When you think of Quebec and have Montreal in your head, you imagine the region as bursting at the seams with people, stuff, architecture ranging from Victorian to Bauhaus to ultra-modern recycled PVC, cars, noise and energy.
But, in reality, Quebec is still semi-rural in most of its nooks and crannies (even a 30-minute drive from Montreal) and everywhere, heavy forests hide forgotten places. Dirt roads sometimes have forks where no one ever goes again.
This autumn, as the leaves turn red and rain in the countryside, you can take a stroll through the ghost villages of Quebec…
1.Saint-Jean-Vianney
On May 4, 1971, a devastating landslide engulfed the small town of Saint-Jean-Vianney in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region.
The town was partially buried by mudslides, sweeping away 42 homes. 31 lives were lost overnight. Officially closed by Premier Robert Bourassa, today it stands as a memorial to the lives lost in the tragedy.
Over the past 50 years, nature has reclaimed its rights, but you can still see the remains of the town, and in autumn, the visit is solemn and truly beautiful.
A visit to the memorial is accompanied by a digital tour of St. John Vianney of the Feet of Clay , which recounts the tragedy and honours the victims.
Where? The village of Saint-Jean-Vianney is about a 5-hour drive from Montreal, in the Saguenay region.
2.Baie Sainte-Claire
Anticosti Island is home to an abandoned village, Baie-Sainte-Claire, which faded into oblivion after only a few years of existence.
In 1895, settlers and fishermen had moved in, but another nearby village was eventually preferred by its founder.
The village was forgotten, and nature reclaimed its rights – and going there today is like stepping back in time. You can get there if you take the hiking trail Sentier de la Baie-Sainte-Claire on Anticosti Island.
Where? Anticosti Island, on the Côte-Nord (it’s far away, almost 17 hours by car from Montreal, but it’s beautiful).
3 Val-Jalbert
Founded in 1901 around a pulp and paper mill, the village of Val-Jalbert was deserted when the company closed its doors.
A stroll through the abandoned village reveals empty houses, a deserted school, the old mill and a church frozen in time.
Val-Jalbert is the archetypal ghost village, and has been taken over by a heritage company offering tours in period costume.
Where: Village historique Val-Jalbert, 95 rue Saint Georges Chambord (in the Saguenay region, about 4 hrs. 50 min. drive from Montreal) / adult day admission from $42.62
4.grosse-Île
Île de Grosse-Île, near Quebec City, retains the aura of a dark history.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, it served as a quarantine station for Irish immigrants wishing to enter the country, to protect them from deadly infectious diseases such as cholera and typhus.
A total of 8,339 people found their final resting place on the island. Today, the remains of Grosse-Île, including the hospital, cemeteries, quarantine stations and the Officer’s House, invite visitors to plunge into a past both captivating and disquieting.
Today, it’s a place of national remembrance, and can be visited with a cruise, starting at $89 per person.
Where? Near Anticosti, on the North Shore (about 17 hours from Montreal).
5 Gagnon
Located on Quebec’s North Shore, the mining town of Gagnon was abandoned more recently, in the 1980s, due to the mining crisis.
In 1985, it was left deserted, and the buildings and infrastructure were even buried, leaving some relics buried underground.
Today, almost nothing remains, but the area is sublime and well worth a visit. Under a pile of dead leaves, you might even discover a treasure…
Where? Côte-Nord, about 12 hours by car from Montreal
Happy exploring!