Discover the living immensity of the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park

Writing

Marc Larouche, he shares with us his tourist discoveries of his adopted region with passion!

Watch a whale’s breath on the horizon, hear the call of seabirds in the distance, contemplate the glistening water under the changing sun: this is what the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park has to offer, one of the few places in the world where you can encounter up to 13 species of marine mammals, including the beluga, in the wild.

Created in 1998, the marine park protects over 1,200 km² of some of the richest marine environments in Quebec, between Tadoussac, Les Escoumins, Baie-Sainte-Catherine, Cap-à-l’Aigle and as far as Sainte-Rose-du-Nord in the Saguenay Fjord.

Although the heart of the region lies on the north side of the river, the Bas-Saint-Laurent offers a number of privileged gateways to get close to it. Even while waiting for the ferry at Rivière-du-Loup, beluga whales can be seen skimming beneath the surface.

Bateau, Société Duvetnor, Île aux Lièvres — Île aux Lièvres, Rivière-du-LoupPatric Nadeau

Far from being limited to whale-watching cruises, the Marine Park experience can also be enjoyed on land.

Among the 22 discovery sites dotting the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, several offer unforgettable experiences.

Such is the case with Société Duvetnor, which offers excursions to Île aux Lièvres and Île du Pot à l’Eau-de-vie, true jewels of the Lower St. Lawrence.

Marine paradises

Accessible from Rivière-du-Loup, Île aux Lièvres invites you to hike, contemplate and even stay, with its wooded trails, deserted beaches and rustic accommodations. Further east, Île Verte and its lighthouse, the first in the St. Lawrence, attract the curious with its museum and hundreds of whale, seal and other skeletons.

Île aux Basques, meanwhile, has a rich history of 16th-century whaling and fishing. Authentic period ovens, in which whale blubber was melted, can still be found today. These places, firmly rooted in their environment, allow you to fully experience the natural and cultural richness of the marine park.

No matter where you are, every vantage point on the St. Lawrence offers a new landscape, a different light, a renewed emotion. This mosaic of colors, sounds and wildlife encounters creates a unique immersive experience, a moment of pause where we rediscover our own territory.

Paddleboard, Archipel Les Pélerins, Kamouraska — Archipel Les Pélerins, KamouraskaPatric Nadeau

Accessible, educational, contemplative and deeply alive, the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park invites young and old to slow down, marvel and connect in a new way with this nourishing river.

All visit options – sea excursions, hikes, kayaking, guided cruises or simple coastal stops – are listed on the official parcmarin.qc.ca website.

This summer, let the current carry you away and meet this blue giant… in your own backyard.

Parc marin du Saguenay—Saint-Laurent

189, boul de l'Hôtel-de-Ville,
Rivière-du-Loup,
Québec

T. 4182354703

Website

See the card

Excursion en mer - Société Duvetnor

200, rue Hayward,
Rivière-du-Loup,
Québec G5R 3Y9

T. 4188671660

Website

See the card