Mira Boat Club
Region: Sydney and Area / Marconi Trail
Community: Mira
Our Purpose – To promote boating and other water sports so as to provide its members and guests an opportunity to participate in the C...
Note: Due to COVID-19, the visitor experience at Parks Canada places will be different than it has been in the past. The health and safety of visitors, employees and all Canadians is of the utmost importance.
Parks Canada is asking visitors to comply with recommendations from Nova Scotia public health authorities by wearing a mask in indoor public spaces, and by respecting recommended social distancing measures at all times.
Parks Canadas network of protected places is large and diverse. Visitor access, services, and even opening dates may vary across Cape Breton Island and Canso depending on local circumstances. Please visit pc.gc.ca/ns and follow Parks Canadas social media channels for information and updates on the status of all Parks Canada places.
Update: On July 20, the reconstructed site at the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site reopened with costumed interpretation and select visitor services and select reconstructed buildings open on site. At this time, the visitor reception centre at the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site will remain closed. Visitors access the site via Entrance 2.
Bakery/Restaurant/Café: The cafe and gift shop operated by the Fortress Louisbourg Association are open for visitors. At this time, the bakery and period restaurants on site will not open.
Kennington Cove: Please note that for the safety of our visitors, we will be limiting parking at Kennington Cove. To secure your spot, consider heading out early in the morning or in the late afternoon to avoid the rush.
The Fortress of Louisbourg: A mighty adventure is waiting for you!
On Cape Bretons rocky shoreline east of Sydney, Nova Scotia, the Fortress of Louisbourg brings you back to French colonial life between 1713 and 1758. Louisbourg was a major fishing centre and cosmopolitan town situated on the trade routes between North America and Europe. This place was first the home of the Mi’kmaw people. In the 18th century, they were joined by the French alongside Basque, German, English, Irish, Scottish and African people. Today, this one-quarter reconstruction of the original French town and fortifications is the largest and best of its kind in North America, offering a wealth of experiences for visitors to enjoy.
The Fortress of Louisbourg and its significance to Canada
Nova Scotias colonial history was largely shaped by decisions far across the Atlantic. When the War of Spanish Succession was settled with the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, Britain was given control of mainland Nova Scotia and France was given Ile Royale, what is today known as Cape Breton Island.
On the eastern side of Cape Breton, the French found an ice-free, sheltered harbour to act as a base for Frances interests in the cod fishery and to serve as an important trading outpost because of its proximity to Europe and colonies in both New England and the West Indies. They named it Louisbourg, in honour of King Louis XIV.
Over the course of almost three decades, engineers surrounded the town and garrison with massive stone walls that would make it one of the most extensive fortifications in North America. In fact, the 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) of walls measuring 30 feet high and 36 feet thick in some places cost so much to build that the French king joked how he expected to be able to see them from his palace in France.
Despite the towering walls, the Fortress of Louisbourg had some weaknesses that its engineers struggled with. While the fortress was well defended against attacks from the sea, it was vulnerable to land-based assaults, and when France and Britain went to war in 1745, this weakness was exploited. The attackers New England militia who saw Louisbourg as a direct threat to their colonies and the nearby fishing grounds erected siege batteries on the hills overlooking the fortress and, through a series of bombardments and assaults, forced the defenders to surrender.
Even with its proud military heritage, the Fortress of Louisbourg was about more than just the military. At its core, Louisbourg was a thriving civilian community made prosperous by a profitable cod-fishery and strong trade ties reaching across the Atlantic. During its peak it was the third busiest port in North America and was considered the jewel of Frances holdings in the new world. Louisbourg represented hope, and its prosperity convinced many of Frances poor and impoverished to leave their homes behind and seek a chance at a better life.
1758 Battle of Louisbourg
The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748 returned Louisbourg to the French. It also prompted the British to establish a new fortress at Halifax to counter the French presence in Cape Breton. Over the next decade, French and English forces battled for control of Nova Scotia during the French and Indian War and the Seven Years War. The Fortress of Louisbourg fell once again in 1758. This time, British engineers destroyed the town and dismantled its fortifications, shipping some of the stone off to Boston to construct Louisbourg Square and other buildings in that city.
The Fortress of Louisbourg might have been lost to history had it not been designated a National Historic Site and partially reconstructed in the 1960s. It has become the largest reconstructed 18th-century French fortified town in North America, with archaeologists, and engineers and historians working together to recreate the town as it was in the 1740s era.
