Duplessis Travel guide
Duplessis Travel guide
Nature’s Vastness As Far As the Eye Can See
The Duplessis region is the easternmost region in Quebec. It is also one of the largest ones after the Nunavik and Baie-James regions. In this region, you will be surprised by the vastness of the territory and that of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The beauty of the flora and the gigantic marine mammals will astonish you.
Like everywhere else in Quebec, the Aboriginals were the first inhabitants of the Duplessis region. They used to travel up and down rivers and lakes, looking for game meat and fish to feed their tribe. Even though Europeans came to New France at the beginning of the 17th century, it took them a while to reach the region. In fact, New France inhabitants started to settle in this portion of the Quebec territory only at the beginning of the 1800s by exploiting forests. A little more than one and a half century later, iron ore exploitation literally made the region boom, and gigantic opencast mines started to draw hundreds of workers.
Nowadays, the Whales Road, which stretches along the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the fascinating formations of the Mingan islands draw tourists during the warm season. More than 400 kilometres of coasts allow people to observe marine mammals and do numerous outdoor sports, like sea kayaking, camping, biking or hiking. The largest island in Quebec, the île d’Anticosti, invites you to hunt and fish on its 8,000-square kilometre territory. Moreover, thousands of islands, inlets, coves, reefs and beaches await you to take advantage of the beauty of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
In winter, the landscape is covered by a thick snow blanket and allows cold season enthusiasts to do their favourite sports. More than 2,000 kilometres of snowmobile paths allow this sport’s enthusiasts to cross the region and visit other regions in Quebec. Cross-country skiing lovers can ski along hundreds of kilometres of paths that cut accross the region.
In the Duplessis region, wildlife is also larger than life. The whales and other marine mammals that live in the St. Lawrence River, the caribous, which love the north, the moose, which peacefully live in the natural preserves and even the bald eagles will dazzle you during your visit of the region.
Finally, if you wish to extend your stay in the Duplessis region, offer yourself a comfortable night in an accommodation establishment of the region. The hotels and motels of the large cities welcome you in a somptuous environment, while the small inns and bed & breakfasts offer you a warm stay. Several campgrounds are also at your disposal if you prefer a total change of scenery.
