Louisbourg is a village of 1,000 people (2011) on the south-east coast of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia.

Understand

Louisbourg harbour

Louisbourg's harbour had been used by European mariners since at least the 1590s (as English Port, Havre à l'Anglois); the Fortress of Louisbourg was built by France in 1713, captured by England in 1758 and demolished in 1760. A small fishing village across the harbour from the abandoned fortress accommodated Loyalist settlers in the 1780s. In 1894, the Sydney and Louisburg Railway brought winter coal exports to Louisbourg Harbour's ice-free port. The Town of Louisbourg was incorporated in 1901 and merged into a single tier regional municipality in 1995; the efforts to restore the historic fortress as a pioneer village museum date to the 1960s.

Get in

Louisbourg is 40 km from Sydney along Highway 22, which is the main road in and out of town.

The nearest airport is in Sydney, but flights to Sydney were suspended indefinitely in Jan 2021.

The railway no longer runs here.

See

The fortifications of Louisbourg

King's Bastion in the Fortress

• 1 Fortress of Louisbourg, 259 Park Service Rd, ☏ +1 902 733-2280. 1 May-30 Jun: 9:30AM-5PM; 1 Jul-31 Aug: 9AM-5PM; 1 Sep-15 Oct: 9:30AM-5PM; closed 1 Nov-3 Apr. Louisbourg. This is a reconstruction of the 18th-century fortified French town whose presence plagued the British colonies of New England. Its busy harbour was once one of France's most signifiant economic and military assets in North America. If you enjoy the colonial restoration at Williamsburg in the United States, don't miss Louisbourg.  
• Louisbourg Playhouse, 11 Aberdeen St (Aberdeen & Commercial St), ☏ +1 902 733-2996, lsbg.playhouse@ns.sympatico.ca. Local entertainment venue with nightly shows (theatre, music, comedy) throughout the summer. 
• 2 S&L Railway Museum, Louisburg Station, 7330 Main St (Route 22), ☏ +1 902 733-2720. Mid-May to mid-Oct: daily 9AM-5PM; July and August: daily 8AM-8PM. Small museum includes an 1895 Sydney & Louisbourg Railway station and engine house, visitor information, quilt displays, vintage passenger and freight cars. Coal used to be hauled here by rail, then transferred to ships. By donation. 

Louisbourg Lighthouse

• 3 Louisbourg Lighthouse, 555 Havenside Road. The first lighthouse in Canada was built here in 1734. This is the fourth one. There is a trail for walking along the picturesque, rocky coastline. Dress for wind. (updated May 2019)

Do

• Louisbourg Boardwalk Park, 30 Harbourfront Cres, near the Louisbourg Harbur. Great view of the harbour, panels about the history of Louisbourg. (updated May 2019)
• Kennington Cove Beach (about 5 km past the fortress along a gravel road). Clean, sandy beach. Not crowded. Be careful of currents. (updated May 2019)

Eat

• Beggar's Banquet, 15 Commercial Street Extension, Point of View Suites, toll-free: +1 888-374-8439. From 6PM. Lobster, snow crab, halibut, roasted chicken. 18th-century theme. Reservations required by 5PM. (updated May 2019)
• Foggy Hermit Cafe, 7551 Main St, ☏ +1 902 733-2325. Daily 7:30AM-8PM. Fish and chips, ham or turkey dinners. (updated May 2019)

Sleep

• Cranberry Cove Inn, 12 Wolfe St, ☏ +1 902 733-2171, toll-free: +1-800-929-0222. Check-in: 3PM - 7PM. B&B-style inn with a front veranda that overlooks Louisbourg harbour. From $109. (updated May 2019)
• Louisbourg Harbour Inn, 9 Lower Warren St (corner of Lower Warren & Townsend Streets), ☏ +1 902-733-3222, toll-free: +1-888-888-8466, info@louisbourgharbourinn.com. Century-old bed and breakfast home with eight rooms, guest balcony overlooking the harbour. Under common ownership with Louisbourg Heritage House (7544 Main St), a similar B&B establishment nearby. From $135. (updated May 2019)
• Fortress Inn Louisbourg, 7464 Main St, ☏ +1 902 733-2844. A pet-friendly drive-in motel. Rooms are all non-smoking, and have air conditioning. Continental breakfast and gift shop available. $79-135. (updated May 2019)

Go next

Routes through Louisbourg

Sydney ← Jct N ←

N  S

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