Place · Quebec's national park

Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé National Park (Québec)

1 place · best Jun–Aug

National park, stateIUCN III5 subjects

Light on 15 June

Clear sky

Light through the day, 15 June, local time, America/Moncton
From	To	Light
00:00	04:49	Night
04:49	05:21	Blue hour
05:21	06:04	Golden hour
06:04	07:34	Soft
07:34	10:07	Medium
10:07	16:28	Harsh
16:28	19:00	Medium
19:00	20:31	Soft
20:31	21:14	Golden hour
21:14	21:45	Blue hour
21:45	24:00	Night

4.5 hours of golden and soft light.

Soft light by month

Hours a day

Soft light by month, hours a day, under a clear sky
Month	Golden hour	Soft
Jan	1.5 h	5.7 h
Feb	1.3 h	3.6 h
Mar	1.2 h	3.0 h
Apr	1.2 h	2.8 h
May	1.3 h	2.9 h
Jun	1.4 h	3.0 h
Jul	1.4 h	3.0 h
Aug	1.3 h	2.8 h
Sep	1.2 h	2.9 h
Oct	1.3 h	3.3 h
Nov	1.4 h	4.9 h
Dec	1.6 h	6.6 h

What's here, and when

1 subject

Shooting windows in Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé National Park (Québec): subjects down, months across
Subject	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Northern Gannet	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Peak	Peak	Peak	In season	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window

Hides, lodges and tours (1)

Workshop

Gannets Galore Photo Workshop

WildlifeInside Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé National Park (Québec)

Gannets Galore Photo Workshop by month
Month	Presence
Jan	Outside the window
Feb	Outside the window
Mar	Outside the window
Apr	Outside the window
May	Outside the window
Jun	Peak
Jul	Peak
Aug	Peak
Sep	Outside the window
Oct	Outside the window
Nov	Outside the window
Dec	Outside the window

Feeding Unverified
Baiting Unverified
Captive Animals Unverified

Price not listed

Northern Gannet — Bonaventure Island, Québec — June to September

Shoot window

Northern Gannet

Northern Gannet: you will almost certainly see it (Jun–Sep)

Northern Gannet by month
Month	Presence
Jan	Outside the window
Feb	Outside the window
Mar	Outside the window
Apr	Outside the window
May	Outside the window
Jun	Peak
Jul	Peak
Aug	Peak
Sep	In season
Oct	Outside the window
Nov	Outside the window
Dec	Outside the window

Peak: Late June to August.
Days needed: 4 days
Behaviour: Nesting, Courtship / display, Mass aggregation
Coat: Breeding plumage
Habitat: Green season / lush
Crowds: Crowded — vehicles in frame
Also here: Razorbill, common murre, black legged kittiwake and double crested cormorant on Percé Rock and the island cliffs, Atlantic puffin in small numbers. Percé Rock as a landscape subject in evening light from the mainland, which is where the good hours actually go.

Light: THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH THIS WINDOW. 48.5 degrees N, max solar altitude around 65 degrees in late June, and the park is only open 09:00 to 17:00 (09:00 to 16:00 outside 14 Jun to 19 Sep), reached by ferry, with no overnight stay on the island. The soft light hours are 05:00 to 07:00 and 19:00 to 20:30, and you are legally and physically unable to be there for any of them. You get delivered into the worst light of the day and taken away before the good light starts, which on a clear day makes the trip pointless for fine art purposes. It is only worth doing under full overcast, which the Gulf of St Lawrence does provide, but you are gambling a long journey on cloud with no ability to wait out a bad day at the right hour.
Weather risk: Fog / mist (asset) and High wind
Atmosphere: Gulf of St Lawrence fog and low cloud, which is the only thing that redeems the midday access window. Percé Rock itself in evening light, shot from the mainland after the last ferry back.
Permits: Park open 31 May to 12 Oct 2026. Hours 09:00 to 16:00 (31 May to 13 Jun and 20 Sep to 12 Oct) and 09:00 to 17:00 (14 Jun to 19 Sep). Access fee 10.30 CAD for adults, free under 18, bought online. Boat transport is separate and sold only at kiosks in Percé, not online. Mandatory to stay on trails under the Parks Act. Walking to or around Percé Rock is forbidden. 100 m protected marine strip around the island. Budget 3.5 hours for the visit including transfers.
Getting there: Long haul: fly to Québec City or Montréal then roughly 10 hours by car to Percé, or fly into Gaspé (regional, limited and expensive). Stay in Percé. Roughly 20 to 30 minutes of walking with gear from the landing to the colony. A long lens is not needed at the colony itself. Cost below is on the ground only and excludes international flights.

Who runs trips here: Les Bateliers de Percé and Croisières Julien Cloutier run the ferries from the Percé wharf, both also do circumnavigation cruises, which give a water level angle on the cliffs that the trails cannot. SEPAQ warden naturalists run activities at the colony.

Confidence: high · Last verified 20 Sept 2026

Species

Light and conditions

Loading today’s light and weather…

Light through the year

Golden hour is when the sun is low, between the horizon and 6° above it: soft, warm light. Times are for the 15th of each month, in Moncton time (with summer time where it applies).

Light by month at Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé National Park (Québec), in Moncton time
Month	Golden hour		Daylight	Sun at noon
Month	Morning golden hour	Evening golden hour	Daylight	Sun at noon
Jan	08:09–08:55	15:58–16:43	8h 46m8 h 46 min	21°
Feb	07:29–08:09	16:54–17:33	10h 14m10 h 14 min	29°
Mar	07:35–08:11	18:41–19:17	11h 52m11 h 52 min	40°
Apr	06:31–07:08	19:26–20:03	13h 42m13 h 42 min	52°
May	05:42–06:22	20:05–20:45	15h 15m15 h 15 min	61°
Jun	05:21–06:04	20:31–21:14	16h 6m16 h 6 min	65°
Jul	05:37–06:19	20:26–21:08	15h 43m15 h 43 min	63°
Aug	06:16–06:54	19:48–20:26	14h 21m14 h 21 min	55°
Sep	06:59–07:35	18:48–19:24	12h 36m12 h 36 min	44°
Oct	07:42–08:20	17:44–18:22	10h 51m10 h 51 min	33°
Nov	07:30–08:14	15:48–16:32	9h 13m9 h 13 min	23°
Dec	08:08–08:56	15:27–16:15	8h 20m8 h 20 min	18°

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Park data from Environment and Climate Change Canada: Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence: Open Government Licence – Canada 2.0. Adapted by us. Sources and credits