Louisbourg Attractions and Accommodations
Today, the modern town of Louisbourg welcomes travellers from around the world with an amazing fortress, spectacular walking trails, fishing wharves along the winding Havenside Road, exceptional music and theatre at the intimate Louisbourg Playhouse, and fresh seafood to savour. Absorb the beauty of the surroundings, have a picnic at Lighthouse Point (site of the first lighthouse in Canada, 1734), stroll along the beaches at Kennington Cove, and dont miss the Sydney & Louisburg Railway Museum.
Stay in one of a number of friendly local accommodations, ranging from inns, suites, and bed and breakfasts to campgrounds and cabins. You can also spend the night inside the fortress walls by camping in one of the historic homes or rent a period tent with all the equipment.
Open all year long!
Visit in the summer to feel the ground shake from the blast of the cannon youve just fired or sign up with the Compagnies Franches de la Marine and fire an exact replica of an 18th-century musket. Savour soldiers bread fresh from the stone bakery or the catch of the day in the ambiance of an 18th-century tavern. Play the role of the prisoner during the Public Punishment or satisfy your thirst for history and local spirits with a Fortress Rum tasting. Chat with fishermen, merchants, sailors, soldiers, and servants. Explore the beautiful beach and scenic hiking trails nearby. Stay the night to wake up in the past in a period-style home or an equipped 18th-centurystyle tent.
Visit in the spring or the fall to explore what life was like 300 years ago with our Time Travel program, including a taste of Heritage hot chocolate. Discover the taste and aroma of Fortress Rum and the story of this drink made from sugar, or enjoy one of our guided tours. Hunt for one of our geocaches, using your GPS device throughout the site. Marvel at the stunning views of both the sea and the Fortress from one of our hiking trails (open throughout the year).
Visit in the winter to discover the exterior architecture of the Fortress reconstructed buildings. Stroll through the streets and backyards of the town and imagine what your life here would have been like back then. Open Monday – Friday: 9:30am-4:00pm.
Add to your experience by taking a guided tour using our popular Louisbourg app, available for both Android and Apple devices. It features audio tours of both the reconstructed town and the area of the Fortress that still lies in ruins.
Whether youre strolling through the towns streets or simply sitting in front of a crackling fire, youll truly experience life as it was in the 18th century.
Region: Sydney and Area / Marconi Trail
Community: Mira
Our Purpose – To promote boating and other water sports so as to provide its members and guests an opportunity to participate in the C...
Region: Cape Breton’s South Coast
Community: Gabarus
Lobster-licious Dish: Lobster Omelette Sandwich This sandwich includes fresh Gabarus lobster meat, chewy tomatoes, and fine herbs, all stuff...
Region: Louisbourg Area
Community: Louisbourg
A 20 minute drive from Sydney by the Atlantic Ocean, sits the unique and multi-award winning Grubstake Restaurant. Renowned for casually ele...
Region: Sydney and Area / Marconi Trail
Community: Mira
A municipal beach park located 22 km (14 mi) south of Sydney on the Marconi Trail, at the mouth of the Mira River. Change houses, PT, ...
Region: Louisbourg Area
Community: Louisbourg
Located on Route 22 just past the entrance to the Parks Canada visitor centre, this short 678 metre (0.42 mile) looped walk skirts the outli...
Region: Sydney and Area / Marconi Trail
Community: Sydney
I must thank my Mother for enrolling me into evening oil painting lessons at the age of seven because art has been an integral part of my li...
Enjoy snowmobiling across the Cabot Trail or near the Bras d'Or Lake. Meet up with old friends or meet new ones along the Great Trail. Pull up next to restaurants with delicious homemade food and sleep in accommodations you hand select.
Hannah Krebs works as a ban-chleasaiche | Gaelic Cultural Animator at Baile na Gàidheal | Highland Village Museum. Gaelic language, music, and square dances are some of her favourite things about Cape Breton.
Shannon MacMullin is a Gàidhlig learner, singer and storyteller; a community educator, and the Cultural Experiences Co-ordinator at Baile nan Gàidheal | Highland Village. She loves dancing, making beauty in the world & bringing people together.
The Gaels celebrated their culture not in huge buildings or sculptures but in their songs. Their songs told the stories of the people, the land, good times and bad, love's lost and yearned for.
There’s nothing better than watching two musicians who just love playing music together.
As a songwriter, I’ve often described my creative process as though I have tuned into an invisible radio frequency.
It is well-established that dance tradition is an important, if not defining, influence on Cape Breton's traditional music.
Heather Rankin is a singer, songwriter, actor and member of the 6X Juno Award winning band The Rankin Family. As a solo artist she has released two albums, A Fine Line (ECMA/Juno Nom.) and Imagine (ECMA Nom.).
The annual Guitar Summit concert serves as an obvious showcase for these world-class pickers, but this wealth of talent inevitably shines through in concerts throughout each Festival.