From breathtaking national parks of protected wilderness to vast stretches of coastline, Canada is blessed with incredible vistas and an abundance of activities for adventure seekers. One such gem is the 14 municipalities that comprise the Saguenay, one of the most beautiful regions of Québec.
Threaded together by scenic routes from Lac-Saint-Jean through the city of Saguenay to Tadoussac, this stretch is ideal for road trippers. Take your time to explore the historic village of Val Jalbert, the majestic Saguenay Fjords and whale watching in the St. Lawrence estuary. Here’s how you can feast on regional specialities, meet friendly locals and create lasting open-air memories.
Chambord
A haven for fishing enthusiasts to catch landlocked salmon and walleye, the municipality’s Lac-Saint-Jean is an oasis tucked within a wilderness area. Besides beaches and bike trails, visitors can travel back in time to experience the spirit of 1927 at the historic village of Val-Jalbert, a company-planned town that was built around a pulp mill at the base of Ouiatchouan Falls.
Twenty metres higher than Niagara Falls, Ouiatchouan Falls was used for hydroelectric power when the village was in operation. The current dam is more hidden, with the electricity produced sold to Hydro-Québec.
Climb 764 steps, or take the cable car to the top of the waterfall, to get a panoramic view of the quaint single-industry village that was once the most modern town in the region—heck, it had electricity and running water. However, with the decreased demand for pulp, the mill closed in 1927 and it quickly became a ghost town. Take in the 40 charming original buildings, including the well-preserved convent school, general store and mill itself on the provincially-owned property.
Spend an evening or two in the heart of the village in a room above the general store, or in a 1920s period house that’s been beautifully retrofitted with contemporary comforts. There’s also a campsite and mini-cottages, with access to a heated outdoor pool—great for young families.
You might encounter Val-Jalbert’s Pierre Thibeault, based on the historic village’s foreman, in the unique open-air museum.
Dine at the mill restaurant and enjoy the regional cuisine created by chef Gilbert Nault, before taking a leisurely evening stroll along the river to the illuminated falls in the closed theme park.
The next morning, how about a guided tour of Val-Jalbert—on foot, or aboard a trolley bus—to explore rows of abandoned houses in various states of decay and experience a bevy of interpretive activities? Included is an immersive multi-sensory show in the old mill’s grinders’ room, video interviews with former residents and costumed actors portraying former citizens in the unique open-air museum, which operates from may to October.
On the way to Saguenay, stop by Ferme michel rivard et Fille in Saintambroise to savour the region’s prized produce—wild blueberries and potatoes. The agri-tourism operation offers curious food lovers the opportunity to visit a working farm on guided weekend tours to see how the hand-picked fruit is harvested.
Unlike the plumper cultured version, tiny wild blueberries have a smooth frosted skin and are packed with gorgeous jammy flavours. You can sample them in local creations, like blueberry poutine, at Ferme Michel Rivard et Fille in Saint-Ambroise.
Explore the interpretation trails and pick your own fruits or tubers, before enjoying a picnic with delicacies purchased from the farm’s boutique that might include fresh wild blueberry pie, wild blueberry butter on fresh-baked bread, or their signature blueberry poutine. Grab a pint of sweet berries for the road, and stock up on jams and spreads to enjoy back home.
Saguenay
An amalgamation of three municipalities—Chicoutimi, Jonquière and La baie—the city of Saguenay is the area’s largest commercial hub. as the main administrative and commercial centre of the region, Chicoutimi hosts a series of festivals that draw international crowds. There is the regard shortfilm festival, as well as Festival des bières du monde and Festival des vins de Saguenay, both of which attract crowds of beer and wine connoisseurs.
Meanwhile, La baie is a popular tourist destination, thanks to its location on the shores of the Saguenay Fjord. besides being home to many small businesses and artisans—this includes Touverre, a glass-blowing and stonecutting workshop in the downtown core—it’s also a port for international cruise ships. There is the Véloroute du Fjord du Saguenay, a bike trail that runs through the port village to musée du Fjord, a science museum with a fjord aquarium, discovery spaces featuring marine fauna and a vivarium filled with exotic insects.
Economusée Touverre is where visitors can attend workshops to observe how artisan Giuseppe Benedetto creates his artful hand-blown glass and stone-cutting.
Learn about the natural and historic heritage of the Saguenay-Lac-SaintJean region, the cold dark waters of the Saguenay Fjords that aren’t as well explored due to its 300-metre depth, and discover more aboard the Navis multimedia presentation, or through guided excursions on the shores nearby.
Saguenay Fjords NationaL Park
As the only inhabited fjord in North america, the Saguenay Fjords are also one of the 10 longest in the world. a michelin Guide-listed must-see attraction, the 126-kilometre glacial valley is more than 900 million years old with rocky cliffs and boreal forest that you can hike, parks that permit sea kayaking and the aforementioned Véloroute du Fjord du Saguenay.
With water that’s as deep as the mountains are high, Saguenay Fjords’s glacial valley can be admired from different angles, including a passage with Navettes Maritimes du Fjord, or from cabin resorts like Cap Au Leste.
Take in the awe-inspiring vistas of the Saguenay-St. Lawrence marine Park on a boat cruise with Navettes maritimes du Fjord that shuttles between docks at La baie, Saguenay Fjords National Park (at rivière-Éternité), Tadoussac, plus other small towns depending on the season.
Appreciate how the rolling mountains rise to steep vertical cliffs that are 300 metres high. Enjoy the scenery at Cap Éternité, where you’ll be serenaded with ave maria on a brief stop under the Notre-dame-du-Saguenay statue carved by Louis Jobin.
