The most beautiful natural sites to discover Canada

After being a farm for more than a century, Bass Lake Park was transformed into an incredible recreation park. Located just west of Orillia and close to the historic region of Huronia, this place is ideal for water activities and hiking.

Sugarloaf Provincial Park, near Campbellton, is open all year long, offering both winter and winter. Its summit is only 305 metres away, but once it has arrived at the top it can admire the town of Campbellton, the Restigouche River, the Chaleur Bay and, in the distance, the mountains of the Gaspé, Quebec. In the winter, Sugarloaf opens 12 level-of-the-art alpine ski slopes and one place of the park was specially designed for the riders. Tandem lift and ski lifts in the playground. The park also offers 25 km of hiking cross-border skiing trails along Lake Prichard, as well as snowmobiling. Equipment and accessories for all winter sports are available for sale or rent at the shop. The rest of the year, the park is far from deserted, the peaks of the Appalachian chain are rising by bike, mountain biking, or hiking, too, a pente service makes it possible to reserve its forces for raids. In order to spice up the paths, bends, obstacles and technical passages are the programme, for the greatest happiness of visitors.

There is an observation tower and a 35-metre waterfall, the Fur Trade Interpretation Centre and the Circuit du coureur des bois, the Saint-Maurice River Interpretation Centre, which focuses on the log drive, the Nature Interpretation Centre with its naturalized animal specimens, and the Félix-Leclerc Interpretation Centre, which is dedicated to the Quebec chansonnier. In winter, the centres are closed but the trails remain open for outdoor activities.

In the 18 th and 19 th centuries, it was a place dedicated to the defence of Quebec City. This is why this former site of barracks and military warehouses is now part of Fortifications-de-Québec. At the end of the 19 th century, the Government of Canada chose this strategic location to build the first hopper in the country. You will visit today peacefully, the Arsenal foundry (1903), the Dauphine Redoubt (1712) and the Officers'house (1818). Several other activities are offered, including a demonstration of black powder shooting.

This superb place of relaxation with falls of 170 m down is to see from the top of the new bridge suspended with its numerous footpaths along among others the Maskinongé River. Several activities are available in all seasons and for those who wish to enjoy the site a few days, it is possible to rent one of the five chalets equipped. At the reception pavilion, a restaurant offers breakfast and lunch.

The Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay, one of the most beautiful in the province, stretches along both shores of the fjord and is divided into three access sectors: Baie-Éternité at Rivière-Éternité, Baie-Sainte-Marguerite at Sacré-Coeur, and L'Anse-de-Tabatière at L'Anse-Saint-Jean. It also touches on three of Quebec's tourist regions: Charlevoix, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and Côte-Nord, covering an area of 326.7 ^km2.

The star attraction here is undoubtedly the Saguenay Fjord, hence the park's name. Nature deployed colossal forces to create it, and to this day it remains the only navigable fjord in North America. This glacial valley, formed thousands of years ago, is invaded by both freshwater (on the surface, from Lac Saint-Jean) and saltwater (at depth, from the St. Lawrence River). The steep cliffs along the way are popular nesting sites for peregrine falcons, which you may be able to spot with a little luck. The confluence of forest and marine environments also provides outstanding biological diversity. Between sea and mountains, this is truly a jewel of nature! The Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay has been twinned with the Parc national des Cévennes in France since 1984.

The park has three visitor centres - one for each sector - as well as two discovery centers. A number of services are offered, depending on the sector: nature boutique, equipment rental, guide service, food services, transportation service, etc. Visit our website for information on the opening hours of our welcome centers.

Lodging: primitive or serviced camping, Echo cabins, shelters, three-wall shelters, ready-to-camp tents, Étoile ready-to-camp.

Equipment rentals: rowboat for lake fishing, bicycle for adults and children.

Activities : cruise on the fjord by bateau-mouche, via ferrata circuit on the imposing walls of Baie Éternité, guided sea kayak and Zodiac excursion, nautical activities, kayak-camping, day fishing (Quebec fishing permit and access rights mandatory), biking, hiking (over 100 km of trails, all-inclusive packages available), guided hiking, backcountry expeditions, snowshoeing (marked trails, untracked) with overnight stay in a refuge (beware of highly variable weather conditions). Many other discovery activities are also available.

Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs (1,129 km²) is divided into two distinct parts: the major part of the territory (1,048 km²) located south and east of Parc national de la Gaspésie, and the other part (81 km²) north of the park. It was created in 1949 in order to preserve an exceptional territory for wildlife and to allow a better use of the territory. The venerable Father Le Clerk exclaimed at the end of the 16th century: "A country full of mountains, woods and rocks". Indeed, this place includes impressive mountains of more than 800 meters including the Blanche-Lamontagne (940 meters), Vallières-de-Saint-Réal (940 meters), Hog's Back (830 meters) and the Brown Mountain (920 meters). The forest is covered with black spruce and white birch stands, and typical tundra vegetation is found on the higher peaks. There are about 40 lakes and many streams and rivers. A truly harmonious nature within the Appalachian Mountains.

Lodging: 15 cottages in five sectors (kayak, pedal boat and barbecue included).

Equipment rental: boats, outboard motors, sale of access rights and permits for hunting and fishing.

Activities: moose, bear and small game hunting, wildlife observation, fishing by the day and with overnight stays, hiking, forest gathering, geological discovery, snow sports (telemark, alpine skiing, snowboarding), snowshoeing.

The phenomenon can be seen from Fallsview Park and the observation deck of the Reversing Falls Restaurant. To fully appreciate the phenomenon, it is important to check the tide times at the tourist office on Bridge Road. At low tide, the Saint John River rushes into the bay, but at high tide, the opposite occurs and the sea rises. This phenomenon causes the formation of rapids and whirlpools quite impressive. A marvel of nature not to be missed and to be seen up close!

It's an exceptional natural site with many attractions, starting with the tumultuous Métabetchouane River, with its waterfalls, cascades and diverse forest cover to be contemplated on 4.5 km of hiking trails. Explore its canyon and enjoy the water intake pipe walk, a historic reminder of its industrial heritage that leads to the remains of a hydroelectric power station. Walk above the water, on footbridges anchored to rock capes and suspension bridges ranging from 8 m to 60 m in height. Don't miss the immersive ÉCHO, la mémoire des pierres experience, with its sound effects and light shows in the heart of a natural amphitheatre unrivalled in Quebec, carved out of the granite of the Canadian Shield. Then there's the cavern, a phenomenon unique in Canada for its formation in this famous granite over a billion years old. It's the ideal place for a first caving experience: easy to visit and safely supervised. For adrenaline-seekers, cross the canyon on two zip lines 350 m long and 50 m high above the river (reservations required).

Walking shoes mandatory, sportswear and sweater recommended. Duration: 4 hours for a complete tour of the park. Children under 5 not allowed in the cave. The trails and cavern are not recommended for people with reduced mobility. However, the immersive experience and cave tour are offered in virtual reality.

It was here on the Plains of Abraham that Wolfe and Montcalm clashed in 1759.

A true inland sea that divides the island in two and that communicates, in the north, with the Atlantic through two channels: the Great Bras d'Or and the Little Bras d'Or. This vast expanse of salt water is the domain of the bald eagle. The Micmac tribes had very early settled on its shores, the waters of the lake abounding in trout and salmon. There are several Mi'kmaq communities near the lake, including Whycocomagh. The Bras d'Or Lakes Scenic Drive, identified by a bald eagle, allows you to drive around the lake.