Cape Breton | Isle Madame and Louisbourg

After leaving the red dirt roads of Prince Edward Island, Mac and I set our sights on another popular island in the Maritimes: Cape Breton. Full of winding roads, twisting turns, epic hikes, and unbelievable scenery, we knew we were in for something special on Cape Breton. To kick off our time on the island, we opted to check out the south and east parts – mainly focusing on Isle Madame and Louisbourg. But first we had to get there!

Beach Camping Under the Stars

Our first overnight stop after crossing the Confederation Bridge back to the mainland was at a small and secluded beach just outside Antigonish. We set up camp between the colourful rocks and enjoyed one of our first mosquito-free nights on this trip! The wind was blowing pretty steadily and we were able to eat our dinner and walk along the shore in peace, with nary a bug in sight!

The lack of bugs also allowed me to finally bust out my tripod for some night photography! I was really pleased with the shots I managed to get and prayed that we’d be awarded many more windy nights ahead (spoiler alert: we weren’t).

Isle Madame and Louisbourg

Touring Around Isle Madame

The following morning we crossed the Canso Causeway, 1.3km-long strait to Cape Breton Island. We immediately stopped in at the ever-helpful Visitors’ Center and stocked up on maps, pamphlets, and brochures for the island. Our accommodation for the night was at a B&B in Louisdale, right near Isle Madame. Because of this, we decided to explore a bit of the area while we were out there.

We circumnavigated the island, stopping at Cap Auget lighthouse for a brief hike to an incredibly windy stretch of land at the south edge of Isle Madame. The waves were tumultuous, and we struggled to stand upright against the endless blasts of air.

This small island was such a pleasure to drive around. We wove our way through small fishing communities and picturesque little villages. If we weren’t so pooched, we definitely would have stayed longer! Instead we enjoyed a relaxing afternoon at our B&B and indulged in having access to a washing machine and dryer as well as a fully equipped kitchen and a real mattress!!

Fortress of Louisbourg

Following a full night of uninterrupted sleep, we awoke the next day rested and ready to travel back in time to the 1700’s. We headed north from Louisdale to the Fortress of Louisbourg. The fortress was initially constructed in 1713 by the French and by mid-1740’s had expanded to become one of the largest and most costly European fortifications in North America. It was the site of several sieges in the struggle for power between the British and the French in the 1700’s. In the end, the British prevailed and the French surrendered. The Brits remained on site until 1768.

Centuries later, in 1961, the Government of Canada set about reconstructing one quarter of the former fortress using historically-correct methods. What stands today is as near an accurate representation as you can get. The reconstruction project spanned five decades and is now officially known as The Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site of Canada. It’s more of an educational site than anything, however. All the employees/actors wear period clothing and use methods commonly used in the 1700’s. The Fortress has a bakery, a metalworking shop, an inn (and a pub, of course). We toured the Engineer’s house and saw a dance performance as well.

There was a musical performance on the main street, and Mac even went on a rum tour! We easily could have spent a full day exploring each building and chatting with the folks who worked there (straight from the 1700’s of course).

Practical Information

Price: $17.60 per person (but FREE with a Discovery Parks pass!)

Hours: 9:30am – 4:00pm (or 5:00pm in the summer months). I’d recommend getting there early as there is a LOT to see and do!!

Other Info: A shuttle bus takes you from the Visitors’ Center to the Fortress (included in admission). There is a cafe and a small restaurant on site, but we brought our own lunch and had a picnic! We also paid a visit to the baker and bought a loaf of “Soldier’s Bread”!

*****

Isle Madame and Louisbourg were great places to start our tour of Cape Breton Island. From Louisbourg we headed northeast to Sydney where we stocked up on some groceries and gas. After Sydney is was into Cape Breton National Park and the start of the official Cabot Trail. We kicked off that section of our road trip with a dinner pit stop on the side of the road. The views were impressive, but the adjacent traffic was a bit unsightly, ha! Stay tuned for some even more epic scenery and one of the best day hikes I’ve ever done!

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