This time we left Granby in the autumn, heading for Maine, with Portland as our destination. To reach the coast we chose to cross New Hampshire on the famous US Route 302, a road that runs through the mountain landscapes of the White Mountains before dropping gradually towards Maine. The autumn colours gave the country a whole other dimension. The forests turned red, orange and yellow, while the small roads lined with wooden houses were a reminder that we were already in New England. Our route took us through Bethlehem, New Hampshire, a small town set at the foot of the mountains, before carrying on into Maine.

Reaching the coast, the scene changes completely. Here we are at Old Orchard Beach, one of the best-known seaside resorts in Maine. In front of us, a huge beach open to the Atlantic, almost deserted at this time of year. The summer atmosphere was gone, leaving the sound of the waves, the sea wind and a few walkers. The beach runs for several kilometres and has long been one of the great tourist destinations of the Maine coast. The famous pier, first opened in 1898, recalls the days when the railway turned this stretch of coast into a hugely popular holiday destination. We simply enjoyed the place, walked on the beach and through the surrounding streets, then stopped for a pizza. A very simple break, but exactly in the spirit of the weekend.

Carrying on towards Portland, we took a detour through Cape Elizabeth. The coast here becomes far wilder. The rocks plunge into the ocean and the waves break against the cliffs. In the middle of this landscape stands Portland Head Light, one of the most famous lighthouses in New England. The lighthouse is a real symbol of the region, with its commanding architecture and its strategic position. Built in 1791, when Maine was still part of Massachusetts, it is the oldest lighthouse in the state. Its position at the mouth of Portland Harbor, facing the open sea and Casco Bay, explains the strategic importance it long held for shipping. The contrast between the lighthouse stone, the dark rocks and the vastness of the ocean is particularly striking.

We finally reach Portland, Maine. The city has that atmosphere typical of the old port towns of New England: brick buildings, former commercial fronts, sloping streets and above all the constant presence of the harbour. Portland grew up around its maritime trade. Even today the waterfront keeps that identity, with its wharves, its boats and its former industrial buildings turned into restaurants, shops and places to walk. We took our time discovering the city, walking near the port and enjoying that particular sea air. But Portland has another small monument worth the detour.

In South Portland stands the Portland Breakwater Light, nicknamed Bug Light. Far smaller than Portland Head Light, it sits at the end of an old breakwater protecting the harbour entrance. The present lighthouse dates from 1875 and its architecture takes its cue from a small ancient Greek monument, with its decorative cast iron columns. Two lighthouses, two entirely different silhouettes, but the same tie to Portland’s maritime history.

For the night we chose East End Beach, right on Casco Bay. Parking is free and the beach is a short walk away. In the early morning, a few steps are enough to be back on the sand. The sun comes up slowly over the water, giving the bay islands almost unreal outlines. At that hour Portland still seems asleep. A few joggers, a few walkers and the steady sound of the waves go with the start of the day. It is probably the quietest moment of the weekend. Then we went to see downtown Portland, with its cobbled streets, its historic buildings and its many cafés and restaurants. We ate in a small local place, enjoying the warm and friendly atmosphere of the city, which serves delicious lobster dishes.

For the way home we took US Route 1 North, a road that gradually brings back the feel of the small coastal towns of Maine. First surprising stop: Eartha, in Yarmouth. Behind the glass of the former DeLorme mapping company building sits a giant globe more than 41 feet across. Eartha is recognised today as the world’s largest rotating and revolving globe. Built at a scale of 1:1,000,000, it renders our planet with striking precision. The whole thing is designed as a monument to geography and to exploration. It is hard to drive past without wanting to stop.

A little further on we reach Freeport, the outdoor shopping capital of Maine. The town is known for its factory outlets, its outdoor clothing shops and its seafood restaurants. It is a place where you can still feel the soul of New England. This is where L.L.Bean began. The company was founded in 1912 around the famous Maine Hunting Shoe, designed by Leon Leonwood Bean to keep his feet dry on his outings in the woods. Today its huge flagship store has become almost an attraction in itself. And before getting back on the road, it is impossible to leave Freeport without an ice cream.

The road then takes us back inland, as far as Paris, Maine. The name raises a smile, but what the village really has is a very New England charm. At Paris Hill, the old houses and the nineteenth century public buildings form a remarkably well preserved whole, in mostly Federal and Greek Revival style. The village is on the National Register of Historic Places and gives a fascinating glimpse of Maine life in the nineteenth century. After the beaches, the lighthouses, the harbour and the shops of Freeport, the country has turned rural again. Silence rules the roads, and the miles go quietly by between the forests and the back roads of Maine. Then comes the moment to head back towards Quebec. A fairly short weekend in the end, but one that took us through several faces of New England: the mountains of New Hampshire, the vastness of the Atlantic, the lighthouses of the Maine coast, the harbour air of Portland and the small towns that seem to have kept a part of their history. As so often, it is not only the destination that counts. It is also everything you find between leaving and coming home.