Matane is a working St. Lawrence town at the western edge of the Gaspesie mood: sea air, ferry traffic, salmon pools, and mountains beginning to rise inland. It is not as dramatic as the far end of the peninsula, but it has enough of its own character to reward a pause.
The town's cleanest image is the Matane Lighthouse and Maritime Museum, a white tower by Route 132 with river, sea, and Chic-Choc views. The more local sight is the Salmon Observation Centre, where the Matane River's Atlantic salmon run turns a downtown dam into a seasonal nature lesson.
Matane works best for travelers who like the border between town and wild country. You can walk the river, visit the lighthouse, then point the car toward the Matane Wildlife Reserve, where moose, lakes, and long Appalachian Trail sections take over.