This resort town offers amenities and a dash of culture in a naturally awesome location.
As a popular Quebec resort town since the 19th century, Carleton-sur-Mer sits on a seafront backed by mountains, and consequently offers an array of fun diversions. Just over 4,000 inhabitants live here, yet you’ll find French, Italian, Moroccan and Japanese restaurants in Carleton-sur-Mer, plus and a performing arts centre that puts on a full program throughout the summer months. The town offers biking trails, a network of hiking trails, sailing and boat charters, a swimming beach with a boardwalk, and a municipal campground that sits out on a peninsula with sites set just steps from the beach.
Because Carleton-sur-Mer is a resort town, little is open before June (the town can get very busy in high summer) and much of the town closes up toward the end of October. But the natural attractions won’t close, and skiing and snowshoeing are popular winter activities at Parc Régional du Mont Saint-Joseph. Gaspesie National Park also has a range of winter activities, but you’d be better off using a bigger urban centre as your base in the colder months.