Lost in space

The Great White North: nature, culture, and... space

The tourist regions of Nunavik and Baie-James account for a sprawling 60% of Québec’s territory. Three main highways criss-cross the area: the Route de la Baie-James (James Bay Road), the Route du Nord (North Road) and the Route Transtaïga (Trans-Taiga Road). Nearly 2,000 km (1,243 mi.) of roadways, each as broad as Montréal’s Décarie Autoroute! Big, you say? Large enough to swallow Switzerland! In such vastness, the 1,400 km (870 mi.) separating Radisson from Montréal or Québec City hardly registers—and it’s simply paradise for hunters, hikers, and stargazers!

"Land of the Giants"

The adventure kicks off in Matagami, once considered the northern Natashquan, since at one time it marked the end of the road. The Route de la Baie-James runs for 620 km (385 mi.) between Matagami and Radisson. It’s a paved road strewn with 37 rest stops, whose names are just numbers preceded by “km” (referring to their distance in kilometres from Matagami). Nearly half have facilities: toilets, boat ramps, picnic tables, rustic campgrounds and, for the most part, authorized fishing for permit holders. At Km 381, a true-blue truck stop, motorists will find gas (the only full-service station on the entire route), food and lodging.

My friend Éric tells me everything I need to know, and then some! All about horseflies (locally known as frappe-à-bord); the best places to go; his fish stories; the longest days in Québec... in short, life in the great white north. It’s almost all he knows. According to Éric, one of the nicest stops between Matagami and Radisson is the Rupert River at Km 257, where the noise is deafening, and the incredible power of the water hits you full force. From the lookout, the land lies before you in all its splendour. The world is so big, and mankind so very small!

Space odyssey

The number one attraction is without a doubt the Robert-Bourassa Power Station, the largest underground powerhouse in the world. Its 2,835 km2 (1,110 sq. mi.) reservoir is twice the size of Lac Saint-Jean, and its 53-storey-high dam harbours the cathedral-like structure and 16 generating units. Getting there requires a bus trip and a 140-m (460-ft.) plunge beneath the earth’s surface through a tunnel that’s nearly two-thirds of a mile long! The four-hour guided tour covers a 25-km (16 mi.) circuit; one of the most impressive sights is the spillway: a kind of giant staircase, each of whose 10 steps is 122 m (394 ft.) wide, and as high as a three-story building. At midsummer, the sun shines on the North for more than 20 hours a day—and when it finally sets, the skies put on a fabulous show: the stars and the Northern Lights. Your nightly entertainment is guaranteed, barring any inclement intercessions on the part of Mother Nature!

Wachiya

Your first word in Cree means... welcome! When you leave the Baie-James region, take the Route du Nord, which you can access at Km 274. The “North Road” takes you to Chibougamau, from where you can reach the village of Oujé-Bougoumou, 57 km (35 mi.) further down the road.

Designed by Douglas Cardinal (Canadian Museum of Civilization) with input from the village elders, Oujé-Bougoumou respects the Cree way of life... and provides inspiration for today’s urban planners. A unique opportunity to experience Aboriginal ways and mores as you plunge into a truly unique cultural adventure. Throughout your stay, you’ll learn that 40% of the villagers still subsist on hunting and fishing. Don’t be surprised if you arrive on a Saturday morning and find the village nearly deserted. To the Cree, Nature is something to revere... and to protect!

All in all, it’s a far cry from my first trip way back in the 1970s when, as a hitchhiker, Jack Kerouac filled my dreams, and Baie-James was a giant construction site with highly restricted access. Today, not only is the entire region open to all, but it also provides a warm welcome to boot. Wachiya to the Great White North!

André Quenneville
Photos: Ministère du Tourisme du Québec
2008-04-10