Can you plan a week’s trip to Quebec in 2 days?
If you have family nearby who can dog-sit and a lock-and-leave home, yes, you can!
We have always wanted to see the beluga whales at the mouth of the Saguenay River in Quebec. September is an ideal time to spot whales and take in the stunning landscapes. We checked the weather forecast and tour availability in Saguenay Fjord National Park and from Tadoussac. Once our tours and accommodations were arranged, we messaged our Quebec family members living in Gatineau and Rivière-du-Loup to arrange visits.
Our Route to Quebec
Here’s the route we took. It was approximately 3000km. The warm September weather and our comfortable car made it enjoyable.
Barrie to Saguenay, Quebec
We ended up driving 1100 km on the first day! We left at 2 am Sunday from Barrie and sailed through Toronto and Montreal before the sun rose. Being a Sunday meant that construction work was paused, which was advantageous and minimized delays. We avoided travelling through the centre of Montreal by driving along the south side of the St. Lawrence River, and then we crossed back over at Quebec City. With two drivers, we successfully arrived at our first hotel by 3pm!
We stayed at the Saguenay Delta Conference Centre, in Jonquiere near Chicoutimi. We used this hotel as our base for three days. From here, we ventured out to different sights each day. Luckily, the weather cooperated with all of our plans.
We enjoyed a great dinner at Bistro D thanks to TripAdvisor’s recommendation. The staff were pleasant and the food was locally sourced and very fresh. We did not need to order in French, but it did help to point at the menu while ordering. We also enjoyed the Quebec-crafted Boreale beer with our meal.
Saguenay Fjord National Park
I had heard of the popular Tadoussac location for its natural beauty, but I had never heard of the Saguenay Fjord National Park until Roland Bast, @rolandbast, an Ottawa-based photographer and travel creator, mentioned it in his Tadoussac blog post. His suggestions helped us plan our trip.
Once we realized there were Fjords in Quebec, we quickly found a tour on the park’s website. We booked our boat and bus tour here: Saguenay National Park Tour.
The tour included a one-hour boat ride through the fjord. The tour guide described how the glaciers had created these amazing rock formations in English and French. We also learned that the Saguenay River is a key shipping route for the delivery of raw materials for aluminum production. The ships unload their materials at Baie, and then are distributed to the aluminum plants throughout Quebec. The cliffs coming out of the water were impressive, and the rock climber we passed appeared as a mere speck against the rock face. The boat cruise ended at the small community of L’anse Saint Jean.
Can you see the rock climber? He’s wearing yellow!
L’Anse Saint Jean
We stopped for delicious crepes and beer on the patio of the Café du Quai. We enjoyed the water view. After lunch our tour continued by mini-bus through the region. Our bus guide explained the history of the area and also gave us a tour of the beautiful L’Anse Saint Jean village, including the Du Faubourg Covered Bridge. The bridge used to appear on the $1000 bill. Here, we saw many of the 48 bread ovens still in use today by the village residents. The houses here are beautifully maintained to preserve their historical details.
After our walk through the village, we drove up the mountainous road to view the fjord from above. The vistas were stunning! We would never have thought to ascend the mountain on our own to capture these views.
Tadoussac, Quebec
Our next day’s trip was to Tadoussac to experience whale watching in a Zodiac. It took almost 2h to drive along the northern coast of the Saguenay River, but it was one of the prettiest drives I’ve ever experienced!
We booked our tour with Viator: Tadoussac Whale Watching Tour
As soon as we parked our car, we checked out the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre. We were able to see a Minke whale and a few belugas swimming in the inlet. We toured the centre and hoped we would see some of the migratory whales on our boat tour. We embarked on the Zodiac with our waterproof coats and overalls and saw Minke whales, a quick view of some belugas, several gray seals and a few harbour seals. The weather was a perfect for being on the water.
After the boat tour, we selected fish and some poutine for lunch. We walked around the small town to enjoy the picturesque and historical sites, like the Tadoussac Inn. Finally, we returned to our car and made the beautiful drive back to Jonquiere for our last evening.
Riviere-du-Loop
On our last morning in Jonquiere, we discovered a local cafe called Cafe Croissant Dore, where we enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. When our server asked where we were from (all the other customers were locals), we explained we were from Ontario. She then asked, “Why are you here?” This made us laugh! The service and food were excellent!
This time, our drive included a ferry ride across the St. Lawrence River to meet a family member in Riviere-du-Loop. We drove along the southern coast of the Saguenay River and caught the ferry at Saint Simeon. No reservations were required for the ferry ride, and payment was made on the ferry once you’re on board. The hour-long crossing was calm, and we searched, without success, for more whales. We stayed outside as it was a beautiful, warm day. We have taken ferries before, but we have never had to drive our car up onto a platform (like a bunk bed!).
We stayed at the conveniently located Auberge De La Pointe Hotel. It was an ideal location with views of the St. Lawrence River. We did not explore the hotel grounds. Instead, we spent time with family. Our cousin picked us up, and we made an impromptu drive to Rimouski for dinner. After dinner, we walked to the nearby pub to check out the monthly Jam session in progress. We listened to local musicians play accordions, guitars, fiddles and even a squeeze box. The musicians took turns leading by setting the tune or rhythm of the unrehearsed songs.
Ottawa
Our goal this day was to arrive in Ottawa in time to have dinner with Craig’s brother and his family. We set out from Riviere-du-Loop and drove along the east bank of the St. Lawrence River to Quebec City. Then we crossed the river and continued west. We arrived in Trois-Rivieres in time for lunch and had a nice meal on the Rue de Forges. We discovered a variety of restaurants along the patio-lined street. We enjoyed our home-cooked meal with family and stayed the night at the Courtyard by Marriott Ottawa East. It included free underground parking, and we were upgraded to a larger room. We chose the hotel for its proximity to our daughter’s home. We met her for breakfast the next day at Chesterfields for the first time. This popular establishment did not disappoint! The meals were delicious, generous, and creatively crafted. This busy restaurant usually requires a long wait to get a table, but since we arrived early on a weekday, we were seated immediately.
We said our goodbyes and then hopped into our car for the last leg of the trip. We took the northern route home via Bancroft and arrived back safely in Barrie. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing a new part of Canada!
Whale Watching Tours
We have had the chance to take a few different whale watching tours. By far our favourite was in Bay Bulls, Newfoundland, while on a Zodiac, wearing inflatable suits. We also loved our time whale watching out of Telegraph Cove B.C. The following posts also talk about whale watching:
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