This exclusive “trip of a lifetime” signed Voyages CoSte, takes you to the far reaches of the Gulf of Saint-Lawrence, to the easternmost regions of Quebec, for a truly authentic Lower North Shore adventure.
——
——
A primer to the “other Quebec”, where resilient pioneers and fishers resolutely carve out their lives on the rocky shores. These hearty people all came from “away”, from villages upstream, from across the straight or across the Atlantic.
After a long flight down the great river, after a bird’s eye view of the breathtaking coastline on the Lower North Shore, the immensity of boreal forest, the thousands of lakes, rivers and islands that set this unexplored region of Quebec apart, your plane touches down in Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon, a place long isolated from major urban centers.
Here begins your exploration of this extraordinary jewel, once dubbed The land God gave to Cain. But Jacques Cartier got it wrong. The dynamic and determined developers in Blanc-Sablon and the neighbouring communities of Bonne-Espérance will show you just how wrong he was!
Life out here emerged from centuries of visits, short and long; from a fabulous history of great whale hunters, of shipwrecks, of fortunes made and lost in the Atlantic fisheries. Still today, the original Acadien, Newfoundland and Indigenous accents are heard up and down the 200 km-long Coast.
Cruise with the Coasters* in the Straight of Belle Isle, where icebergs often linger on the long, beautifully cool days of summer.
*Coasters are our own homegrown adventurers, storytellers, and community leaders, who will accompany, guide and entertain you on visits and tours during your trip.
DEPART QUEBEC CITY on Air Liaison at 7:15 am
ARRIVE in BLANC-SABLON at 1:30 pm
Stopovers in Sept-Îles, Natashquan, La Romaine, Chevery and St-Augustin.
IT’S IMPORTANT to arrive at the airport at least 1 hour in advance of your scheduled departure. Otherwise, your reservation could be cancelled.
Touchdown in Blanc-Sablon. No time to waste! Pick up your rental vehicle, grab a snack and head out on a 2-hour iceberg tour.
Back on shore, take a few minutes to visit the Interpretation Centre before settling into your hotel or hostel.
* Crossbar is the only sit-down dining option in Lourdes de Blanc-Sablon. Open Monday to Saturday, from 10 am to 9 pm and Sunday from 3 – 9 pm. There are also two seasonal snack bars in town, and grocery options.
Overnight in Blanc-Sablon – B&B or Inn, breakfast included
After breakfast at your lodging, drive the westernmost section of Route 138 to the area called Bonne Espérance, made up of three distinct communities : Middle Bay, Rivière-Saint-Paul & Vieux-Fort. Stop at the Middle Bay Interpretation Centre.
We suggest lunch at the centre’s café, before going to the Whitely Museum in Rivière-St-Paul. Travel on to Vieux-Fort where a series of interpretation panels tell of Jacques Cartier’s first contacts with the area.
Overnight in Rivière-Saint-Paul – B&B or Inn, supper and breakfast included
In the morning, meet one of our favorite Coasters, Garland Nadeau, a gentleman who knows his history and tells it well. In the afternoon, a 3-hour “land & sea” adventure awaits you at Salmon Bay Farm, a family-owned scallop raising facility.
They’ll walk you through their entire aquacultural system and show you how it connects to the area’s ecology before feeding you supper, fresh from the farm.
Overnight in Blanc-Sablon B&B or Inn, breakfast included
Supper at Salmon Bay Farm included
A few kilometers drive on Rte 132 East, and you cross the provincial border into Labrador. Visit the 33m-tall Anse-Amour Lighthouse. It is the tallest lighthouse in the region and the second tallest in Canada. Magnificent landscapes mark the route.
Back to Blanc-Sablon in the afternoon for an iceberg tour.
Overnight in Blanc-Sablon B&B or Inn, breakfast included
Take a 2-hour iceberg tour, after breakfast.
Head to the airport after lunch, for your 2 pm flight back to Quebec City.
ETA is 6 :10 pm (stopover in Sept-Îles).
