News
Economuseums: Discover 4 local artisanal companies in our regions
A unique organization that bridges the gap between culture, the food industry and tourism, the Artisans at Work network enables artisans to showcase their expertise on a daily basis. One of the economuseums in this network is Domaine Vallier-Robert, in Bas-Saint-Laurent, which contributes to the development and promotion of the maple syrup industry by producing high-quality alcoholic beverages and fine maple products. At Atikuss, a maskisin (moccasin) economuseum located in Côte-Nord, craftswomen bring to life the history of the Innu people by handcrafting mukluks, moccasins and various accessories using traditional methods. In Gaspésie, Atkins & Frères creates exceptional smoked fish and seafood products, combining a longstanding family tradition with a fine culinary approach. Finally, La Maison du Potier is a pottery studio that has been making beautiful hand-painted clay pieces for over 35 years, featuring the colours and landscapes of the Îles de la Madeleine.
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La Maison du Pêcheur celebrates its 40th anniversary
For the last 40 years, La Maison du Pêcheur in Percé has been an establishment not to miss on a tour of the Gaspé Peninsula. From late May to early October, this restaurant specializing in seafood dishes and pizzas baked in a wood-fired oven offers a mouth-watering menu created by Chef Christophe Mamelonet as well as splendid views of Percé Rock. Before it was a restaurant, the building hosted political gatherings that were pivotal in Québec’s history.
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Parks Canada presents a new exhibition: River Sentinels
The St. Lawrence has long been the country’s main gateway, and the Pointe-au-Père Lighthouse in Bas-Saint-Laurent was once one of Canada’s most important navigational aids. The new River Sentinels exhibition in the lightkeeper’s house presents the captivating world of the St. Lawrence pilots at a time when a pilot station was based in Pointe-au-Père. Through stories, artefacts, models, period photos and personal accounts, this exhibition transports visitors into the daily lives of these unsung heroes, who were responsible for keeping sailors and ships safe. Visit this exhibition to soak up the river’s many moods, stories and language, all of which were well known to the lightkeepers of old.
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Du Fleuve offers unique excursions on the St. Lawrence
Located in Les Escoumins in Côte-Nord, Du Fleuve is a new company offering whale-watching excursions in a Zodiac to small groups in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park. The company focuses on showcasing the St. Lawrence, marine mammals, migratory birds and the marine park’s landscapes by offering authentic and unique experiences. Through these excursions, which include photography workshops at sea and hydrophone outings to listen to whales underwater, Du Fleuve raises public awareness of the beauty and fragility of the marine ecosystem in this area.
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Fishing in the Îles de la Madeleine: 150th anniversary of the lobster season festivities
Every spring, the days leading up to the fishing season bring excitement to the Islands, culminating on the morning when 325 lobster boats leave the archipelago’s nine ports for the first time of the year. In 2025, Québec’s lobster capital is celebrating the 150th edition of the festivities surrounding the launch of the lobster season. From early May to mid-July, you can enjoy a truly authentic experience, rising in the middle of the night to watch the boats leave at dawn, then welcoming them back on the wharves at the end of the day when you can then chat with the fishers.
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Petite-Vallée Song Festival: Rebuilt theatre is ready to welcome you!
After being destroyed by fire in August 2017, the Théâtre de la Vieille Forge has been rebuilt and will once again be part of the landscape during the Petite-Vallée Song Festival. Originally built in 1983, the theatre quickly became a community hub as well as a mecca for Québec singer-songwriters. With a design inspired by the architecture of Gaspésie, the new multi-functional building will be a lively event venue and will also house a festive café with a menu featuring local foods. The inauguration of this cultural and tourism site is scheduled for summer 2025.
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Musée du Bas-Saint-Laurent celebrates its 50th anniversary
This year, the Musée du Bas-Saint-Laurent will be offering a special program of exhibitions focusing on local history from the last 50 years, including a photo exhibition with an immersive installation about Marie-Alice Dumont, Eastern Québec’s first female professional photographer. Located in Rivière-du-Loup, the museum presents three or four temporary contemporary art exhibitions every year as well as a permanent exhibition recounting the region’s history through photos from the museum’s collection.
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Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park expansion project
In March 2025, the governments of Canada and Québec announced their joint intention to expand Québec’s first marine protected area, created in 1998, by 3.6 times. The proposed expansion would bring the marine park’s total surface area to nearly 4500 km2 (1750 sq. mi.) and extend its boundaries to the south shore of the St. Lawrence. Between May and October every year, up to 13 species of cetaceans frequent the salt waters of the St. Lawrence, including spectacular humpbacks and blue whales, the largest animals on Earth.
