At first glance, Cap-Pelé paints a seaside postcard of a colourful Acadian village… with tall seagrass swaying gently across long sandy beaches… a collection of brightly painted fishing boats bobbing alongside the wooden wharves… and children splashing in some of the warmest salt water north of Virginia.
But there’s one thing Cap-Pelé has that no other village in the world can boast: It is North America’s largest exporter of smoked herring, producing some of the most scrumptious kippers, sardines and bloaters on the continent. If you don’t believe it, step inside a smokehouse and taste for yourself! Of course, being this close to the sea, herring is not all that’s on the menu. Savour the flavour of fresh juicy scallops or steamed lobster.
After sampling some of the local cuisine such as “poutine râpée” or pastries like “poutine à trou,” you might want to play a round on New Brunswick’s only 36-hole golf course or soak up the sun on Aboiteau Beach. At night, the sands sparkle with celebrations, music and cultural extravaganzas.
After sampling seaside accommodations, you may wish to take a day trip to the Cape Jourimain Nature Centre, just minutes from the famous Confederation Bridge.
A visit to the Sainte-Thérèse-d’Avila Church, built in the shape of a boat with the largest stained-glass windows in the Maritimes, reconnects with you the village’s 200-year spiritual and cultural history. And the statue of the angel that watches over the fishermen reminds you, that in some corners of the world, Heaven seems a little closer.
For more information, call 506-577-2017, visit www.cap-pele.com, or e-mail cappele@nb.aibn.com.