TADOUSSAC CRUISES

The village of Les Escoumins in the Manicouagan region is located nearby Tadoussac, approximately a 20-25 minute drive away. This historic village is surrounded by the three tourist areas of Charlevoix, Saguenay – Lac-Saint-Jean and Manicouagan on the North-Shore. Tadoussac has a long reputation of offering whale-watching cruises as well as numerous cruises in the Saguenay fjord. Tadoussac is in fact one of the first places where tourists boarded boats to go whale-watching.

Tadoussac’s first tourist attraction was a grand hotel located on the Saguenay River near the fjord and the river’s mouth only a few miles from the sea. Many excellent whale-watching areas have developed along the shores of the estuary, where the whales are known to gather. Les Escoumins is one such area offering departures to go dinghy whale-watching cruise, or simply from the shoreline. A well-known place to watch whales from land is Cap-de-Bon-Désir, located in Bergeronnes near Les Escoumins.

One can also do whale observation from land directly atop the boulders in Les Escoumins and at the Centre de découverte du milieu marin at the Saguenay – Saint-Laurent Marine Park.

The Charlevoix region, which you will travel through if you are arriving from Quebec, is known for its landscapes, its panoramic roads, its numerous artistic villages, its health centers, museums, local delicacies, grand hotels and of course, its casino. Charlevoix is definitely a pleasant place to visit on your way to one of our whale-watching cruises.

The Saguenay – Lac-Saint-Jean region, found nearby, offers visitors the fjord route with its numerous picturesque villages along both shores. The parks, rivers, lake, hiking, and bicycle paths are yours to discover. In the cities, concerts and many other attractions will be sure to keep you busy either before taking one of our cruises, or on the way back home.

The Manicouagan region, which Tadoussac and Les Escoumins are part of, is particularly popular for its whale route. Tadoussac and Les Escoumin’s attractions aside, Manicouagan is also an area of vast natural beauty where mighty dams, rivers and lakes are the norm and where nature is predominant. On the popular whale route, cruises aboard a zodiac to go whale-watching are offered at many different departure areas.

Manicouagan, from Tadoussac to Havre-Saint-Pierre, with its well-known whale route, is the premier choice for whale-watching, especially for those who are keen on spotting the Blue Whale’s, the world’s biggest marine mammal, alongside its slightly smaller, but very imposing cousin, the Common Rorqual.

The lower St-Lawrence is an affluent tourist region located a few kilometres across the River. Access is possible thanks to a ferry service which boards in Riviere-du-Loup and Saint-Simeon in Charlevoix. A ferry also links the towns of Les Escoumins and Trois-Pistoles allowing visitors to make their way directly to Les Ecumeurs du Saint-Laurent to go one of our whale-watching cruises aboard a zodiac.

Regardless of the tourist area you travel through to come and visit us, you will be left with unforgettable memories.

A whale-watching excursion aboard a zodiac as opposed to a cruise aboard a larger vessel, gives one the advantage of a 360o view, regardless of where the whale happens to be found. The other advantage is the ability to quickly move from one observation area to another. However, one must not expect a zodiac to get any closer to whales than other types of boats, whether it be in Charlevoix, Tadoussac, the fjord or Manicouagan, because all are expected to follow strict regulations while operating within the confines of the Marine Park which straddles the entire region.