Canada Guide
Northern Québec
Northern Québec stretches out as two separate entities on either side of the St Lawrence River. The southern shore is the less remote, with the agricultural Bas Saint-Laurent (Lower St Lawrence) the gateway to the rugged and lightly populated Gaspé Peninsula. East of here, stuck out in the middle of the Gulf of St Lawrence, the Îles-de-la-Madeleine are most easily reached by ferry from Prince Edward Island. This windswept archipelago has majestic, treeless landscapes, fringed by fine beaches and crazily eroded sandstone cliffs, and appeals particularly to cyclists, walkers and people who just want to lie on a beach in complete solitude.
Immediately northeast of Québec City is the beautiful Charlevoix region of peaceful villages and towns that bear the marks of Québec's rural beginnings – both in the architecture of the seigneurial regime and in the layout of the land. The beguiling hills and valleys give way to dramatic ravaged rock just beyond the Charlevoix borders, where the Saguenay River crashes into the immense fjord that opens into the St Lawrence at the resort of Tadoussac. Protected as a marine park these waters are popular for whale-watching, while the adjacent cliffs are superb for hiking. Inland, Lac Saint-Jean – source of the Saguenay – is an oasis of fertile land in a predominantly rocky region, and its peripheral villages offer glimpses of native as well as Québecois life. Adventurous types following the St Lawrence can head beyond Tadoussac along the Côte Nord through a sparsely populated region of spectacular empty beaches and dramatic rockscapes where the original livelihoods of fishing and lumber have largely given way to ambitious mining and hydroelectric projects. In the far northeast the supply ship Nordik Express serves the Île d'Anticosti and the roadless lower north shore as far as the Labrador border – the ultimate journey within Québec. The remoteness of the Île d'Anticosti and the sculptured terrain of the Mingan archipelago – a national park well served by boats from Havre-St-Pierre – is matched by the isolation of the fishing communities along the Lower North Shore, where no roads penetrate and visits are possible only by supply ship, plane or snowmobile.
Highlights
1 Château Frontenac This historic hotel, which anchors elegant Vieux-Québec, is the city's symbol.
2 Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec Undoubtedly the top art museum in the city – and probably the province.
3 Mont-Sainte-Anne ski resort offers varied ski terrain in the winter as well as world class mountain biking and hiking during the summer.
4 The Gaspé Peninsula Hwy 132 encircles the peninsula, passing forested hills and rugged coastal scenery.
5 Iles-de-la-Madeleine Relax on the pristine beaches of these secluded islands in the Gulf of St Lawrence.
6 Traversée de Charlevoix A long distance hiking, mountain biking and cross-country skiing route across the Parc des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie.
7 Tadoussac A lively base for exploring the Saguenay fjord or joining a whale-watching trip.
8 Mingan Archipelago Kayak around the eerie "flowerpot" islands inhabited by unique flora and fauna.