Grand-Pré National Historic Site
The Story of The Acadians
A Proud Member of the Parks Canada Family

Grand-Pré, an hour's drive from Halifax, sits at the head of the Minas Basin and at the mouth of the Annapolis Valley. It sets the scene for a picture-perfect visit that enables visitors to discover one of Canada's most amazing achievement of human ingenuity and engineering, the system of dykes and aboiteaux created by the Acadians during the 17th and 18th Centuries. Grand-Pré National Historic Site boasts a new world-class interpretation centre that captures the imagination all who come to the historic site.

Re-live the story of the Acadians, the first settlers in the Grand-Pré area who dyked and cultivated the rich lands at the head of the Minas Basin.

History comes to life in our world-class interpretation centre at Grand-Pré National Historic Site. Visit the exhibit hall with its interactive screens and displays which include an impressive reconstruction of a dyke and its aboiteau, a display of the  Acadian village of Grand-Pré, artifacts, and other surprises to discover.

Re-live the tragic events of the Deportation of the Acadians which took place between 1755 and 1763 through a state of the art multimedia and multi-screen film presentation. When you enter the theatre, you actually enter into the hull of a ship and re-live the painful experience of the Deportation.

See and admire the world-famous statue of Evangeline, the heroin of Longfellow's poem.

Visit the Commemorative Church with its famous paintings by the artist Claude Picard and its spectacular stained glass window by Terry Smith-Lamothe.

Walk through the gardens, under the centuries-old French Willows and on well-manicured lawns, stop by the duck pond, visit the old well,  the old blacksmith shop and the Acadian kitchen garden.

Be moved by the impressive "Deportation" sculpture, a work in bronze unveiled on the site in 2006, depicting an Acadian family during those tragic days that changed the course of history and became a question of survival for an entire people.

Grand-Pré Historic Site boasts one of the finest Boutique/Gift Shop in the Annapolis Valley.

Discover over 350 years of heritage preserved in "The Grand-Pré First Rural District of Canada", now on Canada's Short List to be considered for designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Explore the dyke system that withstood the test of time and stands today as a silent witness to the courage and the determination of the Acadian people who fought against, and won over the world's highest tides along the Bay of Fundy.

Stop by to visit our neighbours and friends just up the road: Domaine Grand-Pré Winery, The Tangled Garden, Just Us Econo-Museum, Flora by Cora, and the Gaspereau Valley Vineyards, just to mention a few.

The Acadians are proud of their heritage! And proud to present Grand-Pré, the Acadian Mecca, to the world.