Sept Îles Archipelago, Côte-Nord
Photo Credit: Éric Marchand
The Trans-Québec–Labrador Loop
PrintBackThe Trans-Québec–Labrador Loop
| 15 days |2385 km (1480 mi.) + 2 days by boat | from Tadoussac to Baie-Comeau
This itinerary will first take you to northern Québec and Labrador and then back west along the St. Lawrence. Along the way, you will have the opportunity to see whales, visit impressive hydroelectric power plants, discover fishing villages, explore the Lower North Shore and more! Be prepared to discover a completely different world! This trip is particularly well suited for RV travellers.
Adapted from the "La boucle VR le nord!" itinerary in the VR l'aventure guide
215 km (135 mi.)Tadoussac to Km 214 on Route 389
Your adventure begins in Tadoussac (215 km/135 mi. from Québec City, 475 km/295 mi. from Montréal), a great place to observe whales either during a cruise on the St. Lawrence or from the shore. Route 138 will take you to Les Escoumins, where you can not only participate in a whale-watching excursion, but also enjoy a virtual dive in the St. Lawrence at the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park.
Continue east on Route 138 to Baie-Comeau. From there, take Route 389 north to Manic-5 to admire the largest multiple-arch-and-buttress dam in the world
What to Do Where to Stay Where to Eat
Attitude Nordique
Boréal Loppet
Centre Archéo-Topo
Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre (CIMM)
Cap-de-Bon-Désir Interpretation and Observation Centre
Marine Environment Discovery Centre
Domaine des Dunes
Croisières AML (cruises)
Essipit Cruises
Explos-Nature
Manic-2 and Manic-5 hydroelectric dams
Mer et Monde Écotours
Natakam Condos-Hôtels vue sur mer
Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park
Parc Nature de Pointe-aux-Outardes
Chauvin Trading Post
Matane–Baie-Comeau/Godbout Ferry
Totem Aviation
Rimouski–Forestville Ferry
Tadoussac–Baie-Sainte-Catherine Ferry
Trois-Pistoles–Les Escoumins Ferry
Le Grand Hôtel
Hôtel Tadoussac
La Galouïne Inn & Restaurant
350 km (215 mi.)Km 214 on Route 389 to Labrador City
Continue north to Fermont, where you will immediately notice the town's 1.3-kilometre (1-mile) windscreen complex, the only one of its kind in North America, which was designed to shield residents from subarctic winds. While you are here, go visit one of the largest open-pit iron ore mines in the world.
Just north of Fermont, Route 389 becomes Route 500 (the Trans-Labrador Highway). Drive this road to Labrador City, where you can visit another iron ore mine and the Gateway Labrador museum.
What to Do Where to Eat
245 km (150 mi.)Labrador City to Churchill Falls
Next, spend a day in Churchill Falls, home to one of the largest underground hydroelectric powerhouses in the world.
325 km (200 mi.)Churchill Falls to North West River
Route 500 will then take you to:
Happy Valley – Goose Bay, where you can visit the Labrador Military Museum
North West River, to discover the Innu and Inuit cultures
655 km (405 mi.)North West River to Blanc-Sablon
Next, head south to Route 510 and visit the following communities:
Port Hope Simpson, a small fishing community
Battle Harbour, a village frequented by fishermen since 1759, which has been restored to its 19th-century glory
Red Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is home to several historic Basque whaling stations
L'Anse-Amour, where you can visit the tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada (33 metres/108 feet high)
2 days by boatBlanc-Sablon to Natashquan
From Blanc-Sablon, enjoy a cruise along the Lower North Shore (reservations required). You will stop in the following villages:
La Tabatière
Tête-à-la-Baleine
Harrington Harbour, famous for its wooden sidewalks
Your final destination is Natashquan.
595 km (370 mi.)Natashquan to Baie-Comeau
Head back west on Route 138. On the way, be sure to visit:
Havre-Saint-Pierre and the mysterious monoliths in the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve
Sept-Îles, where you can take a boat out to Grande-Basque Island
Baie-Trinité, to relive the dramatic history of the shipwrecks that occurred in the St. Lawrence from 1600 to today
Pointe-des-Monts, where you can climb a historic lighthouse built in 1830
Your trip will end in Baie-Comeau.
For more information about the Labrador portion of this itinerary, visit the Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism website.
Sept Îles Archipelago
Centre de plein air du Lac des Rapides
Festival des Hivernants
Romaine-1 Hydroelectric Dam
Vieux-Poste de Sept-Îles (Old Trading Post)
Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve
Réserve faunique de Port-Cartier-Sept-Îles