Relive History at Louisbourg Fortress

Calling all history buffs! Want to take a step back in time to 1744? Here’s your opportunity to relive history at Louisbourg Fortress. Described as “the jewel of all Canadian historic sites,” the reconstructed fortification is a one-quarter partial reconstruction of an 18th-century French fortress on the rocky shore of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia which was once a thriving seaport and capital of Cape Breton Island.

The fort was built to protect and provide a base for France’s lucrative North American fishery and to protect Quebec City from British invasions. It is an accurate representation of a French garrison with much of the original materials repurposed during the restoration.

Aconcagua, CC BY-SA 3.0 Creative Commons

The entire complex is a huge living museum with costumed actors scattered about the streets, re-enacting town life during the 1700s. You can strike up a conversation with armed guards, visit the chapel, get some cooking tips from a servant, or grab it bite from the bakery.

Louisbourg at a Glance

The buildings you see represent only 25% or so of Fortress of Louisbourg’s original footprint.
Guests can pay for special activities such as firing a musket or cannon or designation as Prisoner of the Day outfitted in an iron collar for 30 minutes and be fed bread and water.
The Fortress of Louisbourg was featured on the TV show, The Amazing Race.

Best Time to Visit

The fort is open year-round, but activities are seasonal. Summer is a great time to visit as it is bustling with activity and the warm breezes feel wonderful. Actors in period costumes work in gardens, houses, and shops; they love interacting with visitors and explaining what daily life was like back in the day.

Shoulder seasons will have fewer crowds and still fairly good weather, but some activities may not be running.

Brief History

Built in 1712, during the 1700s, Louisbourg was transformed from a small fishing village to a massive fortified town. As the second most important settlement after Quebec City, the fortress became embroiled in a tug-of-war between France and Great Britain.

In 1758, the British burned down the fortress and the ruins remained dormant until the 20th century, when it also battled erosion and decay.

A military assignment to Fortress Louisbourg was a dreaded post. It was far away from home, endured harsh weather, food wasn’t the best, and creature comforts were few and far between.

In 1961, with the help of a $25 million grant, one-fifth of the fortress and village was reconstructed according to its original blueprint and it became a magnet for tourists.

Reliving History

Parks Canada seems to have perfected the idea of “interactive history,” in the recreated 18th-century fortress, a living symbol of the time the French were the owners of this part of Canada. The buildings are all authentic 18th-century reconstructions.

Interpretive performers inside the fort are decked out in authentic period attire and are eager to display their dramatic flair in conversations with tourists. You may hear both greetings and warnings such as, “Beware of the English! Don’t climb the walls! Keep out of trouble!”

Inside the fortress’s walls, in addition to soldiers, you’ll find finely dressed women in lace accouterments, peasants, fishermen, and children playing.

I must admit, I was keen on joining the fun. I came attired in a generic medieval dress which photographed well, especially flouncing about the gardens. Granted, it wasn’t authentic or as simple as the colonial peasant women were wearing, but it suited my purpose and brand, and we had a blast with our photo ops! Artistic vs. authentic in this case.

The Fortress

James Sherar, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Naturally, the Fortress of Louisbourg is the main attraction in Louisbourg. That’s where you’ll find the various buildings and actors in their period costumes, eager to tell their stories and recount events and how people lived in 1744.

Fire a Cannon

Vlad Litvinov, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

For many, the opportunity to fire a cannon is the highlight of the day at Fortress Louisbourg.

Instructions include:

Take the lighted wick from a soldier,
Wait for the order after the muskets go off,
Light the cannon, try not to inhale too much smoke,
Give the stick back and breathe again.

Prisoner of the Day

If getting dragged off to jail, harassed by passersby, and humiliated by a jailer seems like a fun way to relive history at Louisbourg Fortress, then you’re in luck.

For an extra fee, you can be paraded through town, placed in the iron collar, and rely on the crowd to determine your punishment. If you’re lucky, you’ll receive mercy but don’t count on it. My understanding is that they are generally ruthless (but hilarious).

King’s Bakery

You’ll likely see people walking around with brown paper bags. These are from the Kings Bakery. You can get things like dense, fresh baked bread or bread pudding (tastes like spice cake) here. Back in the 1700s, the soldiers’ rations consisted of dense bread and salt pork.

Restaurants

If you get hungry, there are a few basic establishments to choose from. And by basic, I mean you’ll be given just a large pewter spoon with which to eat authentic 18th-century rustic cuisine.

Time Warp

When you relive history at Louisbourg Fortress, you feel like you’ve entered a time warp. Observing history with an emphasis on the physical environment combined with interpersonal encounters is the best way to learn about our past.

We visited Louisbourg as part of our incredible Holland America Line New England and Canada cruise. Be sure to check out these other gorgeous places we visited.

Here are articles about all the ports I visited during my Holland America cruise that you may be interested in:

Most photos by Kary Kern.

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Disclosure: The author was honored to be the guest of Holland America Line during her stay, but as always, the opinions, reviews, and experiences are her own.

This article may contain affiliate/compensated links. For full information, please see our disclaimer.

About the Author

Patti Morrow is a freelance travel writer and founder of the award-winning international blog Luggage and Lipstick and the southern travel blog Gone to Carolinas. TripAdvisor called her one of “20 Baby Boomer Travel Bloggers Having More Fun Than Millennials” and she was named one of the “Top 35 Travel Blogs” in the world.

She is also the star of the upcoming TV series “Destination Takeover” which is scheduled to premiere in the new few months.

Patti is the author of the book “Girls Go Solo: Tips for Women Traveling Alone,” and has over 150 bylines in 40 print and online publications, including The Huffington Post, International Living Magazine, Washington Post Sunday Travel, Travel Girl, Travel Play Live Magazine, and Ladies Home Journal. She has traveled extensively through six continents looking for fabulous destinations, exotic beaches, and adventure activities for her Baby Boomer tribe.