The Municipality of Clare, situated on the shores of Baie Sainte-Marie (Saint Mary’s Bay) in Southwest Nova Scotia, is home to the largest Acadian community in Nova Scotia.
Clare is also known as “La Baie Sainte-Marie”, with a dozen coastal fishing villages stretching along the panoramic shores of Saint Mary’s Bay.
The Clare region is an excellent vacation destination, affectionately named the “longest Main Street in the World”. Visit awe-inspiring churches, notably the granite Saint-Bernard Church, and Église Sainte-Marie, the largest wooden church in North America. Explore the region’s numerous parks and trails – don’t miss the two kilometre stretch of sand awaiting you at scenic Mavillette Beach Provincial Park, dubbed the best beach in the Yarmouth & Acadian Shores region in a recent poll.
How to get here
By Land
Trans-Canada Highway from New Brunswick into Nova Scotia. Highway 101 or 1 via Annapolis Valley, or Highway 103 from South Shore.
By Sea
- MV Fundy Rose: Saint John, New Brunswick to Digby, Nova Scotia www.ferries.ca. Save time, fuel and hours behind the wheel on your next journey from Saint John, New Brunswick to Digby, Nova Scotia aboard the MV Fundy Rose. Spend less time driving and more time relaxing with a variety of onboard amenities and incredible views of the world famous Bay of Fundy.
- The Cat - Bar Harbor, Maine to Yarmouth, NS www.ferries.ca The fastest way to get from Maine to Nova Scotia, the high-speed CAT ferry takes you between Bar Harbor and Yarmouth in just 5.5 hours. With plenty of onboard amenities and knowledgeable staff and crew, the journey is more than just fast, it’s a way to discover the Atlantic en route. *Due to travel restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, The CAT will not operate in 2021. Ferry service will resume when the international land borders are reopened and public health circumstances allow.
- Northumberland Ferries - Wood Islands, PEI to Caribou, NS www.ferries.ca Take a 75-minute ferry voyage across the beautiful Northumberland Strait aboard the MV Confederation and MV Holiday Island. Travelling between Wood Islands, Prince Edward Island and Caribou, Nova Scotia, your journey with Northumberland Ferries offers a variety of onboard amenities and services tailored to the Maritime experience.
By Air
Robert L. Stanfield International Airport, Halifax, N.S. We are approximately a 3 1/2 hours drive from the closest major international airport in Halifax. Rental cars available. Mariners Shuttle offers a van shuttle service from Clare to the Halifax Airport via the Annapolis Valley.
Watch for the large blue signs on Highway #101 at Exits 28 and 32 that remind you that la Baie is only a few moments away!