The century-old Little Pink House, nestled in the then inland Capucins village, was built around 1920. It was dismantled into four parts when Route 132 was built, and repainted in the 1950s by late artist Yohanne Goddard. “The house was probably built by my great-grandfather Barriault. It was built on the 4th rural road in Les Capucins. A few roads before Saint-Paulin Dalibaire. My father moved the house around 1954 in the village, at the time almost right in front of the convenience store. We stayed in this house until 1970, when it was moved again to its present location. The family's fourth child was born there.” -Gino Paradis.
Capucins and Cap-Chat, a first glance
La municipalité des Capucins (annexée à Cap-Chat en 2000) a été fondée en 1915. Elle doit son nom à deux cours d’eau, soit la rivière des Grands Capucins et le ruisseau des Petits Capucins, ainsi baptisés en raison de deux rochers dont la forme rappelait autrefois celle des frères religieux du même nom. Vous voulez en apprendre plus sur l’histoire du village? Consultez le dernier numéro du magazine Gaspésie au sujet des villages disparus, le tout récent livre de Steeve Landry sur Cap-Chat ainsi que la page Facebook Capucins, je me souviens.
Trésor écologique de la région, la Baie des Capucins fait partie des aires protégées au Québec car elle abrite une importante diversité d’oiseaux aquatiques, d’amphibiens et de reptiles. Certaines espèces en voie de disparition mais qui sont essentielles à l’écosystème du Saint-Laurent s’y reproduisent, notamment la plie rouge et l’épinoche à trois épines. Cette dernière est la source principale de nourriture pour le bar rayé, et dépend pour sa survie de son milieu fragile, soit la végétation du marais salé.
The Capucins’ municipality (annexed to Cap-Chat in 2000) was founded in 1915. It owes its name to two watercourses, the Grands Capucins river and the Petits Capucins stream, named after two rocks whose shape was once reminiscent of that of the religious brothers of the same name. Curious to learn more about the village's history? Check out the latest issue of Gaspésie magazine (Summer 2024) about abandoned villages, Steeve Landry's recent book on Cap-Chat and the Facebook page Capucins, je me souviens.
An ecological treasure of the region, the Capucins Bay is a protected area in Quebec, as it is home to a wide variety of aquatic birds, amphibians and reptiles. A number of endangered species essential to the St. Lawrence ecosystem breeds there, including the winter flounder and the threespine stickleback. The three-spined stickleback is the main diet of the striped bass, and depends on its fragile environment - the salt marsh vegetation - for its survival.
Camping de la Baie des Capucins offers breathtaking views of the bay and Cap-Chat’s cap, as well as access to the river. Whether you drop in for a walk along the shoreline and trails, or to pitch your tent, you'll leave with lungs full of sweet and salty air!
Closeby, the Cap-Chat lighthouse, still in operation, keeps watch over the surrounding area. Wind turbines also decorate the horizon, pallets spinning in the wind. You can visit the lighthouse and the Éole project, which offers the chance to learn more about how its power station works, enjoy panoramic views from the lookout, stroll along trails and more.
