How to combine an interest for wine tasting and Acadian history? The answer is: spending a weekend in Grand Pré.
Mid-september, we stayed in an oTENTik in Grand Pré, explored a couple wineries south of the Bay of Fundy by bike on the Harvest Moon Trail, were fascinated by the sandpipers at Evangeline Beach, and walked on the ocean floor at Blomidon Provincial Park. We also satisfied Adrien’s craving for the history of the Acadians by visiting Grand-Pré national historic site and Justine’s craving for tart apples by picking a 20lb bag at Elderkin Farms.
Phew! That was a lot for two days! Read on to learn more, or head straight to the pictures!
oTENTik
Spending the night at Grand-Pré national historic site only recently became an option with the opening of eight oTENTiks earlier in 2021. These structures are essentially a cross between a tent and a rustic cabin. They consist of a large canvas supported by a wooden structure including a ramp and a deck. It has bunk beds that can accommodate up to six people. They have real mattresses and ample head room to stand up and walk around. What a treat!
We definitely enjoyed staying in the oTENTik, except when the wind picked up early morning. Part of the canvas started flapping and kept us awake until the sun rose.
The oTENTiks are set up in a way that you have privacy and tranquility. They are located in the middle of a field about 300 m from the visitor centre and parking lot, but wheelbarrows are provided to help you transport your stuff. Number 6, where we stayed, is nice and private, but #3 definitely has the best view!
Some other logistics about the oTENTiks:
- There is no electricity in the tent, except a USB charger that is connected to a battery and a solar panel. A small lantern is provided, but the tents get pretty dark in the evening, so we were happy that we brought our LuminAID light.
- For cooking, each oTENTik has a nice BBQ that includes a side burner, so you really don’t need to bring your own stove. In fact, you are not allowed to cook inside the tent.
- The tents do not have running water, but you are provided with an empty car buoy that you can fill at the visitor centre.
- There is no sink in the oTENTik, so it is a bit tough to do dishes, wash hands, etc. Apparently there is a spot near the visitor centre, but we just took our dirty dishes home with us.
- There is a warm shower and real bathrooms at the visitor centre that you can access with a fob. There are also portable toilets closer to the tents.
- You can rent a propane fireplace, but at $40+, we passed on that option.
- Each oTENTik came with a washer toss game! Unfortunately the mosquitoes were pretty bad so we weren’t tempted to play.
All in all, we truly recommend staying in the oTENTiks. The price was about $130 for the night. This is cheaper than a hotel and way more unique!
Grand-Pré National Historic Site
After checking out of the oTENTik, we explored every corner of the historic site. In the visitor centre, Justine explored the exhibition and was particularly impressed by the reproduction of a dyke built by the Acadians to transform the shore of the Bay of Fundy into fertile agricultural land. Her grandfather used to rave about the Acadian dykes and once showed her a prototype that he proposed to the town of Truro as a solution to its flooding problem.
In the meantime, Adrien sat in a movie theater that resembled the inside of an old wooden boat and watched a historical fiction video in French about the life of the Acadians before and during their deportation by the British crown.
We then walked into the Commemorative Church that hosts paintings about the deportation and wandered around the gardens and the orchard.
The wineries
The Wolfville region is known for its wineries: Grand Pré, Mercator, Lightfoot, Benjamin Bridge, Gaspereau, L’Acadie, Luckett, etc.
Because we only had one afternoon and we didn’t want to venture too far from the Harvest Moon Trailway, we only went to Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards and Domaine de Grand Pré.
Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards had a beautiful view over they vineyards and the Bay of Fundy. We had a red Fauna with dark fruit flavors, a white and a rosé. We bought a bottle of the Fauna.
At Domaine de Grand Pré, we also had a flight and ended up buying a white Tidal because we liked its crispy taste and a peppery red Castel that we had later in the evening with barbecued sausages.
Biking to the wineries added to the experience although we felt out of place among the super well-dressed customers who were there for a wedding or on a date while we carried our dusty saddle bags around, sweaty and exhausted.
Evangeline Beach
We concluded our stay at Grand Pré with a bike trip to Evangeline Beach, which is only 5 km north of Grand Pré.
From there, we admired the view on the Minas Basin at high tide and observed flocks of semipalmated sandpipers huddle on the beach.
By itself, the ride to the beach is worth the effort. We enjoyed the view on the large agricultural fields and stared at a couple of bald eagles.
Blomidon Provincial Park
The last stop of our trip was Blomidon Provincial Park. We didn’t have much time before needing to return the car, but the sun was glorious and Justine knew it would be low tide. She got her doctorate researching the Bay of Fundy tides, so she is a bit of a geek on the subject!
After getting a little lost on the way there, we enjoyed a glorious, but muddy, walk on the ocean floor. The tide was out so far that we didn’t even go to the water’s edge. Instead, we checked out the impressive cliffs and discovered a waterfall to the south of the parking lot.
On the drive back, we stopped at the wharf in Delhaven for a couple classic photos of fishing boats at low tide in the Bay of Fundy.
Picture Slideshow
We took so many bad selfies on this trip, but we don’t post those, so please enjoy the rest of the photos!
oTENTiks at Grand Pré where we stayed for the night 
The spacious oTENTik that sleeps 6! 
St Charles des Mine Chapel at Grand Pré National Historic Site 
Sign at the start of the Harvest Moon Trail. Grand Pré gardens can be seen in the background. 
Taking a rest in Wolfville while enjoying views of the mudflats at low tide. 
View of Port Williams from the Harvest Moon Trailway 
Crossing the Bridge into Miner’s Marsh in Kentville 
Our lunch bench in Miner’s Marsh. We felt it faced the wrong way, but allowed us to see the rain clouds encroaching. 
View from Lightfoot and Wolfville Winery 
Cooking breakfast at the oTENTik in the rain. 
Getting a closer look for the eagle at the top of the telephone pole. (This was the same morning as the rainy breakfast) 
Stretching a sore quad and enjoying the view of Blomidon at Evangeline Beach while being fascinated by the sandpipers! 
So many sandpipers at Evangeline Beach! 
We made a quick stop to pick some nice tart, juicy apples. 20lb in 20 minutes! 
Walking on the beach at Blomidon at low tide 
Getting a closer look of the red cliffs at Blomidon. 
View from the wharf at Delhaven at low tide 
Fishing boats resting on the ocean floor in Delhaven 
Our car for the weekend was a Communauto that we share with other Halgonians. 
High tide (left) vs low tide (right) in Wolfville. These pictures were only taken 3 hours apart!
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