Montérégie
Easy getaways close to Montréal
The dominant features of this region dotted with towns, villages and fertile fields are history and food. The Rivière Richelieu that starts in Lake Champlain on the Canada-U.S. border and empties into the St. Lawrence has seen its share of trade, not to mention skirmishes with First Nations and our neighbours to the south. The region has a Cider route that runs the gamut of the local brewers. If wine is more your thing, then the Montérégie Wine route will take you to a number of vineyards. Montérégie boasts the largest number of commercial sugar shacks in Québec: each spring, the rising of the sap signals the start of the feasting.
Snapshot of the region
Laval
No end of things to do
In 1965, the island of Laval merged its 14 municipalities into a single city. Self-defined as “Urban by nature”, Laval today offers the best of both town and country. Along with superb shopping at mega-malls like Carrefour Laval or Centre Laval, attractions that combine fun with education, and numerous dining destinations, the island is an important centre of agricultural production, with fully 30% of its surface area given over to the activities of some 150 farmers and growers.
Snapshot of the region
Outaouais
A multifaceted region
It’s a region where city and nature coexist in perfect harmony, and where culture and the outdoors blend to perfection. What’s more, as part of the National Capital region, Outaouais provides easy access to the many attractions of nearby Ottawa.
Snapshot of the region
Québec
Cradle of French North America
Founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, Québec City is the only fortified city in North America north of Mexico. Brimming with treasures, it’s much more than just a living museum. Inside and outside the walls of Old Québec are a host of gastronomic discoveries, cultural goings-on, special and sporting events and, of course, superb shopping. The surrounding region doesn’t lag behind, either. There’s Île d’Orléans, the largest heritage site in Québec. There’s one of North America’s oldest thoroughfares, the New France route, which links Old Québec with the Côte-de-Beaupré and is studded with points of interest.
Snapshot of the region
Côte-Nord
Between earthly and unearthly
The Côte-Nord is actually an amalgamation of two regions: Manicouagan and Duplessis. Running along the St. Lawrence as it turns from estuary to gulf, the coastline here is dotted with lighthouses, whale-watching sites, archipelagos and beaches. But the magic extends far beyond the river: the Côte-Nord is also a prime destination for hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, green spaces, nature and scenery. Indeed, Manicouagan- Uapishka has been designated a UNESCO World Biosphere reserve. The sea mammals of the St. Lawrence River make their lovely dance in this region where everything is grandiose. The dams are oversized, and even the littlest villages astonish by their great beauty.
Snapshot of the region
