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Where to eat Acadians love their starch. Râpure or rappie pie – made with grated potatoes, hot broth, and often some chicken – is a classic Acadian potato dish. Fricot, chicken dumpling soup, is another tater-based staple. Find Acadian cuisine at Evelina’s ( evelinas.ca). The restaurant is attached to the best sushi place in town called Kizuna ( jfkizuna.com).

Cuisine Robicheau (lacuisinerobicheau.ca) in Saulnierville serves a hearty seafood lasagna. All things lobster and seafood are really best served on a picnic table on the ocean near the Cape View Motel and Cottages at the Cape View Restaurant (902-645-2519). Where to sleep For best ocean views, the Cape View Motel and Cabins are simple and clean ( capeviewmotel.ca). Or, for a fancy stay at a Victorian home with a great sunset view, the Château Sainte-marie ( chateausaintemarie.ca) is cosy and charming. Where to shop Vélo Baie Sainte-marie ( velobsm.ca) in Saulnierville, the centre of the Municipality of Clare, carries high-end road and mountain bike gear.

Ask a Maritimer about Frenchys ( guysfrenchys.com). The clothing store has a cult following and several locations in the area. Where to mountain bike Only three hours away is the Annapolis Valley with plenty of steep descents and rocky technical singletrack ( avmba.blogspot.ca). From hard to easy, try The Gorge, Anima Mundi and The Links (Woodville Hiking Trails).

And if you want to explore the province’s bike-friendly communities, Cycle Nova Scotia has detailed maps ( cyclenovascotia.ca).