere trail (5km return), which has several viewpoints and provides access to the glass platform about halfway up the trail, and the Magic Forest trail (1km loop), which starts and ends just after the suspended platform along the Belvedere trail.
On AllTrails, a combined version of the trails exists under the name Arpenteurs Trail, which starts from the town campground near the Tektonic Pavillon.
Distance: 7.1 km
Route Type: Out & back with loop sections
Elevation gain: 305 m (cumulative elevation gain: 390 m)
Start point: Pavilion Tektonik
AllTrails rating: (4.5, 148 ratings (2024))
Duration: Most people complete the trail in around 2h30-2h45 minutes
Access Fees: Free
The Belvedere trail section offers spectacular views of the scenery below, including the Rocher Percé, Bonaventure Island and the open sea.
The Magic Forest trail follows a path that loops through a dense forest where large tree roots, moss-covered rocks and dark green tones give the forest a definite eerie or magical feel.
For a shorter trail with less elevation, a shortened combined version of both trails is listed under the La Grive Trail on AllTrails. This trail climbs as high as the suspended glass viewing platform, follows the Magic Forest loop and then returns towards the trailhead.
Distance: 4.3 km
Route Type: Out & Back (with a short loop)
Elevation gain: 205 m (cumulative elevation gain: 229 m)
Start point: Pavilion Tektonik
AllTrails rating: (4.6, 144 ratings (2024))
Duration: Most people complete the trail in around 1h30-1h45 minutes
Access Fees: Free
Alternatively, you can take a park shuttle ($10 adults; 5$ children) from the main pavilion directly to the suspended glass platform. From there, you can also explore the nearby Magic Forest trail, which is a short and relatively flat trail with some rocky uneven terrain and tree roots.
Not an AllTrails member yet? We highly recommend signing up for either their free or paid membership plans. The free plan allows you to find new trails and plan routes but it can only be used while hiking if you have access to mobile data. The paid membership plan (AllTrails+) allows you to download trail maps for offline use and provides live progress updates and off-route notifications.
If you are still uncertain – you should know that the All Trails mobile application was voted the 2023 iPhone App of the Year by Apple.
Hiking Packing List
All Trails subscription – This comes in really handy for areas with little or no cell reception, as the annual subscription allows you to download trail maps for offline use.
External Battery – If you are using your phone to track your progress along the trail or to help with navigation, you certainly don’t want your phone to die on you. That’s especially true in the unlikely event that you might get hurt or need assistance.
Hiking poles – These can be particularly useful in steep trails or muddy/boggy trail conditions.
Best Things to See and Do Near Percé
Explore nearby Forillon National Park
Forillon National Park is one of 42 Canadian National Parks and was the first established in Québec in 1970. One of the best things to do in this national park is to explore the beautiful coastal hiking trails it has to offer. You can also do some sea-kayaking and whale-watching tours. Located just 100 km north of Percé (roughly a 70-minute drive away), Forillon is a must-do day trip if you are spending several days in the area. We actually chose to base ourselves for a few days near Forillon in the small village of Cap-des-Rosier to best explore the National Park before spending a few days in Percé, as detailed in our Gaspesie Road Trip Itinerary Travel Guide.
For more information on visiting the park and its hiking trails, check out our guide on the Best Hiking Trails in Forillon National Park.
Visit Canada’s tallest lighthouse
Immediately north of Forillon National Park lies the Cap-des-Rosiers Lighthouse, which at 34 metres (112 feet) high, is the tallest in Canada. It was declared a national historic site in 1974, and the tower itself was designated a Classified Federal Heritage Building in 1994 — the lighthouse is one of just seven in Canada to hold this double classification.
Guided tours of the lighthouse are offered from June 24th until the beginning of September.
If you are curious about other lighthouses in the area, check out our guide on visiting Gaspésie’s Most Beautiful Lighthouses.
Discover the Town of Gaspé
Gaspé is both the administrative capital and the largest town of the Gaspé Peninsula and can provide a worthwhile stop between Forillon National Park and Percé. Although we chose to base ourselves in Cap-des-Rosiers for visiting Forillon due to its proximity to the national park, Gaspé could be a great alternative for those preferring to stay in a larger and more lively town.
There’s a lovely waterfront promenade and a well-regarded history museum on its eastern end, and a short walk from the promenade, you will find the only wooden cathedral in North America.
If you are looking for a place to eat while in town, we can recommend the Bise-Brise bistro bar.
Dive into the History of WWII Peninsula Fort
Fort Peninsula is the only World War II shore battery that has been completely preserved and that is open to the public in Quebec. It’s actually located within Forillon National Park, near the Penouille visitor center and is free to visit if you pay your park entrance fee.
