A coastal village, Havre Boucher is located 10 kilometres west of the Canso Causeway in Antigonish County. A harbour, opening on St. George's Bay, it is unclear as to how the name Havre Boucher came to be. Havre means harbour or port so that part is clear. Boucher is the part that remains a mystery. There have been various spellings of Boucher - Bouché, Bouchet and Bushee and various explanations. One explanation comes from the french word bouche which means blocked or closed since the mouth of the harbour is almost completely blocked by an island. Some say that Havre Boucher was named for Captain Francois Boucher of Quebec who, during a particular harsh winter in 1759, took refuge here and stayed through until spring. Legend has it that he returned the following year, married, and started a family.
Havre Boucher is located on the Sunrise Trail, a scenic drive along the northeastern coast of Nova Scotia.
Looking to camp? Havre Boucher has Hyclass Ocean Campground for you to enjoy!
Only 10 kilometres away from Havre Boucher is the Canso Canal, spanned by a 94 metre long rotating swing bridge. The canal is operated by the Canadian Coast Guard Atlantic Region and operates 24/7 from April 14 - December 23. According to the website of Canso Canal Operations, "The construction of the Canso Causeway would not only join Cape Breton Island to mainland Nova Scotia, but it would also block marine traffic from travelling between the waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean, through the Strait of Canso. In accordance with the Canadian Navigable Waters Protection Act, the Canso Canal was constructed between 1953 and 1955 as an integral component of the Canso Causeway to allow the continued unobstructed movement of marine traffic between Chedabucto Bay and St. George's Bay."
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