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Abitibi-Témiscamingue

Eeyou Istchee / Baie-James

Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean

DID YOU KNOW?

In the mid-1800s, wealthy Canadian and American families summered on the shores of the St. Lawrence at Cacouna and Notre-Dame-du-Portage, both of which were near Rivière-du-Loup (the terminal of the Grand Trunk Railway).

Bas-Saint-Laurent

Low tides, high plateaus

On the shores of the St. Lawrence, coastal levees and hills give way to a land of forests, winding rivers and lakes. When the setting sun makes the water sparkle and the tidal flats gleam, and the ferry skirts the shadows of islands that are home to countless seabirds, the Bas-Saint-Laurent, one of the five regions of maritime Québec, is at its most moving!

Foghorns and sea legs

The many excursions and cruises will introduce you to the islands that dot the coastline and the whales that frequent the Saguenay—St. Lawrence Marine Park. See the seabird colonies that swarm Île Saint-Barnabé across from Rimouski or Îles du pot-à-l'Eau-de-Vie near Rivière-du-Loup. Visit Île aux Basques, which faces Trois-Pistoles, where you can discover the traces of 16th-century whale hunters.

Don’t miss

Visit the only submarine in Canada that is open to the public and learn everything there is to know about the sinking of the Empress of Ireland at the Site historique maritime de la Pointe-au-Père, near Rimouski.

The Canyon des Portes de l'Enfer, in Saint-Narcisse-de-Rimouski, offers hikers and bikers trails that lead to magnificent views and the highest suspension bridge in Québec (63 m/200 ft.).

The Parc national du Bic, the Baie de l'Isle-Verte National Wildlife Area and the Société d'écologie de la batture du Kamouraska marine park will delight wildlife watchers.

Cyclists will enjoy the Parc linéaire Petit Témis (130 km/80 mi.), which follows the route of the 19th-century railway between Rivière-du-Loup and Edmundston, runs along the shore of Lac Témiscouata and meets up with the Sentier national in Dégelis, a hiking trail leading to Trois-Pistoles.

The Border Route (Route des Frontières) takes you to Lac Pohénégamook, well known among the outdoor set, then runs along the border of Maine (U.S.) to the border of New Brunswick.