September 26, 2015 ---- Annapolis Royal and Port Royal are historically important because they were where the earliest Europeans who came to North America attempted to settle and built a community. In 1605, the French came to Port Royal first and made it the capital of the colony of Acadia. Later in 1613 the British destroyed the French settlement, so the French moved their settlement/capitol to Annapolis Royal, which again was seized by the British military in 1710.
Nathan and I drove to Annapolis Royal and then to Port Royal for a day-trip. The ride took about 2 hours from Halifax. Annapolis Royal is a very small town with few shops and some beautiful houses overlooking the Annapolis Basin. The tide was low when we got there, so we saw some boats floating close to the bottom of the basin. There wasn't much to see in town other than Fort Anne National Historic Site. We bought tickets and entered to see the exhibit about the history of the fort. It was quite impressive, and I learned a lot about the French and the British settlements around Annapolis Valley. Then we walked around on the green hill and enjoyed the warm weather and the beautiful view of the Annapolis Basin.
Port Royal National Historic Site is just a 10-minute drive from Fort Anne. It is a replica of the original French colonial settlement. The interior of each room was decorated according to what is believed to have been used during 1605 to 1613. Nathan and I visited each room with great interest. The kitchen, dining room, chapel, and sleeping quarters were well decorated to represent the days in the past. My favorite is the "trading room" where they kept many tools to trade with the Aboriginal people.
All in all, it was a great trip. I can't say that they are must-see places in Nova Scotia, but if you are in the area and interested in history, you will find it worth a visit.
Fort Anne National Historic Site
Annapolis Royal
Port Royal National Historic Site
