Percé waterfront and boardwalk rehabilitation 

An iconic symbol of Québec tourism, the municipality of Percé (population 3,150), with its Rock and Bonaventure Island, is a unique place defined by its history and exceptional location along the Gaspé coast. Each year, its many attractions draw hundreds of thousands of visitors. Among them, the boardwalk that runs along the shoreline and through Percé’s historic village core offers a prime setting for gathering and enjoying the landscape. 

Since the early 2000s, Percé has been witnessing the impacts of climate change. These changes have had significant consequences on the municipality’s shoreline. Ice cover, which historically protected Anse du Sud during winter storms, has gradually disappeared, accelerating coastal erosion as a result of higher tides, more frequent storms, and increasingly strong winds. Together, these factors have irreversibly contributed to the destruction of the Anse du Sud boardwalk, also putting several important buildings at risk. 

The storms of 2015 and 2016 caused major damage, prompting Québec’s Ministry of Public Security to declare Percé’s shoreline and its historic district a disaster area. In response, the Government of Québec provided funding in 2017 to review coastal protection studies and urgently proceed with shoreline protection and redevelopment work, including the beach and the Anse du Sud boardwalk. 

This multidisciplinary project is based on a beach nourishment approach aimed at recreating a coastal landscape similar to what was experienced by the site’s first users in the 17th century—Jersey Islanders and the French. The former retaining walls, over two metres high and previously forming a barrier to the shore, have now been replaced with a boardwalk that integrates seamlessly with the coastline. 

The rehabilitation of the boardwalk is part of a proactive climate change adaptation strategy grounded in sustainable development. The $20 million project, which began in June 2017, was completed in the summer of 2018. Since its completion, the nearly one-kilometre-long Promenade de la Grave has been embraced by residents and visitors alike, offering renewed access to a natural shoreline landscape. Public spaces—including Parc des Loups-Marins, Place Suzanne-Guité, and Allée-des-Manigots—as well as scenic viewpoints, commemorative benches, and historical photographs along the route celebrate the spirit of the place and Gaspesian heritage.  

Our urban and landscape design addressed coastal resilience, public space quality, and offered significant landscape enhancement.