10 experiences for people with mobility impairment

Cap-Bon-Ami

Service building

Picnic area

As you exit the parking lot, get a front-row seat to a view of sea and cliffs where seabirds and seals are featured.

Paved parking for people with disabilities is available at the end of Cap Bon Ami Road, near the washrooms, the picnic area and the service building.

Please note that to access the pebble beach from the parking lot, a steep slope and a long staircase must be crossed.

 Walk slightly north from the parking area for people with disabilities to the beginning of the compacted stone dust trail that leads to the washrooms, picnic area, service building and the entire site.

Visitor Information and Discovery Centre

Signs and planked boardwalk

Picnic building

This looped trail enters a hardwood wooded area, leads to the sea, runs along the bank gravel, and goes back to where it started. With its multi-sensory interpretation modules, this wooden footbridge offers people with physical or visual disabilities a glimpse of the best that Forillon has to offer: the space of its vast sea and eroded mountains.

• Level of difficulty: Easy
• Length: 0.5 km (loop)
• Duration: 15 mins.
• Type of terrain: First part on planked boardwalk and second part on compacted stone dust.
• Elevation gain: 2 m
• Starting point: Visitor Information and Discovery Centre, North Area
• GPS coordinates (GPS): 48.838220, -64.214105

Services

The trailhead is located at the Visitor Information and Discovery Centre, which offers universal access and several services such as inclusive washrooms, exhibit, gift shop, a bistro, laundry facilities and Wi-Fi, among others.

Signs are translated in Braille and the planked boardwalk area which represents 50% of the trail, has railings to accommodate people with visual disabilities.

The planked boardwalk and the compacted stone dust each represent about 50% of the trail. A picnic building is available halfway through the loop.

 Parking for persons with disabilities.

Picnic table

Service building

Visitor Information and Discovery Center

Venture along the seashore on Du Banc trail and take in the magnificent Forillon cliffs and the Cap-des-Rosiers lighthouse.

• Level of difficulty: Easy
• Length: 4 km (round trip)
• Duration: 1–2 hrs.
• Type of terrain: A planked boardwalk for a distance of approximately 400 m, after that, a hard trail surfaced in stone dust.
• Elevation gain: 6 m
• Starting point: The trail connects the parking lot to the Visitor Information and Discovery Centre at Cap-des-Rosiers.
• GPS coordinates: 48.847005, -64.212345

Fauteuil-roulant cyclable (GRIT)

Information et reservation

The wheelchair bicycle (GRIT) is available to rent for free to people with reduced mobility wishing to enjoy the Du Banc trail. It is a wheelchair where the two wheels are pulled independently with mountain bike chains. This system provides more power to climb the slopes and also allows you to pick up speed, in a very safe way.

Reservations recommended

For information: Cap-des-Rosiers Visitor Information and Discovery Centre 418-368-5505.

Services

A planked boardwalk extends over a distance of approximately 400 m.

Along Du Banc trail, take a break at a wheelchair accessible picnic table.

You can approach the Irish Memorial (Carricks) erected in the memory of the some one hundred passengers who drowned off Cap-des-Rosiers, in 1847.

Climb the stairs to reach the observation tower over the salt marsh, the sea and the lighthouse.

Washrooms can be found in the service building located near the parking lot of Cap-des-Rosiers. It is accessible to people with reduced mobility.

At the other end of the trail is the Visitor Information and Discovery Centre, which offers universal access as well as several services such as inclusive washrooms, exhibit, gift shop, bistro, laundry facilities, and Wi-Fi, among others.

 Parking for persons with disabilities.

Parks Canada shop

Food service

Outdoor terrace

The perfect place for a first contact with the park!

You will find various services and activities.

The entire building and terrace are wheelchair accessible. A ramp is provided inside.

The film “A gem at land’s end” is available in English and in French. However, it is not subtitled or available in audio description.

A large accessible terrace is available with picnic tables, one of which is wheelchair accessible.

 Parking for persons with disabilities.

The compacted stone dust trails

Underground fortifications.

Cannon inside the underground fortifications.

A little-known episode of the Second World War, Fort Peninsula is the only preserved coastal shore battery and that is open to the public in Quebec. This installation was part of a vast military complex deployed in 1942 around Gaspé Bay to defend the Gaspé territory and secure the shipment of goods to Europe.

Trails provide access to grassy picnic sites and tunnel entrances. These trails have different grades ranging from 6% to 10%, on compacted stone dust.

The shore battery tunnel has two entrances to get inside: the first with stairs and the second with a 12% grade over a distance of 9 metres. The surface is concrete and handrails are installed on both sides of the ramp.

Two authentic cannons can be admired. Stairs must be crossed to get closer from the inside.

About 15 steps must be crossed to approach the cannons from the outside.

The service building is accessible to people with reduced mobility.

The washroom in the service building at Fort Peninsula is adapted for people with reduced mobility.

 Parking for persons with disabilities.

Welcome area

Planked boardwalk

Mobi-chair

The Penouille sand spit presents a mosaic of rich and diversified habitats that are different from the rest of the park territory. On the south side, its beaches entertain bathers and on the north side, the salt marsh fulfills the curious naturalists. And in between, an easy trail guides contemplative walkers toward the end point.

