Walking along the gravel road to the gates of Fortress Louisbourg on a cold gray afternoon one day last summer, we were warned by a hovering peasant woman to approach the guards with caution.
‘They are watching for British spies’, she says. ‘Best show them your documents and say as little as possible.’
Forewarned, we pulled out our visitor’s passes and quietly handed them to the uniformed guard who, after careful consideration, waved us through.
And as we did, it became clear that passing through the gate we had done some ‘time traveling’.
As a living museum, the Fortress Lousibourg is frozen in time.
It is the summer of 1744, when King Louis XV of France was still reigning and Louisbourg, which had started out as a fishing port and the capital of Ile Royale (Cape Breton Island), was a thriving town and military stronghold.
Ten months later, this would change as the Fortress became under siege, suffering bombardment and eventually defeat in the hands of the British. After that ownership of the Fortress bounced back and forth from the English to the France until in 1760, again in the hands of the English, the Fortress was demolished.
What stands now is the result of the largest historical reconstruction and preservation project in North America. So far over 60 buildings and the massive fortification walls have been reconstructed, with plenty more to come.
And inside these walls and buildings, dedicated re-enactors, in meticulously accurate period costumes, make the Fortress come alive.
Wandering around the Fortress, we meet with soldiers, bakers, servants, nobles, and merchants. Each one is in character, portraying a specific person who once lived here.
The soldiers drill, the baker’s bake, the noble ladies sit by the fire and create handmade lace while servants cook over the fire and serve meals.
On this wet and cold day we wandered the streets, peeked into houses, and jumped at the sound of the guns and cannons firing.
We took a late lunch among the working classes at the Hotel de la Marine, eating coarse bread and slurping soup and vegetables in pewter bowls.
And then, remembering the warning from the guard at the gate – ‘anyone found in the streets after the drawbridge goes up at six without the proper authorization will be arrested’ -, we hightailed it out of there.
We had seen the jail and wasn’t keen to stay.
Located on Cape Breton Island just 25 miles south of Sydney on Highway 22, the Fortress Louisbourg is open year-round.
For more details, check out the Fortress Louisbourg website and it’s interactive map.
(all photos @Liz Lewis 2013)
thanks for sharing your visit and great photos, Liz. once while I was on Cape Breton at Celtic Colours, I had conversation with a man who worked as a re enactor at Louisbourg. I was interested to learn that re enactors there participate in exchange programs with other historic sites so they can learn how re enactors do their — admittedly unusual — work elsewhere.
Hi Kerry, I was truly amazed at the dedication and commitment the re-enactors put into their roles. Would have loved to stayed longer at the fort but was only in Nova Scotia for a week. Will have to return and explore further.