Natashquan

Natashquan is a village in the tourist region of Duplessis, in the RCM of Minganie, in the North Shore region of eastern Quebec, also an Innu Indian reserve on the Route des Baleines and the Route Nature aux mille délices (gourmet route).

The main tourist attractions of Natashquan are:

the story of Gilles Vigneault and his work of artistic life: songs, poems, stories... The story of this character is described in museums and told by the elders of the village;
museums and historical sites telling the rich history of fishing, shipwrecks, the artist Gilles Vigneault, local arts or recounting isolated life before the arrival of electricity, snowmobiles and Route 138;
hiking trails (including boardwalks) or cycling; the "Les Galets" (The Pebbles) and "Le Pas du Portageur trails" are must-sees;
campsites: municipal, Nutshimit and wilderness camping;
salmon fishing;
Pointe-Parent Innu reserve which presents distinctive cultural activities;
its vast wild territory allowing snowmobile expeditions in winter, in particular via the Route Blanche which joins Blanc-Sablon. From 1996 to 2013, Natashquan was the end point east of Route 138, which runs along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River and Gulf, which generated a tourist development. In 1959, a first segment of road linked Aguanish and Natashquan. In 2013, another segment of Route 138 was opened up to Kégaska, further east.

Understand

The village of Natashquan is the birthplace of the famous Quebec poet and singer Gilles Vigneault. It is thanks to him that all Quebecers know the name of the small village. The name "Natashquan" comes from the word innu-aimun Nutashkuan which means "where the bear is hunted". This name is in fact borne by two distinct entities: the township municipality and the Indian reserve. The municipality has a population of 264 inhabitants and the reserve has 841. However, the reserve only covers while that the municipality covers .

Natashquan is one of the only places in Quebec where the Fête de la Mi-Carême, a traditional French carnival celebration, is still celebrated.

Get in

By boat

Bella Desgagnés (Maritime service Anticosti Island-Basse-Côte-Nord) - Departing from Rimouski, the vessel Bella Desgagnés offers weekly maritime service to the ports of Port-Menier (L'Île-d'Anticosti), Sept-Iles, Havre-Saint-Pierre and Natashquan, reaching as far as Blanc-Sablon. Operated by the Government of Quebec, this ship makes the connection between the localities of the MRC Le Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent (formerly called "Basse-Côte-Nord") which is part of the municipality of Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent: Saint-Augustin, La Tabatière (Gros-Mécatina), Tête-à-la-Baleine, Harrington Harbour, La Romaine, Kegaska and Blanc-Sablon. This cargo-passenger ship has eight decks and can accommodate 420 passengers, including around 40 crew members. It has 63 cabins with private bathrooms to accommodate passengers, a cafeteria, a dining room, a bistro and seascape observation lounges. Internet site: - Phone: +1 800 463-0680.

By snowmobile

The municipality of Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent is also accessible in winter by snowmobile via the route Blanche from Natashquan. This 525 km snow road passes through the villages of Kegaska, La Romaine, Chevery, Harrington Harbour, Tête-à-la-Baleine, Mutton Bay, La Tabatière, Saint-Augustin, Rivière-Saint-Paul (Bonne-Espérance) and Blanc-Sablon. Trail layout and conditions may vary from winter to winter. Users of this trail should act proactively by having enough fuel, geolocation instruments, a satellite telephone system, spare parts in case of breakage, mechanical repair tools, a gun, a map and survival gear. Group travel is recommended.

By plane

Natashquan Airport (IATA: YNA), 50.19°, -61.788889°. Public airport operated by the Municipality of the Township of Natashquan. 2022-07-07
- Air Labrador. 2022-07-07 |Blanc-Sablon, Chevery, Kegaska, La Romaine, La Tabatière, Saint-Augustin, Sept-Îles, Tête-à-la-Baleine
- Air Liaison. 2022-07-07 |Baie-Comeau, La Romaine, Mont-Joli, Quebec City, Saint-Augustin, Sept-Îles

By car

From Montreal (1263 km, time: 14 hours 37 minutes. Successively take the Pont Jacques-Cartier bridge (towards the east); Highway 132 (east); Autoroute 20 (east to Lévis); Highway 73 (north); Highway 40 (east); Route 138 (east) to Natashquan.

