Lamèque Island & Miscou Island in New Brunswick

Lameque Island Church, host of the Lameque Baroque Festival in New Brunswick, Canada.

In the north eastern corner of New Brunswick, there are two small islands that are a pleasure to explore: Lamèque Island and Miscou Island.

Lamèque, the first after the mainland, is best known for one of its churches. Reverend Gérard D’Astous and two young men hand painted the interior the colour of pastel Skittles in a month and a half. It’s a wild trip.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t there during the Baroque Festival (every July), when the church is the centrepiece for music and festivities. It’s worth the drive to see this unique church that some would call a masterpiece and others, a gaudy Easter egg look alike.

I continued on to Miscou Island, where there are eco parks that explain the unusual industry that thrives here: peat moss. There are 3,225 hectares of peat bogs (almost 45% of the island). I went out to one of the lookouts (there are wooden boardwalks erected so you can stroll along the bog, fruit shrubs and wildlife, mostly birds). All of the parks are free.

At the very end of the road- and island- is one of the the oldest lighthouses in New Brunswick. It was in the middle of construction today (they’re planning a grand opening this weekend), but I sweet-talked one of the workers to take me up. Perched on the edge of NB, the breeze brushing past me, I again breathed in the wonderful Maritime Coastline.

Miscou Island Lighthouse Interior during renovations in New Brunswick, Canada.

What I Liked:

• There is a high ratio of hairdressers to ladies on Lamèque Island, so the older population of women all have well-coiffed hair!
• I stayed at the Complexe les Deux in Tracadie-Sheila, a gorgeous riverfront property. The cottages have gazebos and waterfront views only steps from the river (and tiny stretches of beach). The hotel and spa are set back, still within walking distance to the water, but also with a pool. Rooms are modern and sleek, although small (because the hotel building is new, I had some issues with my card key and you have to walk all the way over to the main reception building to get things fixed- there’s no one in the hotel building and all staff on property leave at midnight- it felt a little deserted…).
• I wrote this blog on a tiny little stretch of beach on the river, with high grass behind me, birds chirping and the constant flow of the tide flowing past.
• Dinner was at Au Vieux Phare (3404 Rue Principale, Tracadie-Sheila, 506-395-1199) and it was sushi night! It wasn’t the best but my body was just so happy to have a sushi meal

Tags: canada, lameque Baroque Festival, Lameque Island, Miscou Island, nb, New Brunswick, oldest lighthouse in New Brunswick, peat bogs