International cruises

Seduced by the St. Lawrence

One of the great rivers of the world, the St. Lawrence has become over the years an essential stop for ships exploring the coasts of New England and Atlantic Canada. Traveling the routes plotted out so long ago by the earliest explorers offers passengers unforgettable views of bucolic farms, sharp cliffs and timeless villages. This thrilling new destination will take your breath away with its delightful surprises!

History and nature as far as the eye can see

Discovered by the French explorer Jacques Cartier in 1534, the St. Lawrence was long the main channel to the Great Lakes and the route by which this part of the continent was populated. In the mid-19th century, tens of thousands of European immigrants passed through Grosse Île, today a national historic site, on their way to settle in North America.

The St. Lawrence is populated by islands and archipelagos that nature has blessed, and is dotted with remarkable natural landscapes—fjords, capes, cliffs, monoliths—protected by national parks or designated Unesco biosphere reserves. It is quite common to see many species of marine mammals—including the majestic blue whale—that enjoy a protected area: the Saguenay—St. Lawrence Marine Park. In September and October, the spectacular fall colours draw the eye to the river’s sloped, wooded shores.

Ports of call

The Gulf of St. Lawrence is home to the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, a picturesque archipelago with long sandy beaches, and Gaspé, which has lent its name to the mountainous peninsula well known for its famous Percé Rock. On the Côte-Nord, explored in 1833 by the great naturalist painter J. J. Audubon, Havre-Saint-Pierre and Sept-Îles (Duplessis) are ideally located for appreciating the pristine wilderness of the shoreline, the ancestral lands of Aboriginal Montagnais communities. Baie-Comeau (Manicouagan) is famous for its landscape hewn by glaciers.

Saguenay is nestled at the end of an impressive fjord, a rarity at this latitude. The fortified city of Québec, a four-century-old Unesco World Heritage Site, attracts visitors from all over the world. Further upriver, the old city of Trois-Rivières is located where the St. Lawrence and the beautiful Rivière Saint-Maurice meet. Montréal, a cosmopolitan, vibrant city, is a major seaport that offers plenty to see.

Itineraries and packages