Get around

Route 138 (east-west direction) is the main road through Natashquan. Nevertheless, the municipality has several secondary streets and Chemin du Cinquième (north-south direction) providing access to various bodies of water to the north and wooded areas.

Gas station

Harnois gas station (Station-services Harnois), 28 chemin d'en Haut, 50.18661°, -61.82257°, +1 418-726-3223. Gas/filling station with an electric vehicle charging station. 2021-10-26

See

Tourist office (Bureau touristique), 24, chemin d'en Haut (tourist office located in the center of the village of Natashquan), 50.18618°, -61.82368°, +1 418-726-3054. This tourist office provides information on the region: accommodation, restaurants, attractions, activities, things to see, to do and to discover. This center is operated by the Heritage, Cultural and Tourism Development Corporation of Natashquan. 2022-07-07
Le Bord du Cap Interpretation Center (Centre d'interprétation Le Bord du Cap), 32, chemin d'en Haut, 50.18533°, -61.82251°, +1-418-726-3060. June 15 to September 1. Reconstruction of the Natashquan general store, souvenir shop. $5 per adult, free per child under 12 2022-07-07
Maison Saint-Dilon, 50, chemin d'en Haut, 50.18546°, -61.82008°, +1 418-726-3736. Museum whose exterior is in red shingles. 2022-07-07
Vigneault Houses (Maisons Vigneault), Allée des Galets, 50.18350°, -61.81952°. Heritage and family site of Gilles Vigneault, internationally renowned singer-songwriter. This building turns out to be the birthplace of Gilles Vigneault. 2022-07-07
The old school (museum) (La vieille école (musée)), 50.18779°, -61.82143°. Local history museum. This building, built in 1913, was moved from Chemin d'en Haut to its current site, near a wooded area. In 2006, the people of the village devoted more than 2000 volunteer hours to restore this old school where great historical figures studied there: Gilles Vigneault, as well as Landry, Bourgeois, Lapierre, Cormier, Carbonneau and Hounsell . Today, this museum houses an exhibition evoking the work of Gilles Vigneault. This museum translates the soul of the village through stories of fishing, hunting, trapping, relations between natives and non-natives, songs, music... The Vieille École won the "Gala reconnaissance " in the "Tourist Attraction" category in 2008; in addition, the "Grand Prix du tourisme québécois" was awarded to him in 2009. 2022-07-07
Natashquan Pebbles (Les galets de Natashquan), Allée des Galets (located by the sea), 50.18620°, -61.82366°, +1 418-726-3054. Historical reconstruction site. 2022-07-07
Quai de Natashquan (Quai de Natashquan), chemin des Robins (located on a peninsula jutting south between Havre de Natashquan (west side) and Anse du Ruisseau (east side)), 50.19013°, -61.84119°. Magnificent place to observe the loading/unloading activities of the cargo-passenger vessel Le Bella Desgagnés which shuttles from one village to another on the Lower North Shore. During this stop, passengers can come and walk in Natashquan, according to the ship's schedule. 2022-07-07

Events

Macacan Festival (Festival des Macacains). 2022-07-07
Mid-Lent Festival (Festival de la Mi-Carême). A traditional French carnival celebration. 2022-07-07
Innucadia Festival (Festival de l'Innucadie). The Innucadie Storytelling and Legend Festival is the meeting place for artists of the living word: storytellers, poets, singers and writers. Innucadie is an imaginary place endowed with beaches, taiga, seas and rivers where tents, tepees and shaputuans come alive. This Festival is a mixture of regional cultures: Innu, French and English. 2022-07-07

Do

Hipou Outfitter (Pourvoirie Hipou), 78, rue Masshkush, 50.19281°, -61.59375°, +1 418-726-3609. Salmon fishing site on the Natashquan River. 2022-07-07
The promenade of the Elders (La promenade des Anciens), 24, chemin d'en Haut (by the sea), 50.18618°, -61.82368°. Wooden boardwalk by the sea. Departure from the tourist office, to end in the area of small houses known as pebbles. This pedestrian walk allows you to appreciate all the life on the sea (boats, marine mammals, birds, waves, clouds...) and on the shore. The Galets trail is 1.4 km along the edge of the bay. 2022-07-07
The Pebbles (Les Galets), allée des Galets (located on a small peninsula by the sea), 50.18271°, -61.82051°. Formerly, on this site, fishermen salted and stored cod. Each building on the site has its own story told by the elders. Site classified as a heritage site by the Ministry of Culture. 2022-07-07
The porter's step trail (Sentier le Pas du Portageur). Distance: 12.2 km. From Route 138 (near the bay), this trail makes a large loop up the west bank of the Little Natashquan River, then branches off to return southwest to Route 138; then more or less runs along route 138 to return to its point of origin. 2022-07-12

