Sometimes, living in the city, we forget that the Quebec region is one of the most beautiful in the country. It’s vast, and once you get away from the big cities, you can wander through the deep forest, over the big flat rocks along the riverbanks and along the rivers.
It’s also a natural environment that needs to be preserved, pampered, sometimes left alone and respected. Too often, we have seen natural treasures damaged by over-tourism and industrialization.
In Quebec, as elsewhere in North America, we’re also on land acquired by colonizers; the land is stolen, and the displaced and dispossessed aboriginal nations – who have lived on the land for thousands of years – often deplore the way they’re treated and exploited.
That’s why we’re focusing on ecotourism, which respects the land and allows us to experience Quebec’s nature with a clear conscience. And we can do it just a 4-hour drive from Montreal on our next road-trip, to Kamouraska…
Kamouraska
The municipality of Kamouraska is a 4-hour drive north of Montreal, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. The toponymy of the place name comes from the Algonquin akamaraska: “there are rushes at the water’s edge”.
In the early 19th century, Kamouraska was an important vacation spot for Canadians, for its scenic beauty and the salt waters of the St. Lawrence.
Several villages, including the eponymous Kamouraska, were brought together to become a municipality, and today we often refer to Kamouraska as if it were a country – or a kingdom.
Ecotourism and artists
In Kamouraska, ecotourism and nature preservation are a must, and Tourisme Kamouraska has a page explaining the best practices to read before visiting – here!
Of course, all this unspoiled nature – with its salt water and healthy river breeze – attracts many a gentle-hearted person. Poets, painters, sculptors, photographers.
If you’re ever in Kamouraska, you can’t miss the Centre d’Art de Kamouraska, which is housed in a castle-like former courthouse, presents exhibitions and organizes art education workshops for kids, cultural events, festivals and auctions.
This spring, a family exhibition -Moià l’oeuvre- is open free of charge from Thursday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., until May 25.
The summer program, from June 14 to September 1, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In July, the Centre d’Arts organizes the ARCHIPEL performing arts festival – this year from July 11 to 13.
In the villages of Kamouraska, you can also visit numerous artists’ studios and community arts centers. To name just one, we recommend a visit to Chapelle du Quai in Rivière-Ouelle, which offers artistic programming and a small café in an incredibly inspiring setting. It’s open from Bastille Day to Labor Day, every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The great outdoors! Finally!
We’ve compiled a list of the many cycling trails that allow us to visit Kamouraska with our hair blowing in the wind;
- Circuit des buttons rocheux
- the Rivière-Ouelle cycling circuit
- the Sainte-Hélène bike trail
- the Grande-Anse bike path
For those who prefer to stroll around on foot, listening to music, or spontaneously stopping off at all the local farms and cafés to discover the region in slow motion, we’ve put together a list of walks and hikes;
Where do we eat?
We visit Kamouraska by walking it, and just as we stop at viewpoints for a break or a photo, we also stop for a snack when we come across a farm, café or restaurant on our way.
We’ve got a few recommendations in the area for stopping off for a snack or supper – or pick-your-own to bring Kamouraska’s fresh strawberries back to Montreal.
- Ferme Cybèle for its strawberries and dairy bar
- Ferme Gijamika for meat
- Le Mouton Blanc cheese factory
- Amouraska vineyard
We also recommend El’Drée Tacos, in Saint-Denis-de-la-Bouteillerie!
Where do we sleep?
To do it all, you’d need a full two weeks, but you can always try to do as much as you can in two days-and for that, there are plenty of options for a good night’s sleep…
For those who want a bit of the countryside without straying too far from the edge of Montreal’s art scene, we recommend Cheval Tribal, where you can rent a loft overlooking the owners’ herd of horses and go horseback riding-and get a tattoo before you go.
For those who want to go back in time and purposely forgot their phone charger at home, we recommend Auberge Akamaraska.
For those who, after spending the day outdoors, want to sleep under the stars (but without getting eaten by mosquitoes), we recommend Les Perchoirs du Cirque, where you can sleep in a cabin that resembles an architectural bird’s nest, with a view over the region.
And that’s it for us! Do we really need anything more than an exhibition, a coffee, a walk with some of the most beautiful views in Quebec and a night under the stars?
Enjoy your visit to Kamouraska!