From 1942 to 1944, German “U-boats” (submarines) entered the St. Lawrence Gulf and River to disrupt critical supply routes between Canada and the Allied forces in Europe, where they sank 23 ships during what has become known as the Battle of the St. Lawrence. In response to this danger, Canadian Navy strategists chose this site as a naval base to defend the St. Lawrence Gulf and River.
Beer Tasting at local microbreweries
Despite its very modest population of slightly over 100,000 inhabitants, the region of Gaspésie is home to 8 microbreweries, all of which are part of a 19-microbrewery Eastern Québec Beer trail that offers a great selection of craft beers made from local ingredients.
Of these, five are within an hour’s drive of Percé. Our two favourites are Pit Caribou, which has a brewery location in L’Anse-à-Beaufils (a 10 min drive south of Percé) with a beautiful oceanside terrace (pictured below) — but it also more recently opened a pub in Percé, and Auval (an 8-minute drive further inland). Auval, however, doesn’t offer tastings: you just show up and buy whatever they have on hand — you’ll end up with something somewhat rare as they sell only a small portion of their artisanal production outside of the region.
Go on a guided kayak excursion.
We didn’t get to try this while in Percé, but the area is renowned as a great place to experience fantastic sea kayaking adventures. Several guided tours are offered by Avolo, with departures just north of Percé.
Where to eat in Percé
*Note that several of these restaurants are closed for most of the year and only open during the summer tourist season – do not be alarmed by “temporarily closed” statements if researching during the off-season.
The restaurants of Percé (and of most towns in Gaspésie to be honest) are renowned for their delicious and fresh seafood dishes.
Le Paqbo (Percé) — The view and food here were so good we went twice! (though it was also conveniently located inside our hotel, the Riôtel). The restaurant was a bit pricy, but the food was excellent and the coastal views afforded by the wall-turned windows were spectacular, which made for a memorable experience.
La Maison du Pêcheur (Percé) — It’s apparently THE place to eat in Percé, but sadly we didn’t get to try it out, as it’s often fully booked weeks in advance. Although every night there is a waiting line outside in the event of cancellations (and there are indeed several during the course of an evening), we weren’t that desperate and chose an alternative instead.
La Boîte à Fruits de Mer (Percé) — Simultaneously a fish store and a restaurant, where the lobster is king. They have a lovely outdoor seating area with views of the Percé Rock.
Resto du Village (Percé) — A very low-key place for a quick bit to eat. Though it specializes in your typical fast food dishes, they have a large outdoor seating and delicious lobster sandwiches.
Pub Pit Caribou Percé (Percé) — A very popular pub in town. We didn’t try it, however, as we visited their microbrewery in L’Anse-à-Beaufils where we sampled several of their refreshing beers (see microbrewery above section).
La Vieille Usine de l’Anse-à-Beaufils (L’Anse-à-Beaufils) — A great place to have a sit-down dinner after having sampled a few beers at the nearby Pit Caribou microbrewery.
Where to stay in Percé
*Note that several lodging accommodations and hotels are closed for most of the year and only open during the summer tourist season – do not be alarmed by “temporarily closed” statements if researching during the off-season.
There are many options in and around Percé, despite the generally small size of the town. We loved our stay in the Riôtel Percé, which is more of a high-end motel along the waterfront with a restaurant and spa. The rooms are beautiful and very spacious, but the real highlight was the fantastic view from our room (see below – and in all kinds of weather) and the on-site restaurant was one of our favourites in town.
Map of Percé attractions
Location of some of the top things to see and do in Percé
Planning a trip to Gaspésie?
You might be interested in these pages (coming soon):
Gaspésie Best Attractions and Road Trip Itinerary
10 Awesome Hiking Trails to Discover in Gaspésie
Gaspésie’s Most Beautiful Lighthouses
We also highly recommend these guidebooks:
Lonely Planet Best Road Trips Ontario & Quebec
Gaspé the Romantique ‘Revisited’: A Road Trip Guide to the History, Legends and Attractions
Want to Discover More Quebec Hiking Trails?
You might be interested in these pages (coming soon):
Best National Parks for Hiking Near Montreal
Best Hiking Trails in the Laurentians
Best Hiking Trails in the Eastern Townships
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
Travel Insurance
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e-Sim cards
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eSIMS are a sustainable alternative to single-use SIM cards – they are 100% digital, require less energy to produce and be re-used rather than disposed of.
Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).
Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
Photography Prints
If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our Top Things to See and Do in Percé and that it will prove useful for planning your trip to the beautiful Gaspésie region of Québec.
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