Buy

Marché Omni, 28, chemin d'en Haut (located in the main village), 50.18567°, -61.82260°, +1 418-726-3385. Supermarket. 2022-07-07
Grocery Nutashkuan (Épicerie Nutashkuan), 159, route 138 (located in the Pointe-Parent sector), 50.13535°, -61.80035°, +1 418-726-3161. Grocery. 2022-07-07
Dépanneur chez Ti-Can, 129, rue du Moulin (located in the Pointe-Parent area), 50.13050°, -61.79879°, +1 418-726-3262. Convenience store offering: lottery, beers, wine, gasoline.... 2022-07-07

Art gallery

Un Air de par Ici (art gallery), 24, allée des Galets, 50.18408°, -61.81975°, +1 418-654-8791. Art Gallery. 2022-07-07

Eat

Café-Bistro l'Échourie, 55, rue des Galets (located near the shore), 50.18164°, -61.82046°, +1 418-726-6005. Bistro. 2022-07-07
Le Goût du Large, 9, rue du Pré, Natashquan, QC, G0G 2E0 (located near the shore and near the Route 138 bridge), 50.18999°, -61.82567°, +1 418-726-3333. Restaurant. 2022-07-07

Drink

Brasserie La Mouche, 33, chemin de l'aéroport, 50.18661°, -61.80687°, +1 418-962-6003. Craft brewery. Meals on site. 2022-07-07

Sleep

Auberge Le Port d'Attache, 70, rue du Pré (located near the bay), 50.19205°, -61.82874°, +1 418-726-3569, magellalandry@gmail.com. Offer of eight personalized rooms, with private or shared bathroom. Reading room. Magnificent view of the water. A cottage is for rent. 2022-07-07
Domicile Natashquan, 155, chemin d'en Haut, 50.18321°, -61.81039°. Suburban hotel. 2022-07-07

Gîtes

Maison Chevarie, 77, rue du Pré, 50.22325°, -61.84526°. Tourist lodge. 2022-07-07
Gîte Chez Mémé Doyle, 4, allée du Cordonnier (cottage located in the heart of the village and near the sea), 50.18575°, -61.82230°, +1 418-768-5685, mari11920@hotmail.com. Summer period: early June to mid-October. Tourist lodging with view on the Pebbles. Offer of two bedrooms on the second floor. 2022-07-07
Gîte Chez Marie, 131, chemin d'en Haut, 50.18447°, -61.81236°, +1 418-726-3331, bouche.as@globetrotter.net. Bed and breakfast offering three bedrooms. 2022-07-07
Gîte Chez Mireille, 94, rue du Pré (route 138), 50.22276°, -61.85135°, +1 418-726-3277. Open year-round. Bed and breakfast overlooking the river. Offer of two bedrooms. 2022-07-07
B&B and cabins Chez Paulette Landry (Gîte et chalets Chez Paulette Landry), 78, rue du Pré, 50.22335°, -61.84572°, +1 418-726-3569, campau@globetrotter.net. Gîte (at home) open year-round. Cabins are available from May to October. Bed and breakfast (at home) with lunch included. 2022-07-07

Camping

Municipal campground (Camping municipal), 184, chemin d'en Haut (Located by the sea), 50.17565°, -61.806670°, +1 418-726-3697. Campground with 38 campsites: sector with services and dunes sector. 2022-07-07
Camping Nutshimit, 27, rue Parent (Located on a peninsula in Pointe-Parent, by the sea), 50.13135°, -61.79711°, +1 581-622-0056. Camping at the farm. 2022-07-07

Connect

Radio CKNA inc (FM 104.1) and Radio montagnaise de Natashquan are on the air in Natashquan. Cell phones are functional in Natashquan thanks to three national cellular communication networks.

Natashquan - municipality in Quebec, Canada