The French Lane

The French Lane is one of the oldest roadways in the Alberton area. It runs from a point on Route 12, about 1.2 km from the Alberton town centre. The lane is a quiet unpaved road through mixed woodland of birch, pine, maple, and evergreen trees and farm fields. The registration includes a 1.3 km length of the road extending south to the shore of Cascumpec Bay.

The Lane is valued for its association with the early Acadian settlers; for its aesthetic and environmental integrity as one of the oldest roads in the area; and for its contribution to the community of Alberton.

Early Acadian settlers used this road extensively to travel from Kildare to Cascumpec Harbour (now Northport) in the late eighteenth to early nineteenth centuries. By 1880, it was noted on Meacham's Atlas of PEI as being the "Old French Road".

Today, this pristine natural area is enjoyed by walkers, birders and cyclists. The Town of Alberton maintains the road and it is planned to eventually connect it to the Confederation Trail system. The variety of trees provides a beautiful canopy in all seasons of the year and it is considered an asset to the community.

Source: Culture and Heritage Division, PEI Department of Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8

File #: 4310-20/A16

Character-defining elements which define the heritage value of the French Lane include:

- the signpost marking the entrance to the road

- the red clay road bed running the length of 1.3 km in a southern direction

- the mixed woodland enclosing the road on either side and creating a canopy effect

- the variety of flora and fauna along the trail