Sea to Sea in Canada: Lac-Saint-Jean

Due to the fact that Quebec is now more open than Ontario during this time of the pandemic we are able to travel around the province. We still need to wear a mask indoors and social distance. We took our first trip out from our home base in Gatineau.

We travelled 6 hours north-east to Lac-Saint-Jean and spent 4 days exploring the towns situated around the lake. Here we learned that Quebec has two great resources: water and forests which were and continue to be very important to their development of the hydroelectricity and forestry industries.

Stop #1: Village Historique De Val-Jalbert, Chambord: The village of Val-Jalbert was developed due to the location of the Quiatchouan Falls. The village grew to accommodate the mill workers and their families.

A period automobile

We took a tour of the village on an old trolley bus. The tour was given in French. We had a card with various information about the points of interest on it in English so we did get the gist of the presentation but we did miss out on the jokes. Throughout the village there were characters in period costumes interacting with the visitors. They stayed in character throughout. Wonderful!

Semi-detached houses for the workers

The post-mistress in full period costume

Row of houses for the workers

Not all houses survived over the years and have been left.

Many of them had trees growing through the house.

You could go to the top of the falls by

cable car or if you were a healthy adventurer

(or fool) you could walk up the 700 odd stairs

to the top as seen in this photo.

The pulp mill located beside the Ouiatchouan Falls

The Ouiatchouan Falls

Once we disembarked from the trolley bus at the pulp mill, we attended the outstanding "Spectacle Immersion". This fully immersive and spectacular interpretation was about the forest and the production of pulp. The show takes place in the old mill, specifically the grinder's room. The 360 degree show revives the factory and its workers, village life, weather and nature. During this presentation it rains twice and even snows at the appropriate parts of the story. It was amazing!

The huge punch clock that was used at the mill. The mill

operated six days a week and the schedule was divided

into three shifts throughout the day.

The grinder's room where the Spectacle Immersion was

presented as a 360 degree experience. Complete with rain

and snow. Amazing!

Almost 100 years ago, Val-Jalbert was touted as a technological model village. The village's residents enjoyed electricity and running water, unlike most other areas. That was 25 years before the rest of Quebec. Many people came to Val-Jalbert to work just to experience the conveniences.

But they still made their own clothes and used every

scrap of fabric they had. These cut up scraps of fabric

were probably used to make rugs for the house.

The convenience of a washing machine,

primitive as it is to us today!

Running water means flushing toilets and water at the sink.

We walked back through the village and explored more buildings and the surrounding nature.

The village is surrounded by nature

A vegetable garden outside the Convent School

The Convent School made of all wood. One of the largest

buildings in the village. It housed the living quarters for several

nuns, classrooms, a chapel, conference rooms

Walking through nature is always grand!

Bev playing at one of the playgrounds in the village.

"Look, I am flying! Whee!"

I always enjoy walking through history in historical villages of the past. For more information on what you can do and see in Village de Val-Jalbert Click here. Have you studied the past in your area? Searched for historic sites in the vicinity?

Stop # 2: On the road, an unexpected stop:

On the way to our next stop, we were literally stopped by the bearings in one of our trailer wheels which gave out and smoke flowed out from under the trailer. Thankfully we were stopped just outside an auto shop. The workers there spoke very little English however we were able to communicate the problem and urgency. They were able to help us and replaced the wheel bearings. After several hours, we continued on our way

Stop #3 Zoo Sauvage, Saint Felicien:

We slept in our RV in the parking lot of the Zoo. When the Zoo opened. We walked around the trails looking at the various animals in open enclosures. We also took a tram through the Nature trail which held animals you would see in Canada. The animals would walk beside and in front of the tram so we got a close look at many of them. They all ignored us, being so used to the tram going through their area many times of day.

It was notable that, being a significant distance from both the U.S. and its potential visitors as well as Ontario, the zoo did not make much effort to cater to English-speaking tourists. The tram commentary was totally in French, which gave our rudimentary French language skills a workout!

