Page 61 - 2025-2026 Travel Guide to Canada

people. Québec’s gastronomic trails link the
harvest of the countryside with the markets of
the cities. The trails are known for artisanal
cheese producers, small production vintners,
local growers and specialty producers.
Exploring the trails is a way to meet the people
who create the province’s signature products,
from foie gras to springtime maple syrup.
The Farmlands Route (Chemin du
Terroir) loops through the Laurentians
countryside, with stops at producers of
wines and ciders, maple goods, fresh-picked
apples and Québec’s famous fromageries.
Charlevoix’s Flavour Trail (La Route des
Saveurs) links dozens of local growers,
producers and restaurateurs who create and
serve regional products such as ciders,
artisanal beers, pâtés, cheeses, spices and fine
chocolates (www.tourisme-charlevoix.com/
en/what-to-do/routes-and-circuits/
flavour-trail/).
Grape growers and vintners, and many
bistros and restaurants, are a part of
Québec’s Wine Route—La Route des vins
(www.laroutedesvins.ca/en).
At the peninsula jutting into the Gulf of
St. Lawrence, Gaspésie Gourmande brings
together around 150 businesses who create or
process products harvested from the land, sea
and forest, as well as the shops, restaurants,
chefs and B&B establishments that sell or
serve their wares (gaspesiegourmande.com).
WHAT’S NEW?
After a major renovation, the Insectarium is
back. Get a new appreciation for industrious
ants, hard-working bees, pest-controlling
spiders and many other insects that we
couldn’t live without. Check out the large
glass vivarium where guests can observe
insects, including free-flying butterflies
(www.espacepourlavie.ca/en/insectarium).
Cirque du Soleil returns for its ninth Tribute
Series show at the Amphithéâtre Cogeco in
Trois-Rivières, celebrating Québec music
icon Daniel Bélanger with a mesmerizing
fusion of acrobatics and poetic storytelling.
(www.cirquedusoleil.com).
A new permanent exhibition at the Huron-
Wendat Museum has opened, giving visitors
a look at important figures from the Huron-
Wendat Nation (www.museehuron
wendat.ca/en).
QC
59
BIKING AT MONT-ROYAL, PARC DU MONT-ROYAL • © GOUVQC/ MATTHEW CLARK
Kiamika Regional Park offers a next-level
wilderness escape with the opening of the
Blueberry Bay area. Find ready-to-camp
sites, a canoe-camping hub, and a scenic
new hiking trail featuring a panoramic
lookout on Île de la Perdrix Blanche
(www.reservoirkiamika.org/en).
and black bear. Optional boat tours on the
Koksoak River, camping trips to an archaeo-
logical site and cultural interpretive tours
are also available (www.nunawild.com).
The new Port of Montréal’s ultra-modern
glass and steel observation tower has opened
at the newly-developed Grand Quay
(www.port-montreal.com/en).
Mont-Saint-Pierre's new "mountain-by-the-sea
resort" in Gaspésie is the ultimate thrill-meets-
tranquility destination, offering everything
from beachside hikes and stargazing to off-
piste skiing and heart-pounding free flight
initiations (www.montsaintpierre.ca).
Ungava Polar Eco-Tours is a new Inuit-
owned enterprise that welcomes visitors for
a summer adventure on the Gyrfalcon
Islands, offshore from the Inuit community
of Tasiujaq in Leaf Bay, which competes with
the Bay of Fundy for the world’s highest tides.
Muskox and many species of birds can be
observed on the islands, while boat outings on
Leaf Bay offer potential encounters with polar
bears in their natural habitat. With friendly
Inuit guides, explore breathtaking natural
landscapes and awe-inspiring Arctic wildlife
and opportunities to view the northern lights
(www.ungavapolarecotours.com).
Another Inuit-owned ecotourism enterprise,
Nunawild, out of Kuujjuaq—Nunavik’s
gateway—has been greeting visitors since
last summer at its base camp located on the
tundra near Wolf Lake. Observe muskox,
tundra wolves, ptarmigans and other bird
species, as well as the occasional caribou
CITY LIGHTS
The province’s unique European sensibility
flavours the intersection of art, culture
and history. This is a big part of the city
centres—Montréal and Québec City—with
their wealth of museums, galleries and
special exhibits.
In Québec City, small music clubs, funky
bars, boîtes à chansons (intimate venues for
the province’s singer/songwriters) and
music festivals like the Québec City Summer
Festival (Festival d’été de Québec), one of
Canada’s biggest music festivals, contribute
to a vibrant arts scene (www.feq.ca/en).
Cosmopolitan Montréal sits at a cultural
crossroads, rooted in both Anglo and franco-
phone heritage. The city has put together
itineraries to inspire visitors, from nightlife to
shopping to annual festivals (www.mtl.org/en).
Montréal abounds with theatre and
dance, music and circus arts, and museums
and art galleries showcasing everything
from cutting-edge works to timeless classics.
An underground system of pedestrian
passageways, RÉSO, connects Métro stations
and corridors filled with boutiques and
small shops.
Montréal is renowned for its lively summer
gatherings—from jamming sessions to dance
fests. In cool contrast, take in a concert at Old
Montréal’s Notre-Dame Basilica, a neo-Gothic
masterpiece with marvellous acoustics
(www.basiliquenotredame.ca/en). Or visit
the quays of the Old Port on foot, by Segway
or hoverboard, where performances range
from reggae to harbour symphonies created
with ships’ horns.