Description: France colonized areas of Ile Royale, now known as Cape Breton Island, in the 17th century. In the early 18th century, a fortified walled town, called a Fortress, was built on the east coast on an ice-free harbour and was called Louisbourg, after King Louis XV. It took over 20 years to complete. The main source of revenue was the Grand Bank cod fishing industry which was extremely lucrative and the town prospered. Little wonder then, that the British laid seige to it in 1745. Louisbourg changed hands several times over the next several decades until the British finally captured it and kept it, but destroyed it in 1760. Canada designated the site as a National Historic site in the early 1960s and started to reconstruct the fortress as it would have been in 1744, before the British first attacked it.

Now, the town buzzes with tourists and is populated during the day by locals dressed in period costume. They are all well versed in the history of the town and the area and can tell you about the families or people they represent, from ordinary citizens to soldiers to the town's engineer. There are many houses and buildings open filled with antiques from that period as well as faithful reproductions. There are free tours available that run several times during the day. They have military exhibitions and other acts played out such as a public punishment for someone that may have been caught stealing, for example.

There are two restaurants and a takeaway coffee shop (with 2 or 3 tables if you want to sit). One restaurant is "working class" and all you get is a large pewter spoon and a big napkin/bib to use to wipe it off between courses. Food is comes in pewter dishes or ceramic cups and is served by costumed girls. There is another restaurant that was closed when we were there which is a bit more "refined", I believe. There is also an area near an on-site museum that has picnic tables.

When you arrive, you are greeted by two "fishermen" who will tell you a little about the history of the fort, and show you into a cottage that is outside the gates of the city. The cottage would be similar to the kind the everyday fishermen would use and it has a sod roof. You enter the gates, where armed guards may challenge you and then you are free to roam around. There's a gift shop in a building near the entrance, as well. We arrived around noon and decided to find the restaurant first as we'd been driving all morning. Fortified, we then spent the rest of the afternoon tramping around, watching a military drill and cannon firing, a public punishment and chatting to some of the costumed staff in various buildlings. We saw a woman making a basket, another in an old kitchen where a lead weighted clockwork type mechanism turned a spit in front of the fire where a hunk of meat was sizzling. We talked to the woman who was an innkeeper in a tavern and showed us some of the games that might have been played including a 18th century cribbage board and cards. The engineer told us about his job as the third most important person in the settlement after the governor and Finance minister. He would have been the architect of the town and was living in a very fine house but not quite as fine as the governor's quarters in the Bastion where there was also a small jail cell, a lovely chapel and the soldiers' barracks.

It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day and we spent four hours in the town but you could easily spend all day there. I know there was a lot we didn't see and we totally failed to realize that there is also a museum by the Bastion.

The fortress is accessed via the town of Louisbourg. The entrance is just past the town and there's plenty of free parking. You pay your fee at the visitor centre where there is also a gift shop and some exhibits detailing the history of the fortress. You must then board a bus that takes you to the entrance of the fortress itself, about a 5 minute ride. Busses run very frequently all day. The Fortess is open from mid may to mid October. Hours in July and August are 9:00 - 5:30, spring and fall hours are 9:30 to 5:00. The restaurants on site are open from June to the end of September. Although there are discounted entry fees in May and October, you don't get very much bang for your buck. It's hardly worth going then. Regular fees are not cheap but considering how much there is to see and take in, it's definitely worth it. Adult price is $17.60 (CAD) with senior, youth and family rates available.

There are two buildings where there are washrooms and they are disabled accessible. Much of the site is accessible though the coffee shop has stairs. The two restaurants are ground level and many of the other buildings are as well or have ramps or just a couple of low stairs to get in. Inside the Bastion, however, the recreated barracks and governor's quarters are up stairs though I seem to recall the chapel is accessible. Busses are wheelchair accessible but you can also get a pass to take your own vehicle to the entrance.

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