On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Winter Wren
Tadoussac sits at the mouth of the Saguenay river/fjord as it empties into the Saint Lawrence river. It has a bustling town center with restaurants, bars, breweries and inns overlooking a small bay. It also serves as a jumping off point for places inland along the fjord or even further north on the western side of the Saint Lawrence.
The striking grand Hotel Tadoussac dominates the waterfront of the town. Originally built in 1864, the present structure dates from 1942.
This is the view toward the harbor from the waterfront. There is a beach in front where seals could be seen closer in, along with a harbor for boats (mainly for fjord sightseeing and whale watching tours) along the right side of the view. On one of the days of our stay, 2 minke whales were feeding just beyond the harbor area (easily visible from the hotel lawn). What a view!
Besides the fjord and whales, a major natural attraction of the area are the dunes. One of our sons joined us on this trip and we did a morning run from the hotel to the bottom of the dunes and back (he is ahead of me in neon green going down the slope). The dunes are pretty tall and steep (see the people at the bottom for some perspective) – about 55 meters!
Another perspective of the dunes, this time from the bottom. The dunes are two-level. There is another part farther inland of about equal height to the dune right at the beach. The dunes were created as part of the same glacial processes which created the Saguenay fjord.
One more shot, from the top of the dunes to catch the sunrise the next day. Far away, there is a large freighter coming up the river.
Of course, we had to do a whale watch. Instead of one of the big boats from Tadoussac, we opted to try a zodiac tour out of Essepit, just a little bit up the coast. The tour operators were super-friendly and bilingual. We zipped into some warm flotation suits, so it was pretty comfortable out on the water (which can 20 degrees colder than on land). We saw a large group of grey seals (not sure what a group of seals is called?) almost immediately after leaving. Here is a close up of the head of one.
I like whale watches not only for the chance to see whales, but also to see pelagic birds such as this common murre. We also spotted a razorbill and a kittiwake on the ride.
One more of the dunes, this time from the zodiac in the middle of the Saint Lawrence. You can see the upper level/terrace of dune in this photo.
We did see whales also! We saw some minke early on and then stayed in one place for a while to watch a pair of humpbacks feeding. Here is the tail of one of the humpbacks going back down to feed. A fin whale was reported in the area, but we didn’t see it. Later in the year, blue whales are often seen.
Here is another whale shot. The Saint Lawrence is a busy shipping route. Many ships voluntarily reduce their speeds to 10 knots as they pass through the marine sanctuary here. The zodiac and other tour operators were also very scrupulous about not getting too close to avoid harassment or potential collisions.
Still lots of exploring for us to do farther north, or west up the fjord. Looking forward to a next trip when we can schedule it!
frosty
In 2019 we were planning a trip to Quebec City when a friend recommended Tadoussac. We saw everything in your pictures (except taking the larger whale watch boat). Great place! Thanks for these pics.
PS I thought the ferry across the fjord was interesting. Free! DOT figured it was cheaper long-term than a bridge. We were worried it wouldn’t accommodate our trailer until we saw a picture of an 18-wheeler on it.
HinTN
These last are the best but thank you for the whole set. My niece lives in Halifax. I hope some day to visit and you have provided an excellent reason to extend the trip to a lovely part of this world. Thank you!
OzarkHillbilly
Good times.
sab
I just looked up multiple seals, and there are a lot of choices: colony, herd, rookery, harem, pod or bob.
eclare
Those dunes are unreal!
Dorothy A. Winsor
I love these pics. The whole place feels amazing.
You were brave to run up and down the dunes with your son. Good way to make yourself feel old. My brother describes climbing to the top of dunes with wife and collapsing. As they sat there, two kids ran up the dunes and sat nearby. One of them says to the others, “That’s the third time I’ve beaten you up this hill.”
BretH
Refreshing! I like the zodiac version of the whale watch.
Another Scott
Thanks for the series and the photos. We did the whale watching thing when we vacationed in Quebec. I was startled by the idea of blue whales in a river, but the guide explained that the river is really hugely deep in places so they have lots of volume to roam and feed.
Given all the water from the rivers and the Great Lakes, it makes sense that the narrow outlet might be deeper than it appears on maps!
Thanks again.
Cheers,
Scott.
AM in NC
Thanks for this series – both the photos and the text. Sure makes me want to visit the whole area!! Another place to add to the retirement list.
Spanish Moss
@Dorothy A. Winsor:Â That is hysterical!
Winter Wren
@Dorothy A. Winsor: Thanks, the whole vibe up around Tadoussac I’ve felt when we’ve visited is a genuine sense of “remoteness.” While the coasts are pretty well settled, if you go a little inland (or between the towns on the water), there is nothing but trees and occasional small lakes (with no houses on them!).
Once going up the the dunes was enough for me for the whole trip, although I am glad I went down. I tried to have a running gait up at least, but I am sure my pace was about equivalent to a shuffle. Half hour rest at the top to get my shoes back on and enjoy the view!
Winter Wren
@sab: Wow, I’ll have to try out one of those next time I have the occasion to see a group of seals!
Winter Wren
@frosty: The free ferry is a highlight for me (and there is always the chance to spot a beluga on the way). I’ll take a ferry whenever the chance arises on a trip!
Porky Pine
Thanks for this series of great photos! I have been to Quebec city and Ile d’Orleans, but would love to explore the lower Saint Lawrence and Tadoussac-Sanguenay someday.
BigJimSlade
Very nice!
beckya57
Nice reminders of our trip to this area, thanks.
stinger
Thanks for letting us share this trip with you — it’s been most enjoyable, even if only second-hand!
Prescott Cactus
Going up to Quebec City at the end of the month and this has been such a wonderful series ! Â I’m not driving anymore, but will try to find a way to see these sights.
Much thanks !
Emily B.
I love Tadoussac! The ferry is there because a bridge would disturb the beluga whales in the estuary. It’s a subpopulation that was isolated after the last ice age, and their numbers have declined to the point that they are considered endangered. Still hanging in, however. We saw a couple of them from the ferry.
Side note: If this were the United States, I feel pretty confident that a bridge would be built, whales or no whales. Since this is Canada, however, everyone takes the ferry.
way2blue
My favorite is the coast at dawn. Â Lovely.
That is an immense dune! Â And reminded me of visiting the Great Sand Dunes in southern Colorado. Â We were enjoying the warm stream that meanders through the lowlands when I noticed one son (ca. 5 years old) had started climbing the dunes. Â So we headed after him. Â He didn’t stop till the top! Â Seemed we needed to take three steps upward for every step gained. Â Your challenge looked the same… Â Daunting.
sab
@Winter Wren: I quite liked bob. Haven’t heard of a bob of anything else, and seals deserve their own category.
I know seals are real critters out in a harsh environment, but I can’t help thinking of them as dog mermaids (labs maybe?)
sab
OT I was having an issue with my Mom’s bank trust department that gives banks and trust departments a very bad name.
Right in the middle of me typing an outraged response, Dobby Kitty jumped on the computer keyboard and I went into Orbit and ROARED in outrage. I am extremely embarrassed ( Dobby was shocked, hurt and very scared.) I shouldn’t have done that, and edgy Dobby told me that this morning. He will forgive me in a few weeks, but maybe this is why Shadow has issues with me.