Although Quebec may be famous for poutine, hockey, and French culture — it's the beautiful natural scenery that really puts its name on the map.
The national parks, white sand beaches, historic monoliths, crater lakes, and waterfalls put "la belle" in the province, making La Belle Province not just a clever name.
Canyon Sainte-Anne
Address: 206, rte 138 E., Saint-Joachim, QC
Distance from Montreal: 3 hours and 30 minutes
Why You Need To Go: Some things really do get better with age, and this 1.2 billion-year-old canyon is no exception. Carved into ancient Canadian Shield bedrock by the Sainte-Anne-du-Nord River, Canyon Sainte-Anne is a stunning display of natural history. Hike along this gorgeous gorge (pun very much intended) or capture stunning views of the canyon and its accompanying waterfall on three different suspension bridges, one of which hangs at 60 metres, the highest of its kind in Quebec.
Les Îles de la Madeleine
Address: Les Îles de la Madeleine, QC
Distance from Montreal: 19 hours
Why You Need To Go: Les Îles de la Madeleine is a 12-island archipelago in the middle of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence connected by stunning sand dunes. Boasting over 300 kilometres (yes, that's farther than the distance between Montreal and Quebec City) of beautiful white sand beaches and home to the largest amateur sandcastle competition in the world, Les Îles de la Madeleine is the perfect place for a beach day... or week or month. With miles of white sand, endless blue skies, rocky red cliffs, and tranquil turquoise waters, it's an artist's palette come to life.
Northern Lights in Kuujjuaq
Address: Kuujjuaq, QC
Distance from Montreal: 2 hours and 20 minutes by plane
Why You Need To Go: If you've ever looked up at the Montreal sky and got a little too excited over the green light emanating from Complexe Desjardins, then this is the trip for you.
Go see the real thing in Kuujjuaq, the largest village in the far north of the province and one of the best places to view the Aurora Borealis in Canada. Located just beneath the auroral oval — a region around Earth's geomagnetic poles where auroras appear — Kuujjuaq offers stunning views of the Northern Lights. Although due to its remoteness, Kuujjuaq is only accessible by plane or boat, the trip is worth it to cross this natural phenomenon off the old bucket list.
Montmorency Falls
Address: Parc de la Chute-Montmorency, Quebec City, QC
Distance from Montreal: 3 hours
Why You Need To Go: The heart of Quebec City's Parc de la Chute-Montmorency, the 83-metre Montmorency Falls towers above the scenic nature below. As the highest waterfall in the province and a full 30 metres taller than Niagara Falls, Montmorency Falls is a sight to behold. From a peaceful wooden footbridge to a 487-step staircase with breathtaking panoramic views to a thrilling suspension bridge, the surrounding park offers ample spots to view the falls, hear the roar of the water, and even feel the crashing waves beneath your feet.
Percé Rock
Address: Parc National de l'Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé, Percé, QC
Distance from Montreal: 11 hours
Why You Need To Go: This massive rock formation in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence off the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula is shrouded in legend, resembling a spooky phantom during rainstorms and from a distance, appearing like a ship under sail. In reality, Percé Rock is a picturesque block of limestone and one of the world's largest arches over water, regarded as both a geological and historical icon of Quebec.
Saguenay Fjord
Address: Parc National du Fjord-du-Saguenay, Rivière-Éternité, QC
Distance from Montreal: 5 hours and 30 minutes
Why You Need To Go: The Saguenay Fjord isn't just a breathtaking feast for the eyes, it's also ripe with fun activities and adventures. One of the longest fjords in North American, the Saguenay Fjord stretches over 100 kilometres flanked by steep rocky cliffs and lush forests. Visitors can explore the fjord and the surrounding area on endless hiking trails, via ferrata circuits, riverboat cruises, rental kayaks, and even on whale-watching excursions.
Manicouagan Crater
Address: Lac Manicouagan, QC
Distance from Montreal: 12 hours
Why You Need To Go: Attention nerds, adventurers, and nature lovers alike!
The Manicouagan Crater has got a rich history and a little something for everyone. In a tale as old as time, during the Triassic Period some 214 million years ago, a 5-kilometre meteorite impacted the Earth, creating a crater over 100 kilometres in diameter, the fifth largest on the planet. Hundreds of millions of years later, a nearby dam flooded, causing rising waters to fill the outer ring of the crater, forming the Manicouagan Reservoir and Île René-Levasseur, a mountainous and forested island at its centre.
Flash forward to the present day, the uniquely ringed-shaped region, affectionately dubbed "The Eye of Quebec" and visible from space, is a remarkable spectacle of natural history. Although the area is remote, curious travellers can find accommodations alongside the reservoir and take kayaks to access the island, home to Quebec's largest ecological reserve.
Mingan Archipelago
Address: 1010, prom. des Anciens, Havre-Saint-Pierre, QC
Distance from Montreal: 13 hours
Why You Need to Go: On the north shore of Quebec in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, the Mingan Archipelago is a cluster of over 1000 small islands, islets, and reefs, and home to Canada's largest concentration of erosion monoliths.
Although formed over millions of years by winds and tides, the limestone monoliths appear crafted by gifted sculptors, resembling giant works of art that belong in a museum as much as they do in nature. The monoliths alone are worth the visit, but the archipelago is also a haven for marine and wildlife, lush with arctic and boreal flora and swimming with (as always, pun intended) whales, seals, and puffins.
Parc National des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie
Address: 500, rue Principale, Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs, QC
Distance from Montreal: 5 hours
Why You Need To Go: From glacial valleys carved deep into a range of high mountains to rocky cliffs overlooking white waters, waterfalls, and cascades, this national park has got it all. Parc National des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie features some of the highest mountains this side of the Rockies, and if you can brave the hike to the top, you'll be rewarded with breathtaking views of the stunning landscape below.
Parc National des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie Website
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your trip.
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