22nd September 2022
Now the weather is seriously deteriorating. It is raining this morning and looks set in for the day. Our plans for sightseeing are not that comprehensive and a little bit indoor and food oriented, so we will take off in the car are see how we go.
Our first destination is Grand Anse, a little seaside town around 18 km from here with a famous lighthouse decorated in true Arcadian fashion.
Grand Anse Boat harbour
Overlooking the harbour is a massive church surrounded by a large cemetery
It is still raining and we have seen what we came to see, so we headed back to Caraquet, with a plan to visit the local fromagerie, Fromagerie Les Blancs D'Arcadie. It is a working operation with cheese being made in the back of the building and a small retail shop at the front. They were very friendly and we tasted a range of cheese curds (the type used in poutine), and bought a few different cheeses to try on our travels.
Only a few km down the road we stop at Boulangerie Grains de Folie in Caraquet for lunch. We cant believe our luck, as we have finally found a true French boulangerie with real bread and great coffee.
The gentleman behind the counter quickly identified us as tourists and came over greet us and guide us through what they had available for lunch. He was the consumate salesman that I would have happily had on my team any day. He went on to take our food orders, even bent the rules a bit for Sharon, who wanted a variation to something on the menu, and made us coffee to our specification ie twice the strength with half the amount of water. At least they had an expresso machine and he got it right, finally a decent cup of coffee.
Back at the hotel by around 1.30pm, the weather is still not great, so time for a read.
With easing rain at around 3pm, I decided to go for a walk up to the local IGA to get some snacks and have a look around the area near the hotel where a couple of attractions are. The first one I came across was the Acadie Museum, a small museum, but supposed to give a very concise account of the history of the Arcadie people. Unfortunately, it was closed for the season.
A nearby lighthouse however did offer and opportunity for a short walk. The Pointe a Brideau Range rear lighthouse was originally a skeletal steel tower, but the locals sought permission to "wrap" it in a tower that represented the traditional lighthouse construction of the area. Now the town is responsible for the maintenance of the facade, whilst the Coastguard is responsible for the inner workings of the lighthouse.
We went back to La Caraquet restaurant for dinner, as it one of the few in town that is open. It was very busy, but the food and service was very good.
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