Subject: Re: Quebec City and Gaspe Peninsula
Dear Landra,

Two places you might consider stopping are on different shores of the St. Lawrence. On the north shore, you could stop at Baie-St-Paul (and Ile aux Coudres) and on the south shore, Riviere du Loup.

We camped years ago on Ile aux Coudres and it is small and charming. If I remember correctly, we saw men harvesting peat. http://charlevoix.qc.ca/isle-aux-coudres/ http://tinyurl.com/d7k4o

Riviere-du-loup is an historic centre and a logical stopping place if you want a larger town. There are ferries across the river at various places. http://www.riviereduloup.ca/ang/default.html

Two other possibilities:

On the southern side of the Gaspe peninsula is Miguasha, an important site for fossils. It is the only Devonian site on the World Heritage List. About 15 years ago we visited the area and hunted for fossils. They had a setup where they examined them for you. My daughter was lucky enough to find something. http://tinyurl.com/e3qxp

I save the best for last! Reford Gardens (Jardins de Metis), lovely gardens started in the 1920's and The Reford Gardens are located in Grand-Métis, Quebec, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, 350 kilometres (220 miles) east of Quebec City, equidistant between Rimouski and Matane.

Because of its unique site, its microclimate allows many plants to grow that are not hardy elsewhere in the province. "It is renowned for its imagination, its unique botanical collection and the careful integration of plants in a naturalistic setting." You might be lucky enough to see the blue poppy in bloom! http://www.jardinsmetis.com/english/index.htm

Enjoy!

Frances Toronto, Canada