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La réCréation celebrates its 5th anniversary
For the last five years, La réCréation has been a great place to hold creative or wellness retreats. An inspiring place full of art, this former schoolhouse in the Îles de la Madeleine has been transformed into magnificent accommodations offering two loft-style apartments and four tastefully furnished rooms, with access to a dining room and a fully equipped communal kitchen. Keep an eye on the program at the Salon du Moulin, a gathering place that serves as a year-round venue for musical evenings with local and visiting performers.
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“Borders” is the theme of this year’s International Garden Festival
For its 26th edition, which runs from June 21 to October 5, 2025, the International Garden Festival has invited designers from all over the world to rethink the notion of borders in today’s postcolonial context. Founded in 2000, the festival continues to be committed to biodiversity issues while promoting gardens that are sustainable, inclusive and constantly evolving. The blue poppy, symbol of the Reford Gardens, will be honoured in the historic gardens in 2025 as the institution celebrates the 100th anniversary of the introduction of this species to the Western horticultural world by Frank Kingdon-Ward.
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Development in sight for Société Duvetnor
As a reward for 45 years dedicated to the conservation and preservation of seabird habitats, Société Duvetnor is now Biosphere certified. This certification is granted for having successfully demonstrated compliance with Biosphere Sustainable actions aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda, engaging employees in a common project and being positively evaluated by their customers. Société Duvetnor, which offers outings to the islands of the St. Lawrence departing from Rivière-du-Loup in Bas-Saint-Laurent, will acquire a new 12-passenger boat that will enable guests staying in their establishments to enjoy new guided daily excursions to Île Verte, Tadoussac and the Saguenay Fjord.
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Discovering the Islands by hiking the Sentiers Entre Vents et Marées trail network
Created thanks to the efforts of a group of local hikers who were inspired by their experiences on the Camino de Santiago, the longest hiking network on the Islands is celebrating its seventh anniversary this year. Providing a physical, cultural and spiritual experience, these marked trails developed and maintained by a team of dedicated volunteers offer a complete tour of the archipelago along beach trails as well as dirt and paved roads. This unforgettable hike of over 200 km (125 mi.) is divided into 13 sections ranging from intermediate to difficult.
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New immersive experience in Rivière-au-Renard, Québec’s sea fishing capital
Discover Rivière-au-Renard, Québec’s sea fishing capital, like never before! A new experience plunges visitors into the heart of maritime history, with a boardwalk along the sea, an observation tower and captivating interpretive panels. The experience ends at the former Robin warehouse, where XYZ Technologie takes visitors on a virtual sea voyage, dubbed “Cap au Large.” Settle into a seat that rocks with the waves, feel gusts of wind, breathe in the salty sea air and let yourself be transported by striking documentary images. This experience is an immersive, multisensory journey through history, traditions and emotions that you won’t want to miss!
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GREMM celebrates its 40th anniversary
The Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM) is a non-profit organization dedicated to scientific research on the whales of the St. Lawrence and education for the sake of marine conservation. Thanks to the tireless work of the GREMM team over the past four decades, the whales of the St. Lawrence now benefit from a protected living environment. The Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre (CIMM) in Tadoussac, which is managed by the GREMM, houses a collection of whale skeletons that is unique in North America.
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Brand-new permanent exhibition at Exploramer
A science museum located in Gaspésie for the last 30 years, Exploramer is inaugurating a brand-new permanent exhibition this year: I, the St. Lawrence. This new exhibition takes visitors on a voyage of discovery in the St. Lawrence to meet species of crustaceans, fish and molluscs in a newly renovated aquarium space, complete with lighting and sound effects. In 2009, Exploramer created Smarter Seafood, an eco-guide that advocates for the healthy management of marine resources in the St. Lawrence. Learn about the Smarter Seafood species here.
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Station de montagne sur mer de Mont-Saint-Pierre: A newly developed ecotourism destination
This new stop in the La Haute-Gaspésie sector showcases an ecotourism destination with many secrets: Mt. Saint-Pierre. Come and discover a natural amphitheatre and the many activities you can enjoy on site surrounded by spectacular scenery—and be sure to soak up the amazing view from the top of the mountain! Along the St. Lawrence and surrounded by mountains, you can delight in exploring this area via hiking trails, on a new mountain bike trail or by kayak. You can also learn about the history of this area through interactive models and immersive experiences in a variety of historic and modern buildings. This large-scale, innovative project in La Haute-Gaspésie opened in June 2024 and is expected to welcome about 12,500 visitors a year.
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