I was lucky to visit Tadoussac a few years ago with some friends, but Jerome never went there. So, it was a great time to go back there; trust me; it is worth it. It is the kind of place where I feel at home (I grew up near the ocean, and during summer, they have the same unique vibes and a lot of tourists, but as a local, you can have the place for yourself early or late in the day, and you can go and watch some whales, belugas, seals, birds )
Where is Tadoussac located?
We drove from the Laurentides so that the ride could be a little bit longer, but we chose to take the road from the inside and discover the Fjords (and make a stop in Ste Rose du Nord)
You have to use your GPS and put your address there. But trust me, your road will be long as you want to stop everywhere! We even made a stop in a lovely french bakery in Stoneham (and we learned that they were opening another location near us this next September ): they are called Pascal Le Boulanger.
A little history about Tadoussac
At the confluence of St. Lawrence and Saguenay rivers, Tadoussac and its surrounding area were a meeting place and a crossroads for trade between First Nations people that have been here for 8000 years. These two significant waterways enabled European explorers and traders to enter the continent. Natives traded with Basques whalers and Breton cod fishers as early as the 14th Century.
As he was sailing up St. Lawrence in 1535, Jacques Cartier was taken aback by the sheer beauty of the area and dropped anchor in the Bay to visit. Pierre de Chauvin built a fur-trading post in 1600, the first building in New France. In May 1603, Samuel de Champlain sealed an alliance between the French and the First Nations near Tadoussac. It was a commercial, military, and foundational agreement that would lead to the establishment of Québec City five years later.
After having lived off the fur trade, fishing and whaling, and then the forest industry, in 1864, the village built its first hotel to accommodate summer vacationers. Since then, tourism has been the pillar of local and regional socioeconomic life.
What can you do in Tadoussac?
During summer, it is the perfect time to walk around the Bay.
There is a long road called Au bord de l’eau (near the water). And from there, you will be able to enjoy many things: shops, restaurants, the famous Tadoussac hotel who was built in 1865, and the views (don’t forget that we were here only for the weekend! So we will have to come back to enjoy ourselves some more!)
-walk to the Pointe de l’Islet: it was my favorite moment of the weekend, as we went there quite a few times and in different weather conditions to see some whales, some very curious seals, and the beauty of the fjords behind us. Their boardwalk is almost the whole trail, and it is perfect, and it reminded me so much of when we were living in BC.
-walk into town, just stop in some restaurants, and make a stop at the Microbrasserie. We ended up having dinner in the restaurant near the Microbrasserie, which was really good!
-go for a whale tour; we went with AML
https://www.croisieresaml.com/en/our-cruises/tadoussac
and let me tell you, during the summertime, it is packed, but we were on a small boat, so it was not bad. We saw some belugas, and some seals but no whales at this time (this is another reason to go back there later in the season)
-Marine Mammals Interpretation Center (CIMM): this is an excellent place to present an exhibit on the whales of St. Lawrence and related scientific research. This science museum welcomes more than 35,000 visitors every summer, making it the most famous museum on the North Shore! The Group manages CIMM for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM).
At CIMM, one can get up close and personal with a 13-meter-long sperm whale, view baleen belonging to the right whale Piper, touch a narwhal tooth, and explore the acoustic world of whales. Discover the most extensive collection of whale skeletons in Canada! Naturalists are present to answer your questions. And, if you keep your eyes peeled, you might even get lucky and spot a beluga swimming just a stone’s throw away!
The entrance is $15 per adult, which is worth it as the work here is so impressive.
-Parc de nos ancêtres: I didn’t know this place, but this is a cute trail where they have some poetry on the trees, and it is so cute. Even if sometimes we didn’t understand everything, some were interesting. (we still sometimes struggle to understand some Quebec expressions )
-Sentier de la plage: when the tide is low, you can enjoy the beach and have a long walk there. I tried in the afternoon to go for a swim in it, but trust me, it was cold! So I only put my feet and my legs there, and after a few seconds, I couldn’t feel my toes!!!!
We didn’t have the time to go to the Dunes de Sable, but it is something I am planning for next time!
Enjoy your time there, and you can take the ferry for free to go back home (wherever this is in the world!)
