The most beautiful natural sites to discover Quebec

Located in the heart of the Gaspé Peninsula, Parc national de la Gaspésie (802.2 km²) is a veritable sea of mountains, offering breathtaking panoramic views. A true darling of Quebecers and tourists alike, the park boasts 25 peaks over 1,000 metres in height, including Mont Albert (1,154 metres) and Mont Jacques-Cartier (1,268 metres) - the Chic-Chocs and McGerrigle mountains also run through the park and are popular with outdoor enthusiasts. These peaks, among the highest in eastern Canada, are famous for their subarctic vegetation, identical to that of Quebec's Far North. The same territory is home to a diversity of species unique to Quebec, including moose, white-tailed deer and Gaspé caribou (the only place to see caribou in southern Quebec). Several types of accommodation are available in the park, but we can't overlook the excellent service provided by the Gîte du Mont-Albert inn, nestled in the heart of the park and its emblem.

From Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, take Route 299 South for 40 km (north entrance); from New Richmond, take Route 299 North for 92 km (south entrance). There are several reception points: the Discovery and Services Centre in the Mont-Albert sector, at the north entrance, and two camping points (Lac-Cascapédia reception and Mont-Jacques-Cartier reception).

Discovery and Services Centre (mid-May to mid-October and late December to mid-April): permanent exhibition on the park's geology, subarctic vegetation and unique wildlife. Conferences and film screenings. Store selling and renting camping and outdoor equipment. Find out more here to plan your trip.

Lodging: Gîte du Mont-Albert, chalets, refuges, ready-to-camp tents, Étoile ready-to-camp, serviced camping, winter camping at Mont-Albert campground.

Equipment rentals: watercraft, hiking boots, backpacks, winter camping accessories, mountain snowshoes, Ski Hok, Nordic skis, complete Nordic ski equipment, etc.

Activities: short or long hikes (guided or unguided), nautical activities, fishing by the day or with accommodation, salmon fishing, wildlife observation, snowshoeing, fatbike, cross-country skiing, Nordic skiing, off-piste areas (telemark, alpine skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing). Numerous companies offer additional activities.

As you travel through Oka National Park, you'll discover a mosaic of natural environments. Animal and plant species abound. The historic presence of the Oka Calvary is also an important heritage asset (a project to enhance the site and buildings has been carried out). The historic trail features a Way of the Cross punctuated by four oratories and three chapels dating back to 1742. The top of the calvary offers a breathtaking view of the region. Choose from a wide range of activities all year round. The Grande-Baie trail crosses four different ecosystems: the field, the hickory maple grove, the silver maple grove and the marsh. A floating footbridge of impressive dimensions facilitates access to the marsh. A 10-metre-high tower has been erected to observe the marsh's inhabitants.

Reception posts: main entrance on Route 344, second entrance at the west end of Highway 640 (closed in winter).

Lodging: Compact cabins, ready-to-camp tents, Étoile ready-to-camp, serviced camping.

Activities: wildlife observation, hiking, swimming (Oka beach with many facilities, restaurant service, bar, entertainment), water trail, water sports on Lac des Deux-Montagnes, cycling, fatbike, tobogganing, snowshoeing, hiking on snow, cross-country skiing and a multitude of discovery activities in all seasons. Equipment rental, boutique and cross-country ski school for kids and teens.

Before leading to the St. Lawrence River, the Montmorency River abruptly left the Canadian Shield by a 83 M Fall, the "Montmorency Jump." Although smaller than Niagara Falls, the jump is more than metres higher. Of course, the site has been designed to offer visitors exceptional views (cable car, panoramic staircase, hanging bridge, viewpoints, hiking trails and picnic areas). The fall is even more dramatic in winter when it is frozen and the "sugar bread" has been created, a huge ice cone formed by the crystallization of the suspended water vapour: the latter is in itself a curiosity that always attracts many people. Overlooking the fall, the Montmorency manor house, the elegant villa reconstructed as in the th century, houses an interpretation centre dedicated to the history of the site, a restaurant, a café-bar and shops.

Parc national du Mont-Orford (59.5 km²) offers diversity with its hardwood and maple forests, vast ponds, marshes and lakes, as well as mountains and hills. Outdoor enthusiasts will be delighted by a wide range of activities, in both summer and winter, in total harmony with nature.

There are two visitor centres in Parc national du Mont-Orford: the service center for the Lac-Stukely sector (chemin du Camping), and the Lac-Fraser sector (chemin Alfred-Desrochers then route 220 West). Check the park's website for seasonal opening hours.

Lodging: camping, ready-to-camp tents, Étoile ready-to-camp, Nova ready-to-camp, EXP cabins, Nature cabins, refuges, Jouvence resort.

Equipment rentals: watercraft (canoes, single and double kayaks, pedal boats, rowboats, paddle boards, etc.), standard bikes, mountain bikes and fatbikes, cross-country skiing equipment, snowshoes, walking crampons, telescopic poles, children's sleds.

Activities: wildlife watching, supervised swimming, water sports, hiking and long-distance hiking on the Sentiers de l'Estrie, rock climbing, road biking, mountain biking, fatbike, golf (nearby), cross-country skiing (private or semi-private cross-country ski lessons also available), alpine hiking, snow hiking and snowshoeing. Snow sports at Mont Orford ski resort.

Covering 224.9 km², the Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie National Park, a protected area of the Charlevoix World Biosphere Reserve, is home to one of the most impressive valleys in Quebec. Mounts Elie and Jérémie as well as Maple Mountain dominate the valleys of the Malbaie River, the Martres River, Lac Noir and the Ruisseau du Pont. In fact, the gigantic walls (1,000 meter drop) that encircle the Malbaie River, the beauty of the landscapes and the important ecological value of this park make this territory exceptional in Eastern Canada.

There are two service centers in the park: the Félix-Antoine-Savard Discovery and Service Centre and the Le Draveur Service Centre. In order to limit vehicular traffic in the park, a shuttle service is offered between the two service centers in the summer. From December to mid-May, the park remains accessible for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Access fees are payable at the pay station and services are restricted during this period.

Lodging: camping, winter camping, ready-to-camp, Étoile ready-to-camp, Écho chalets, rustic camp, refuge.

Activities: riverboat cruises, nautical activities, river rafting, canoeing (kayaking) - camping, day fishing, hiking, biking, ice climbing, Nordic skiing or snowshoeing (105 km, in collaboration with the Traversée de Charlevoix), etc.

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.