Tadoussac

I have an antidote for my end-of-trip malaise. I am re-energised by meeting two English girls, Carley and Steff, in my hostel in Quebec. They are teachers in London, but both have west country connections having lived in Devon and been to Exeter University. They invite me to join them in their car for a trip north east along the St Lawrence River, taking in some national parks for some hiking along the way. Riana, the French girl who was on my trip yesterday joins us too. I was planning to explore this area next and undoubtedly it will be more fun with company and easier with a car.

We drive north east out of Quebec City, following the west bank of the St Lawrence River past small towns, dominated by huge churches and through a pretty rural landscape of farmhouses and fields with cows and hay meadows. The St Lawrence River is hugely wide and although the oppostie shore is visible, I have the impression of driving along the coast and seaweed smells occasionally waft through the open car windows. After 3 hours we come to the Saguenay River, which is a tributary of the St Lawrence and the only way across is via the ferry. On the other side lies the pretty little town of Tadoussac with a sandy bay looking across the St Lawrence.

Ferry across the Saguenay River

The only hostel in town is a rambling, relaxed, but busy place with all sorts of interesting characters lounging around and coming and going. Steff and Carley are camping here and me and Riana go off to find bed and breakfast accommodation as there is no room inside the hostel for us tonight. We find a nice cheap place some way out of town and once we are sorted there we return to join the others for a short walk down to the water front and along a board walk path that leads down to the river where we can see the ferries crossing the river.

Tadoussac

Churches in Tadoussac

Me by the River

In the evening we have the 3 course dinner the hostel provides for $10 a head. This is the first hostel I have stayed in that provides this and it is good value and obviously popular as the long table is full of diners and the atmosphere is convivial. After dinner Riana and I return to our bed and breakfast and prepare ourselves for bed - and I mean bed, as in 1 bed and with our best bed-sharing manners we sleep top-to-tail and lie very still so as not to disturb each other.

Dinner in the Hostel

The next day is beautiful and perfect for our hike, high up along the side of the Saguenay River. The path starts out as bare granite, lined with moss and lichen and then fir trees. It shows how shallow the layer of soil is for the tree roots to attach to.

Start of the Walk

Granite Path

As we walk we get occasional views across the river and later out to the mouth of the river where it meets the St lawrence. We look carefully for wildlife in the water; there may well be whales, but we are high up and we can't be sure that we see anything.

Admiring the View

Lunch Stop

Saguenay River meet the St Lawrence River

Other pictures from the Walk



We get back to Tadoussac after 5 and a half hours and head straight for the bakery, which has already become our favourite place in town, for reviving drink and cake.

Bakery