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This post is part 2 of my six day Québec road trip in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region of Québec. You can read about days 1 and 2 in the Laurentians HERE. Days 3 and 4 were beautifully stolen from us by the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region and our stops in the Opémican National Park and Refuge Pageau. WOW. What can I say about this place?! First of all – AMAZING. Read on to see all the details of what we did.
On this six day Québec road trip, I ventured to three regions of Québec – the Laurentians, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, and Outaouais. I had the pleasure of taking this girls trip with Krystle, Isabelle, Brooke, and Julia. Also, a special thank you to Braedin who came along to take photos.
Québec has 21 regions, which all have unique character. From the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the province of Ontario and from the Arctic Ocean to the United States, Québec is a huge province with so much to see! Last fall, I went to Québec to visit two other regions – Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, and Côte-Nord (Quebec Martime). You can see that Québec road trip blog post HERE.
Abitibi-Témiscamingue Region – Our Route
We made our way from the Laurentians to the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region (Mont-Tremblant area to Amos) which took us about 4.5 to 5 hours. Below you can see the route and stops we made through Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
Check out my trip vlog below or on YouTube directly for better quality.
Refuge Pageau
Our first stop in Abitibi-Témiscamingu was at Refuge Pageau where they take in lost and/or wounded wildlife and care for them until they fully recover, before being released back into their homes. If they can’t fully recover, they bring them in for long-term care and assistance. How amazing!
Some of the animals that are too injured to be returned to the wild can be fed by hand. Here is Chewbacca the porcupine who was a real favourite.
After our stop at Refuge Pageau, we hopping in the vehicle and drove to Rouyn-Noranda where we spent the night at the Quality Inn. Let me tell you…after 3 days on the road and two nights camping, it was really nice to have a hot shower and big cozy bed. We woke the next morning ready to take on the day!
You might also like to read about my winter trip to Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Outaouais Region – Québec Road Trip or What to Visit in the Saguenay Lac-Saint-Jean Region, Quebéc.
Le Cachottier Bistro Bar
We went for dinner to Le Cachottier Bistro Bar which was so delicious! Everything was made with the freshest ingredients and I highly recommend. We were planning on taking in a Microbrewery experience at Trèfle Noir that evening, but instead got some of their artisan beers to go. Being celiac, I couldn’t try it the next night at the campsite, but everyone said it was great!
Chez Eugène
En route to Opémican National Park, we stopped for a tasty lunch at Chez Eugène located in Ville-Marie. It is a Victorian home that is an inn and restaurant. You can eat on the terrace and enjoy a breathtaking view of Lake Timiskaming.
Opémican National Park
Our next stop in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region was at the amazing Opémican National Park which just opened in 2019. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience and I wish I could have spent more time here. It was great to experience this brand new national park and which is bordered on either side by Lac Témiscamingue and Lac Kipawa.
We stayed in the new Étoile ready-to-camp sites which had everything you need to stay comfortable which enjoying the park. The structure is a canvas-sealed wood structure and it is very well equipped…just bring your food! As well, the park has paddle boards, canoes, bikes that you can access to fully explore and enjoy the area.
Can I just stay here forever, please and thank you? I haven’t got the slightest clue how Québec keeps getting better and better with each excursion I go on. Being here was exactly what I needed – water adventures, great food, and taking in the scenic views in literally every direction. I hate to see this trip coming to an end here soon, but I’m ready to see what our third and final region had to offer! Stay tuned for that blog post.
This post has been sponsored by Tourisme Quebec. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the destinations that support me.
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
Wow, Quebec looks so stunning! Sounds like you had an amazing time, I love your photos.
Great photos and the place is absolutely amazing. The water is so calm makes you relax and be with nature. You have great company and making great memories. 🙂
Stunning food, awesome company, unforgettable experiences. What a trip!
That place looks absolutely beautiful! I bet it must have been a wonderful experience and that you made tons of amazing memories. Loving the photos, looks absolutely breathtaking.
What an incredible experience. I loved reading every bit of your trip. The photos are superb and the landscape is amazing.
Youve been to a lot of places. Now thats how you maximize your travel! I especially love your visit at Refuge Pageu since i love animals espcially animals you do not typically see.
It’s rare that a destination looks equally beautiful in artwork and in real life! This sold me 100 percent on visiting Quebec. What stunning photos and landscapes!
What a beautiful fun trip! Thank you so much for sharing it with us!
All these scenes I can only imagine in movies and seeing you in those and knowing that you truly had this experience, I feel I’ve already been there. Thanks for sharing.
Wow! Looks like you had an amazing trip! I really wanted to go to Quebec this summer. May be next year! And Chewbecca <3