Chéticamp

Chéticamp is a village of 4,000 people on the coast of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. Its blend of natural beauty and Acadian culture makes it an interesting place to spend some time in and it also serves as the western entrance to the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. A large majority of its residents are Acadians and speak French natively. Together with its smaller neighbour, Saint-Joseph-du-Moine, Chéticamp makes up the largest Francophone enclave on Cape Breton Island.

Get in
The Cabot Trail is the only road in and out of town. It is about 90 km from Baddeck and over 400 km from Halifax (about 5 - 6 hours drive).

Understand
Chéticamp is at the western entrance to Cape Breton Highlands National Park which contains the Acadian Trail. The downtown area overlooks a harbour that is protected from the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Chéticamp Island. The Cheticamp River flows into the Gulf of St. Lawrence approximately 5 km northeast of the village.

Apart from an important gypsum mine which operated off and on until the Second World War, the main industry in Chéticamp historically has been fishing. As fish quotas have declined, tourism has taken on more importance and is the largest industry at this time. Chéticamp has also marketed its traditional rug hookers ("tapis hookers"), Acadian music and food.

The name "Chéticamp" is derived from the name given by the Mi'kmaq First Nations (Aboriginal) people, who still live on Cape Breton Island (but not in Chéticamp). The name is Awjátúj in the Mi'kmaq language, meaning "rarely full", presumably making reference to the mouth of Chéticamp harbour that once had a large dune that grew during low tide.

History
Chéticamp was a fishing station used during the summer months by Charles Robin, a merchant from the island of Jersey, and is considered one of the Acadian capitals of the world. In the years following the Great Expulsion, many Acadians came to this area.

Do
Activities for visitors include whale watching, hiking, swimming, cross country skiing, golfing, snowmobiling, cultural events and festivals and photography. They also host an International Dance Festival,[11] and La fête nationale de l'Acadie (August 15).



Go next
The Cabot Trail runs north of town through Cape Breton Highlands National Park, with plenty of scenic vistas and hiking opportunities.