When you’re in Montreal, with your feet planted on the asphalt and between two café-gallery-partys, you can forget that you’re in Canada – and that you’re on the (wild) coast of a vast boreal forest, and that just outside the cities there are moose, bears, whales…
To reconnect with nature after forgetting what unfiltered water tastes like (for those who still drink water, who haven’t replaced 90% of their fluids with matcha) we’re going to spend a weekend in one of the best-preserved spots on the Côte-Nord; Tadoussac.
Tadoussac
Tadoussac is a small municipality about a 6-hour drive from Montreal, which is why we recommend going there for a weekend, and if you have days off or a national holiday on a Monday or Friday, a three-day weekend.
If 6 hours seems a long time, you can also leave in the evening, drive 3 hours to Quebec City (and sleep in a convent, why not) and leave the next day.
To get there, we follow the St. Lawrence River north, and it’s one of the most beautiful drives you can take in the early morning, with its pink sky, golden water and forest.
The municipality’s name derives from the name by which the Innu First Nation referred to the area; from various sources, we’ve seen Totouskak, Tadaosawk, Tsheshagut. The name refers to the two round hills to the west of the village, and can be translated as “udders”.
Tadoussac has a colonial past, as an important Hudson’s Bay Company fur-trading post – all furs passed through Tadoussac on their way to England.
It’s a pivotal point on the St. Lawrence River, at the mouth of the Saguenay River fjord, and the starting point for the Côte-Nord region. It’s something of a hotspot for the river, and a pit stop for a dozen species of whale.
Whales of the St. Lawrence
The maritime estuary of the St. Lawrence River, where Tadoussac is located, is a meeting place for local whales – 13 species including the endangered and protected fin, minke, humpback and blue whales.
Tadoussac is a kind of larder for all these whales, with an underwater relief that favors the concentration of krill (the whales’ staple diet) and fish. From May and throughout the summer, the whales gather here to feast until autumn, before migrating to milder but less nourishing waters.
Several companies offer whale-watching tours by boat or zodiac. We recommend you go absolutely, because it’s quite magical, but not with just anyone.
A zodiac tour to see the whales
We’re going on one of these tours with the Essipit Innu company, which is a member of the Eco Whale Alliance (for the conservation of whales and the natural space of the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park). The Innu have inhabited these lands for 10,000 years, living in harmony with nature despite violent European colonization and the spoliation of their territory by settlers. It’s a great opportunity to explore the marine park and the territory with Essipit.
Essipit tours last two hours, and can be booked in a 12-person boat or a 36-person boat. Dress warmly, with closed-toe shoes, and benefit from the knowledge of a seasoned captain who knows the estuary like the back of his hand.
Don’t forget your (sports) sunglasses and your camera (with the little cord to attach it around your wrist or neck)!
In Essipit, you can also sea kayak, see bears, camp and hike – and rent a cottage for the weekend!
When? high season from June 30 to September 1 / low season from June 6 to 29
Where? departure from Marina des Bergeronnes, 498 rue de la Mer
How much? from $85/person for the 12-passenger boat, from $70/person for the 36-passenger boat
Website? https://vacancesessipit.com/
We also recommend learning more about (and from) the Innu community of Tadoussac, with these places and activities.
Whales at the museum
For whale nerds , those who know nothing about whales and first-time visitors to Tadoussac, we recommend a visit (before or after the zodiac tour) to the Centre d’Interprétation des Mammifères Marins.
This scientific museum, run by the GREMM (Groupe de Recherche et d’Éducation sur les Mammifères Marins), features a year-round exhibition on the whales of the St. Lawrence.
Narwhal tooth, 13-metre beluga whale, right whale baleen and whale skeletons... it’s the best way to learn about conservation and biodiversity in the St. Lawrence estuary, and to immerse yourself in a 100% whale weekend, starting slowly and with dry feet.
When? May 11 to June 14, noon to 5 p.m., June 15 to October 13, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., October 14 to end of October, noon to 6 p.m.
How much? $15 for adults, free for children 17 and under.
Where? 108 rue de la Cale Sèche, Tadoussac
Website? https://gremm.org/cimm-horaire-et-tarification/
To see the whales, we also pass over the Dunes de Tadoussac, from where you can see the bay very well and, if you have binoculars, maybe a minke whale…
For those who prefer birds…
Tadoussac is also a hub for the region’s migratory birds, and hosts the Observatoire des Oiseaux de Tadoussac (OOT) research center.
To learn more about the region’s birds and their migrations, the OOT offers several activities, including a festival in September.
There’s an ornithological excursion (binoculars mandatory), an activity to discover Quebec’s little owls and, for kids, there’s even a bird camp offered by the Observatory every year in mid-August!
Website? https://ootadoussac.ca/
Eating and sleeping in Tadoussac
In addition to a return to nature and a proto-religious experience looking straight into the eye of a whale, you can also visit the northern postcard town of Tadoussac.
The red-and-white chapel, which is on every picture of Tadoussac, is called Petite Chapelle (or Chapelle des Indiens, a term that has been abandoned today, thankfully).
Right next to this chapel is the Grand Hôtel (established in 1864), which also has several names: Hôtel Tadoussac, le Tadoussac. From the hotel, you have an incredible view of the estuary.
You can also dine at the hotel’s Coverdale restaurant, under a glass veranda, on St. Lawrence products (certified blue fork – which meet ecological criteria for sound management of marine resources). You’ll want to try the black cod, steamed lobster and mussels marinière…
Where? 165, rue Bord de l’Eau, Tadoussac
Website? https://hoteltadoussac.com/
To sleep in the wilderness, but with solid walls between us and the bears, we go to Domaine de l’Ours Noir, to watch the bears during the day and sleep in a red wooden house at night.
Where? 1895 route 172 South
Website? https://ours-noir.net/
For a local beer, stop by the Microbrasserie Tadoussac, which has a terrace overlooking the bay. You can have a drink on the premises or take beers to go…
Where? 145 Bord-de-l’eau, Tadoussac
For dinner at the locals’ favorite bistro, head to Bohème Café Bistrot (for lunch, dinner or supper) on the terrace, for goat cheese and berries croque-bohème and sea air…
Where? 239 rue des Pionniers
And if you just want to eat a sandwich – but a really delicious sandwich – before going whale watching, go to Abri Côtier, Gibard or Bistro de la Baie…
L’Abri-Côtier: 171 rue du Bord-de-l’Eau, Tadoussac
Le Gibard : 137 rue du Bord-de-l’Eau, Tadoussac
Bistro de la Baie: 100 rue du Bord-de-l’Eau, Tadoussac
To bring back to Montreal
Blueberries are the beating heart of the region – big blueberries, for which Quebec is world-renowned. Before heading back to town, we’ll stop by Bleuet des Champs, where we can pick our own by reservation, or just drop by the farm stand, which also sells Blueberry Gin (for our summer barbecues).
Where? 172 Route 138, Longue-Rive
You can also stop by Chez Julie’s Boutique du terroir, which also makes topped bagels and croissants for breakfast, as well as seaweed soaps, camerise jam and St. Lawrence salt.
Where? 1001 Promenade des Anciens, Havre Saint-Pierre
and for more souvenir shopping (it doesn’t hurt to be a little nostalgic before you leave this place, which is unique in the world), go to La Marée and Atelier de Sculpture G. Hovington.
Atelier de Sculpture G. Hovington: 438 rue du Bateau-Passeur, Tadoussac
La Marée : 80 rue de la Cale-Sèche, Tadoussac
Have a nice weekend in Tadoussac!