EVANGELINE -
The first thing that's evident upon entering P.E.I.'s Evangeline Region is the pride its residents have in their Acadian heritage.
Throughout the region, blue, white and red flags, each with a single gold star, fly in front yards. Mailboxes and lampposts also carry the Acadian colours.
Nowhere is that pride more prominent than at the Acadian Museum in Miscouche. There, visitors can get a quick history lesson about the Island's Acadians, their deportation, resettlement and contribution to the Island way of life. There's also a genealogy centre where one can trace their Acadian roots.
Travelling west, in Wellington, there's the Old Barlow Mill where visitors can learn the area's milling history, walk the trails or have a picnic in the park. It also serves as an interpretive and information centre for the region.
In Abram-Village, there's always a festival, dinner theatre, frolic or event featuring two Acadian staples: fiddles and vittles. Sit down to rapure, meat pie and chicken fricot while listening to a traditional Acadian tune at Centre Expo-Festival. You may even get the chance to go into the kitchen and learn firsthand how to make these scrumptious Acadian dishes.
Around the corner, is the Abram-Village Handcraft Co-op featuring almost every handcraft imaginable: knitted hats, mittens and sweaters, quilts, pottery, woodcarvings and paintings. Each is made in the region by skilled hands that learned each art passed from generation to generation.
In the back, there's a small museum and a room filled with handmade and machine-stitched quilts, a popular pastime in the region.
Take a stop by the Cap-Egmont wharf and walk along its sandy shore in search of unique rocks and sea glass.
Before leaving, dip your toes into the cool waters, breathe in the invigorating sea air and take in the picturesque view of sand, sea and fishing boats with the lighthouse as the backdrop.
Next, it's one of the most unique attractions in the region not to be missed. There's only one word for the Bottle Houses and its sprawling and colourful garden. Wow!
With the region made up of several communities - Miscouche, Wellington, Abram-Village, Baie-Egmont, Maximeville, Cap-Egmont and Mont-Carmel - there's almost too much to see and do in one day.
You need only travel 20 minutes west of Summerside to visit the region for a cultural experience with no shortage of joie de vivre.
IF YOU GO
How to get there:
About a 20-minute drive from Summerside, travel west along Route 2, turning left onto Route 124 at Day's Corner, continuing about two kilometres into Wellington. From there, follow the road signs leading to Abram-Village, travelling along the scenic route to Cap-Egmont and Mont-Carmel.
Where to stay:
Chalets de la Grande Basse
Saint-Chrysostome
854-2189
jmbernar@hotmail.com
www.chaletsgrandbasse.com
Chez Yvette, Gite du voyageur (bed and breakfast)
Urbainville, Route 123
854-2966
yvetteandgerry@hotmail.com
www.chezyvette.ca
Chalets rendez-vous (cottages)
Mont-Carmel, Route 11
1-877-894-0697
rendez@pei-sympatico.ca
www.rendezvouscottages.com
Au Clair d'la lune (moonlight camping)
Cap-Egmont, Route 11
854-2746
Where to eat:
You can pack a lunch to enjoy or stop by Michael's Pizzeria at Day's Corner or Centre Expo-Festival in Abram-Village for lobster suppers, seafood and Acadian dishes
Things to do:
Festivals and fairs
Atlantic Fiddlers' Jamboree
July 25 to 27
Abram-Village, Route 124
Fiddling and step-dancing festival, RV camping
National Acadian Day
Aug. 15
854-2166
csce@teleco.org
Agricultural Exhibition and Acadian Festival
Aug. 28 to 31
854-3300
www.expositionfestival.com
Abram-Village, Route 124
Cultural activities
Dinner theatre
Centre Expo-Festival
854-3300
Abram-Village
info@centreexposfestival.com
Variety shows on Sunday evenings
854-2166
Salle pariossiale de Mont-Carmel
Cabaret style evening
"Le Fricot"
854-3300
Centre Expo-Festival
Abram-Village
Attractions
Frolics Evangeline
An Acadian experience
Participation in daily frolics, themes such as Acadian music, cuisine, history, handcrafts
Admission to three local attractions
An Acadian meal
Two exclusive gifts
www.regionevangeline.com
85403300
The Bottle Houses
Cap-Egmont, Route 11
854-2987
Built with 30,000 bottles
info@bottlehouses.com
www.bottlehouses.com
The Acadian Museum of P.E.I.
Miscouche, Route 2
432-2880
museacadien@teleco.org
www.peimuseum.com
Learn more about the Deportation of the Island Acadians and their history
Union Corner School House Museum
854-2992
www.unioncornerschoolhouse.ca
Our lady of Mont-Carmel Church
Mont-Carmel, Route 11
854-2208
eglise.mont-carmel@teleco.org
Neo-gothic style church more than a century old
Guide tours
The Old Mills Park
Wellington
854-2920
Interpretive centre, walking trails, picnic area, playground
Fibre-Isle International, Mont-Carmel
888-4262
sylvietoupin@eastlink.ca
Buffalo wool and bamboo fibre processing mill
Tours and gift shop
Abram-Village Handcraft Co-op
854-2096
Cultural museum and gift shop
À Point Boutique
Mont-Carmel
Custom, one-of-a-kind clothing, crafts, souvenirs
854-2895
Phantom Caboose
Wellington
854-2065
