Welcome to Forteau and L’Anse-Amour

Labrador is one of the Earth's last great frontiers, and where your hiking boots can get a real workout. The Pioneer Footpath stretches from L'Anse-au-Clair to Pinware. This 65-kilometre coastal trail joins together age-old walking paths along the Labrador Strait. These paths were once vital as the only link between communities. You can literally hike from one accommodation to the next as you make your way along the coast, all the while keeping an eye out for shipwrecks, whales, icebergs, and Atlantic Canada's tallest lighthouse.

The Overfall Brook Trail is a one-way offshoot of the Labrador Pioneer Footpath and features beach vegetation and great views of Forteau Bay, where you might spot a humpback, minke whale, or even an iceberg. Another notable trail in the area includes the HMS Raleigh Trail where you can see the wreck sites of the HMS Lily and the trail namesake itself. Last but not least, Lookout Trail in the Pinware River Provincial Park overlooks the town of Pinware and its rushing river and estuary. And during the months of July and August, trout and salmon anglers should be prepared to meet their match on the many pool, steadies, and rattles to be found on the Pinware and the Forteau, these mighty rivers of southern Labrador.

The first stop to experiencing the culture and heritage of this area is the L'Anse-au-Clair Gateway to Labrador, a gorgeous old church converted into a Visitor Information Centre (just steps away from a beautiful sandy beach).

No doubt, they'll recommend you see the L'Anse-Amour Burial Mound National Historic Site, marking the resting place of a Maritime Archaic Indigenous child who died about 8,000 years ago. If your curiosity is piqued, also check out an exhibit about the burial mound at the Labrador Straits Museum at L'Anse-au-Loup.

If you find yourself in the right place at the right time, check out the Bakeapple Folk Festival in Forteau. This festival has been running for over 40 years and features a schoolhouse concert, local music, square dancing, and, of course, delicious bakeapple dishes.

No trip to L'Anse-Amour would be complete without a visit to the Point Amour Lighthouse. Built in 1959, this lighthouse towers at 109 feet, making it the tallest in Atlantic Canada and, in fact, the second tallest in all of Canada. This Provincial Historic Site has been partially restored and exhibits can be found within. The real treat, however, is to be found at the top. The 132-step journey offers up a breathtaking panoramic view of the Strait of Belle Isle.