Cultural fusion

Rich in history, natural splendor, and traditional cuisine, relax and ramble by the sea this summer

By Alec Bruce

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Discover Acadian joie de vivre! Unplug and connect on the Clare Acadian Shore in 2023. Festival acadien de Clare (July 29 to Aug. 5, and Aug. 15), is the world’s oldest Acadian festival — celebrating culture and heritage since 1955. Highlights include a Grou Tyme music concert, dinner theatre, Cajun night, and Tintamarre noise parade.

After a three-year hiatus, Gran Fondo Baie Sainte-Marie is back (Sept. 9 to 10). It’s quickly grown to become the largest event of its sort in Atlantic Canada, with 1,000 cyclists participating in 2019. This Gran Fondo will appeal to recreational riders looking for an epic ride, those who like to tour by bike, and avid racers. In 2023, the 128-kilometre Gran route will challenge experienced riders, while intermediate and novice cyclists may prefer the 67-kilometre Medio or 35-kilometre Piccolo rides. Riders will navigate rolling inland roads along lakes and rivers, passing by towering wooden churches along the panoramic coastal route that hugs Baie Sainte-Marie. After the ride, enjoy fresh lobster, barbecue pork, or a vegetarian option.

Fans celebrate Gran Fondo riders.

Photo: Charlene d’Entremont

Discover the night sky in all its glory at the Deep Sky Observatory. A 25-minute drive from Yarmouth, the outdoor viewing platform and indoor three-metre dome lets you peer into deep space. The region is so perfectly suited for viewing the night sky that the International Starlight Foundation designated it North America’s first Starlight Reserve.

Gran Fondo.

Photo: Charlene d’Entremont

Cape Saint Mary Lighthouse Park in Clare.

Photo: Tourism Nova Scotia / Jake Brenner

Deep Sky Observatory.

Photo: Jake Brenner (@jakesescapes)

Overlooking beautiful Pubnico Harbour, Le Village historique acadien de la Nouvelle-Écosse offers an immersive Acadian experience. Discover the heart, life, and work of the Acadians in the early 1900s. When you’re done, head over to the Argyle Township Court House & Gaol, Canada’s oldest standing courthouse. In 2005, the building became a National Historic Site. The Firefighters’ Museum of Nova Scotia in Yarmouth is another must-see attraction. Then explore the rugged landscape and take in the breathtaking views and sunsets at Cape Forchu Lighthouse, the second-most photographed in Nova Scotia.

Le Village historique acadien de la Nouvelle-Écosse.

Photo: Tourism Nova Scotia / Christian Webber

Cape Forchu has guided travellers for decades.

Photo: Tourism Nova Scotia / @daveyandsky

The Firefighters’ Museum of Nova Scotia.

Photo: Firefighters Museum of Nova Scotia / Renée Dease

New for 2023, SeaRoots is an oceanside seafood culinary experience in the heart of the Acadian shore. Chefs Shane Robicheau and Paul Thimot will pamper you for more than four hours with an intimate six-course dinner featuring foraging on the beach, a sit-down multicourse seafood feast, and local beverage pairings, then a campfire with local musicians.

Experience SeaRoots with Chef Shane Robicheau.

Photo: Charlene d’Entremont

Experience SeaRoots with Chef Shane Robicheau.

Photo: Charlene d’Entremont

The new Cape Saint Mary Lighthouse Park in Clare offers visitors panoramas of dramatic cliffs and breathtaking sunsets over St. Mary’s Bay and the Gulf of Maine. A three-minute drive away is scenic Mavillette, a two-kilometre beach

Mavillette Beach.

Photo: Nova Scotia Touriam / Kyler McGregor

Old friends

Cape Saint Mary Lighthouse.

Photo: Dennis Jarvis

A favourite with both locals and visitors, the Beaux Vendredis (June 30 to Sept. 8) seafood suppers at the Belliveau Cove waterfront serve affordable (and delicious) lobster, snow crab, and clams, or seafood chowder, paired with live local music.

Fine eateries, craft beer, and distilleries abound in Yarmouth & Acadian Shores: Boatskeg Distilling Co., Heritage Brewing Company, Rudder’s Seafood Restaurant & Brew Pub, and Tusket Falls Brewing. There’s Wild Roots, a full-service neighbourhood restaurant in Tusket with local ingredients at the forefront, and lobster at Rudder’s Seafood Restaurant & Brewpub in Yarmouth. Enjoy râpure (AKA “rappie pie,” a traditional Acadian grated-potato casserole) in Pubnico at Red Cap Restaurant. Stay at Auberge Thon Jeune, a charming, relaxing, boutique hotel overlooking the water in Wedgeport and the perfect place for an overnight getaway.

Don’t miss Inner Oaks Holistic Approach Experiences in Quinan, a French Acadian village in Yarmouth County, about 25 minutes inland from Yarmouth, for natural ways to appreciate Mother Earth.

Meet local artists and shop local at the farmers and art markets in picturesque Belliveau Cove. Art Markets: Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., July 2 to Sept. 3. Farmers markets: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., May 27 to Sept. 30.Dig for clams. The Acadians (and the Mi’kmaq before them) have expertly dug delicious clams along the tide-washed shores of St. Mary’s Bay for centuries. Get your hands in the sand and learn this age-old skill from a local expert. Reservations required: phone 902-769-2345.

Clamming on the Atlantic coast.

Photo: Charlene d’Entremont

Rendez-vous de la Baie Welcome Centre. On the campus of Université Sainte-Anne, learn about the fascinating history and culture of the Acadians of Clare/Baie Sainte-Marie in the interpretive centre. Then take a walk on the coastal and wooded trails in Le Petit Bois.

Last words

Check out the Quinan Glamping Dome, where the aim is to deliver a private camping experience without sacrificing the comforts of home. Bonus: No setup or teardown. Simply show up.

Finally, don’t leave these shores without stopping by Sandford Drawbridge located at Sandford Wharf in Yarmouth County. The smallest drawbridge in the world, builders designed it to let fishermen and visitors cross from one side of the wharf system to the other without having to double back on the road.

Sandford Drawbridge is the world’s smallest bridge of its type.

Photo: @daveyandsky