NASA satellite image of the Gaspé Peninsula. Part of
Anticosti Island appears to the northeast
The
Gaspésie (official name) or also
Gaspé Peninsula or
the Gaspé is a
peninsula constituting part of the south shore of the
Saint Lawrence River, in
Quebec,
Canada. It extends into the
Gulf of Saint Lawrence and is separated from
New Brunswick by the
baie des Chaleurs and the
Restigouche River.
The interior is rugged, being a northward extension of the
Appalachian Mountains. This range is called the
Chic-Choc Mountains. A section of the
International Appalachian Trail travels along the peninsula.
Route 132 circles the peninsula, with one branch following the coast and the other cutting across the peninsula at
Sainte-Flavie.
Forillon National Park is found at the northeastern tip of the Gaspé.
The easternmost point of the peninsula jutting into the Gulf of St. Lawrence is called
Cap Gaspé. The name "Gaspé" may come from a
Mi'kmaq word
gespeg meaning "land's end". According to the "Commission de toponymie of Quebec", Gaspé may be a mutation of the Basque word "Gerizpe" which means "shelter".
Inland
Route 198 leads inland from the northern shore of the peninsula. It soon climbs up from
sea level, and enters the forest of the Gaspé Peninsula, crossing several small rivers before reaching the town of
Murdochville at about 660 metres above sea level. Murdochville has had a varied history, and is now home to several
wind turbine farms, which together have one of the largest wind generating capacities in the world. From Murdochville, Route 198 winds its way along the York River to the city of Gaspé. The inland portions of the peninsula are also home to the
Chic-Choc Mountains, part of the
Notre Dame Mountains, an extension of the
Appalachian Mountains.
Southern coast
At the communities of
Restigouche and
Gesgapegiag there are sizeable Mi'kmaq reserves and settlements. A small vigorous remnant is left of a once-thriving English-speaking community, found on the coast of Baie des Chaleurs, opposite New Brunswick, especially in the communities of
New Richmond and
New Carlisle. The vast majority of people speak French as their first language. As a tribute to the colonial
Loyalist settlements, Duthie Point in
New Richmond has recreated a Loyalist-theme site (called
le village loyaliste).
See also
