Tadoussac
Québec
Tadoussac
Description: Tadoussac is a small town directly at the confluence of the Saguenay River and the Saint Lawrence River. Founded as a trading point and fishing village in the 17th century, today the town lives mainly from tourism. It is one of the best places in the world to see whales. Depending on the season, there are humpback whales, fin whales, minke whales and blue whales. In addition, the Saguenay Fjord is home to a population of beluga whales that are permanently settled here.
Our rating: Tadoussac is a quiet very pretty little town right on the Saint Lawrence River. We had a lot of fun strolling along here and enjoying the surroundings. There are many extremely lovingly designed and maintained houses, charming stores and restaurants, a beautifully located harbor and the one or other small path to explore the nature around. For us, Tadoussac is well worth the trip.
Islet Point
Description: Islet Point is located at the tip of a small peninsula in Tadoussac. It can be reached via a circular path that leads picturesquely around the entire peninsula. The path is a few 100m long and leads over rocks and planks always along the water. Over the path you reach the confluence of the Saguenay River with the Saint Lawrence Stream. In addition, with a little luck you can observe the resident Beluga whales. In the Marine Mammal Interpretation Center, which is also on the way, you can learn everything about the marine mammals after the walk.
Our rating: If you are in Tadoussac you should not miss this little trail. It offers beautiful views of the Saguenay River and the Saint Lawrence Stream and often a small glimpse of the belugas. We liked it very much.
Park de nos Ancêtres
Description: The Park de nos Ancêtres is located between the Rue des Pioniers and the beach of Tadoussac. You can take a shortcut to the beach via an about 0.5km long forest path.
Our rating: We have discovered the small path rather by chance and found it quite nice to walk here through the pretty autumn forest. Certainly not a must see, but a small alternative path through Tadoussac.
Whale Watching
Description: Tadoussac is one of the best places in the world for whale watching. From here you can see a wide variety of whales all summer long until October. Along the coast of the St. Lawrence River there are numerous operators, most of which take Zodiac boats out to observe the marine mammals. Croisiére AML is one operator that also offers a larger boat for the tours. The tour lasts 4 hours and you can choose between the normal and the VIP tour. In the latter you have your own covered cabin with comfortable sofas and a clear view from a huge panoramic window. In addition, there is an extra deck to which only the VIP guests have access. This has the advantage that you do not have to try to catch a glimpse of whales in the second row, over other guests. During the whole trip there are free drinks, snacks and a meal on the return trip.
Our rating: During our visit in October 2021, we chose Croisiére AML because it was the only provider we could find that offered whale watching with a larger boat. Compared to the Zodiacs, this was the better choice for us for photography. We were fortunate that 2021 was an exceptionally good whale year. There were extremely many of the marine mammals to observe throughout the summer. Just so was the day when we were on the water. We were very lucky to see minke whales, fin whales and humpback whales. There were so many animals to see that you often did not know where to look first. The four hours on the St. Lawrence River were truly a unique experience that we will probably never forget.
Entrance fees and opening hours
- 74.99CAD/person - 199.99CAD/person for the VIP Tour
- Tour times depending on the season
Everything you need to know about Croisiére AML and whale watching can be found at the official webpage.
For the GPS: 177 Rue des Pionniers, Tadoussac