• Level of difficulty: Easy
• Length: 4 km (round trip)
• Duration: 1 h 30 to 2 hrs.
• Type of terrain: Paved and with a wood footbridge for approximately 500 m.
• Elevation gain: A 10% elevation gain over a distance of 110 m must be completed before reaching a more or less flat trail, which is about 1 m of total elevation gain. To cross, a free adapted electric cart is available upon reservation.
• Starting point: Penouille Visitor Centre
• GPS coordinates: 48.856399, -64.412345

Information et reservation

Adapted electric cart

You can borrow an adapted electric cart free of charge to access the beach, the trail and the tip of Penouille more easily. It is accessible to people in a wheelchair and to people with reduced mobility to help cross the 10% starting slope safely.

For information on availability ask the Penouille Visitor Centre or call 418-368-5505.

A portion of the paved trail is on a planked boardwalk of approximately 500 m, a 1 km round trip.

The Penouille Visitor Centre is near the parking lot and has a café, gift shop and washrooms. All these services are available.

A universal accessibility mat, Mobi-mat, facilitates access to the beach by providing a firm surface to approach the sea. It is practical for wheelchairs, walkers, and even strollers. It is permanently installed for the summer, and is accessible to anyone for free.

The Mobi-chair is available to rent for free to people with reduced mobility wishing to enjoy the Penouille Beach. It allows its users to swim, as its large wheels and armrests act as floats, providing very good stability in the water. Reservations recommended. For information, call 418-368-5505. or ask the Penouille Visitor Centre.

The service building and the washrooms at the end of the point have a ramp. Take advantage of the picnic area and playground: A true peaceful haven. The ground is sandy under the playground equipment.

 Parking for persons with disabilities.

Hyman and Sons General Store

This historic general store is full of treasures! It occupies the first floor of the authentic residence built by William Hyman in 1864. A 2.5" door threshold must be crossed.

Come in and discover, in this warm atmosphere of yesteryear, the typical operations of the “company stores” operated by the major fish merchants and their vast inventory: canned products, patent medicines, china dinner services, farming equipment, fishing tackle, clothing, etc. A screening room adjoining the store presents the short film “Time and tide remembered”, you must go up a step to access it.

Guide interpreters are on hand to offer assistance if needed. The main event takes place on the first floor.

 Parking for persons with disabilities.

Paved path

Paddling and swimming pools

Access ramp to the pool

The recreation centre offers many services in Petit-Gaspé: heated pool, outdoor children’s playground, tennis court, convenience store and free Wi-Fi.

More info on the pool schedule and fees

A paved pathway provides access to the building from the parking for disabled persons. It is 118 metres long with a grade between 3 and 5%, except the first 8 metres which has a grade of 10%.

The pool has a ramp to get into the water.

Aquatic wheelchair (Mac): The aquatic wheelchair can be borrowed from the locker room and taken with you in the shower. Then, it will facilitate your entry into the pool with the dedicated ramp. This chair is not designed to float, but other personal flotation devices are available (PFD, float belt, etc.).

Water walker: This water walker allows you to securely walk in the swimming pool. It can be borrowed from the locker room and taken with you in the shower and in the pool using the ramp.

The entire building and terrace are wheelchair accessible. An interior ramp provides access to the locker room. It has an 8% grade, over a length of 8 metres.

An outdoor heated pool and a wading pool for cooling off are a joy for many families on vacation. They are supervised by lifeguards. The pool has a ramp to get into the water.

From the outdoor terrace, a wooden ramp leads to a stone dust pathway that runs near the play modules. The impact-absorbing surface of the playground is cedar chips.

 Parking for persons with disabilities.

Adapted picnic tables are available at sites 7 and 9 in Loop A, which consist of a hard trail, surfaced in crushed stone. The distance between these two sites and the service building is approximately 50 metres. The path to get there is a slight 6% slope.

The loop roads are paved and the access paths to the service buildings are stone dust or crushed stone. Water outlets are located along the loops.

• Loop A consists of lightly wooded campsites with water and electricity.
• Loop C consists of unserviced wooded campsites.
• Loop D consists of unserviced wooded campsites.

These three camping loops have a modern service building with adapted washroom and shower, as well as an accessible indoor space.

• Loop E consists of wooded campsites with electricity.

This loop has a service building—less modern than the ones on other loops—with an adapted shower and washroom.

Access ramp

Inside the oTENTik

Picnic table

Halfway between the tent and the rustic cabin, the oTENTik tent welcomes you in the comfort of nature. It’s the perfect opportunity for families or friends to enjoy a hassle-free camping experience.

An adapted picnic table is available at Site 174 in Loop C, which has a hard trail, surfaced in crushed stone. The distance between this site and the service building is approximately 50 metres. The path to get there is relatively flat.

The main access path to the service buildings is made of stone dust or crushed stone. The buildings have other access points; these may be grass or dirt and could have obstacles to work around such as rocks or roots as well as slopes of varying steepness.

• Loop D consists of unserviced semi-wooded campsites.
• Loop B consists of unserviced semi-wooded campsites.
• Loop E consists of semi-wooded campsites with electricity.

These three camping loops have a modern service building with adapted and gender-neutral washrooms and showers, as well as an accessible indoor space.