East of Matane the hwy hugs the shoreline, passing through increasingly rugged scenery where the forested hills of the interior push up against the fretted, rocky coast. A string of skimpy fishing villages breaks up this empty landscape – places like Capucins, with its fine headland setting, and
Cap Chat, whose 76 towering wind turbines are visible for miles around. Of these, the 110m-tall
Éole de Cap-Chat (mid-June to Oct daily 9am–5pm;
418/786-5719,
www.eolecapchat.com; $6) is the tallest and most powerful vertical-axis wind tower in the world.
Just 16km beyond Cap-Chat, unenticing
SAINTE-ANNE-DES-MONTS sprawls along the coastline, its untidy appearance only offset by its relaxed atmosphere and its convenience – it's an easy place to break your journey before heading on to the cape, or inland to the Parc de la Gaspésie. The lone sight is the
Exploramer at 1 rue du Quai (mid-June to mid-Oct daily 9am–6pm;
418/763-2500,
www.exploramer.org; $8), a marine and birdlife discovery centre on two floors. Head to the aquarium downstairs, where you can handle starfish, sea cucumbers and scallops. The
HI hostel Auberge internationale Ste-Anne-des-monts, 295 1ère av est (
418/763-7123,
www.aubergegaspesie.com; dorm beds $24), has great views over the river and offers bike rental and transportation to Parc de la Gaspésie, while the
Motel Manoir sur Mer, 475 1ère av ouest (
418/763-7844;
$41–80), has rooms backing onto the beach. For
B&B accommodation, try
La Villa des Roses, 500 1ère av ouest (
418/763-3529;
$41-60).