Nova Scotia is home to one of the oldest French-speaking cultures in North America.
Along its coastlines and valleys, Acadian communities have kept their language, music, cuisine, and traditions alive for more than 400 years - and their doors are open for you.
START HERE
Find Your Acadian Community
Each community has its own character, its own flavours, its own stories. Choose a region to start exploring or let a road trip take you through them all.
WHAT AWAITS YOU
Discover Acadian Nova Scotia
Acadian culture isn't one thing; it's a whole way of life. Here's a taste of what you'll find when you go beyond the tourist trail.
CULTURAL CONTEXT
What Is Acadian Culture?
“A culture that refused to disappear — and never stopped celebrating.”
The Acadians are the descendants of French colonists who settled in Atlantic Canada beginning in the early 1600s, making them one of the oldest French-speaking populations in North America.
After the British-ordered Great Deportation of 1755, thousands of Acadians were forcibly removed from their homes. Many returned, rebuilding communities along the coasts of Nova Scotia. Today, those communities, from Chéticamp on Cape Breton Island to the villages of Clare in Saint Mary's Bay, are home to a living, French-speaking culture with its own dialect, cuisine, music, and traditions.
Visitez NÉ (Visitez Nouvelle-Écosse) is the official Acadian tourism initiative of Nova Scotia, operated by CDÉNÉ.
BEFORE YOUR ARRIVE
Discover Acadian Nova Scotia
Acadian culture isn't one thing; it's a whole way of life. Here's a taste of what you'll find when you go beyond the tourist trail.
01
When to go
Nova Scotia's Acadian communities are welcoming year-round, with summer and fall offering the best weather and the most festivals. National Acadian Day on August 15 is the highlight of the year.
02
Getting around
A car is your best companion. Most Acadian communities are connected by scenic coastal roads. Rental cars are available in Halifax, Yarmouth, and Sydney.
03
A little French goes a long way
Many locals speak both French and English. Saying bonjour, merci, and bienvenue will earn you a warm smile everywhere you go.