Through the walking trails, there were some activities that the kids could use. We participated in some of them. I guess we are just kids at heart.

The Zoo is site in a beautiful setting. The enclosures

are very open for the animals.

Bev hugs a statue of a bear. This is the only kind of bear I want to be that close to!

A baby Gelada Baboon

There were many Japanese Macaques. The only times I have

seen the Japanese Macaques is in nature documentaries and it is

usually when they are in a warm pool during the winter months.

The photos above and below show the local animals that greeted

us along the trail. The squirrel madly chattered at us as we passed.

"And you didn't bring me anything to eat." The rodent below was at

the side of the sidewalk and just ignored us as we passed close by him.

A Tiger just soaking up the sun!

A coyote on the watch!

A nice clear photo of this Lynx sitting amongst the trees. A camera

with a zoom lens is a great asset in such a zoo.

A mountain goat sitting in the shade.

This large male deer is running towards the feeding trough that

now holds his meal.

This is too easy. Food is brought to me!

These bears were in their own enclosure. The wolves and foxes

also had their own enclosed territory to roam.

This bear walked alongside the tram for a while.

Mom and baby Bison

The last enclosure we passed while walking was the Polar Bears.

There were three bears here. This guy just walked back and forth all

day on a well worn path. I wondered if being in captivity was

the cause of his obsessive behaviour. After a day of continual walking

back and forth in the sun, he must have been very tired. It makes you wonder

if Zoos are really beneficial to animals on the whole.

The second bear sat on top of a hill and watched his surroundings

The third one had the right idea. On a hot day the best place to

be is in the pool. He just stood there looking cool.

Within the Polar bear enclosure were a few Arctic Foxes.

Their fur turns dark in the summer.

Bev climbing a climbing wall!

Al emerging from a tunnel slide from one level to the next.

Stop #4: L'Odysee des Batisseurs:

There were two parts to this park. There are exhibits in a large heritage building and across the road is the actual park which has nice walking trails and exhibits concerning water and its effect on the development in the area. The historical exhibition revolves around water as a resource -- its geography and distribution around the territory, power and energy potential, harnessing and processing into electricity, management and protection, consumption and use.

In the park, trails are adorned with vestiges and hebertism (natural method) games.

Here, Al is reading one of the many sign boards explaining parts of

the water industry in the area.

A turbine

Water is an important part of the culture and

livelihood of the area.

Inside a former water tower, we saw a 360 degree film. The gripping

immersive movie took us through the immensity of the area.

Quebec has so many 360 degree experiences which are used to

immerse you in the topic.

A view from the top of the water tower. The hydro plant in Alma.

"Oh, come on. You don't look so bad!"

Al crossing a swing bridge.

Stop #5: Parc del la Caverne Trou de la Fee (Fairy Hole)

This was a very hot day and we must have walked miles and up and down so many, many stairs. It was an exhausting day but we made it through it. Again, here we experienced an immersive 360 degree film which was shown underground and projected onto the rocks surrounding us. Quite the experience in order to learn about the beginning of society in the area!

The large sign appears on the rock face of the canyon.

The dam from a distance. Water is so powerful.

Walking along the river on a walkway in the steep

canyon, you are so close to the river and its mighty power.

A closer look of the dam and river. Note at

the bottom of the photo, there is a ruin of the power

house in which the workers lived on the top floor.

A rainbow over the turbulent waters

Al walking along a portion of the riverside walkway

Bev walking along one of several swing bridges.

Stop #6: Parc des Chutes de la Petite Riviere Bostonnais

Our last night we parked free in the parking lot of the Parc des Chutes de la Petite Riviere Bostonnais. The park allows RVs to park for a night in their parking lot. A great deal! There is no electrical or water hook up but if you are self-sufficent, it works. In the morning before leaving for home, we walked the trail along the river rapids and even walked up the 90 or so steps to the top of the observation tower. We did a lot of walking and climbing up hills and don't forget the steps of the observation tower.