Stop for a flight of organic beers at bistro de La’anse in the charming bayside village of L’anse-Saint-Jean. This microbrewery utilizes the unique flavours harvested from the surrounding boreal forest, like Labrador tea, balsam fir, raspberries and buckwheat.
Tadoussac
Located at the entrance to the province’s Côte-Nord, with its boreal forest and fast-flowing rivers, Tadoussac offers light adventurers plenty to see and do. as the first French settlement in North america, this former fur-trading post (with a replica located in the heart of the village) is also known for being one of the best birdwatching sites on the continent, where you can observe the migration of more than 80 species.
Learn more about the cetaceans at the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre through various exhibits, from games and complete skeletons to activities, including singing like a whale. Open May to October, it’s run by the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals, a non-profit dedicated to whale research and marine conservation education. Photo credit: Lise Gagnon/GREMM
Tadoussac bay is one of the most beautiful bays in the world, lined with an easyto-stroll boardwalk, quaint boutiques and charming restaurants. Wildlife enthusiasts flock to the village every may to October for whale-watching. Situated at the confluence of the St. Lawrence river and the Saguenay Fjord, Tadoussac’s waters are a rich feeding ground for marine mammals.
Spot such organisms as sea urchins while beachcombing in tidal pools at low tide at the Cap-de-Bon-Désir Interpretation and Observation Centre.
Saguenay-St. Lawrence marine Park is home to 13 species of whales, including minke, blue and beluga. although visible from the shore (and viewpoints along route 138, also known as the Whale route) or via an updated map showing pod locations at the marine mammal Interpretation Centre, the best way to encounter these majestic giants is up close.
Hop aboard the Grand Fleuve, the best observation boat in Canada, which offers panoramic views and comforts for all ages. adventure seekers can also enjoy an open-air ride on a zodiac with Croisières amL, where a certified naturalist boat captain guides a small group through the whale-rich waters and concludes the tour inside the Saguenay Fjord.
The area is rich in activities, from hiking trails to kayaking and scuba diving. about a 20-minute drive from Tadoussac, Parks Canada operates Cap-de-bon-désir Interpretation and Observation Centre, which offers family-friendly exhibits and programs like Ocean Encounters. Here, visitors can beachcomb in tidal pools for organisms like spider crabs and algae at low tides in the company of an interpretive guide, or examine marine invertebrates like sea urchins that divers have brought up from the sea depths.
From June to October, stop by the bon-désir Lighthouse, part of the Lighthouse Trail of 40 lighthouses dotting the St. Lawrence. The popular spot is home to a navigation exhibit where you can learn about the history of the lighthouse and its lightkeepers. It also provides a panorama of the St. Lawrence for whale and seal watching.
Whether it’s a pod of endangered belugas admired from a safe distance, or spotting the fin or a blow from a minke or fin whale (seen here), the Saguenay St-Laurence Marine Park is one of the best places to whale watch between May and October, where responsible whale tourism is practised. Photo credit: Mathieu Dupuis/Le Québec maritime or Marc Loiselle/Tourisme Côte-Nord
Imbibers will also be pleased to know that the region boasts an established beer-drinking culture, serving microbrews made from local ingredients. Whether it’s a pint at microbrasserie Tadoussac, where you can savour a wide variety of beers with names inspired by the region (including the Pale (Wh)ale), or enjoy a bottle of St-Pancrace beer at Chez mathilde while feasting on the catch of the day. The latter, a Côte-Nord microbrewery, has twice been recognized by the World beer awards for its innovative and quality products, including signature beer Crâââbe, where blue crab shells are added to the brewing process. (Pro tip: village grocery store Épicerie Côté L’Intermarché carries the full lineup that you can purchase to take home.)
For a true taste of the region, check out La Galouïne restaurant, where executive chef martin brisson taps into his algonquin heritage to transform lower north shore seafood, Quebec-sourced meat and farmed game with plants and fruits like spruce needles, wild mushrooms and lingonberries into flavourful plates.
Experience the seasonal menu from may to October through Le Croutier du Fjord, a five-dish course that may include seafood chowder with lobster tail, shrimp, scallops and fish, homemade maple-smoked salmon, marinated turbot with a local cheese capped flatbread, or the hearty Le Croutier montagnais that includes a wild game casserole of veal osso buco, venison sausage and rabbit leg, along with house-smoked duck magret.
Take brisson’s foraged flavours home via the restaurant’s Terroir boréal products that include confit, spreads and syrups made using traditional methods, salt flavoured with boreal herbs, a wild mushroom powder and Labrador tea flavoured with northern berries.
HOW TO GET THERE
Whether you arrive in the region by air, train, ferry, bus or automobile, the easiest way to truly access the region is by car. a tentative itinerary through the region might begin in Chicoutimi or Tadoussac (or vice versa). air Canada offers direct flights to Saguenay-bagotville (to reach Lac-Saint-Jean, Chicoutimi and La baie) and Québec City (the closest city to Tadoussac) from Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver.
WHERE TO STAY
It’s recommended to book your stay by late winter or spring for summertime accommodations, due to the area’s popularity during the whale-watching season.
COVID-19 PROTOCOLS
Stay up to date on the latest government regulations when travelling. be aware of altered hours of operation. Some attractions require mandatory reservations and have marked one-way routes. masks or face coverings are enforced in public indoor spaces. Social distancing, sanitizing, hygiene practices and the bubble concept are practised.
