Let me tell you about the excursion of a lifetime, the ultimate holiday for nature lovers. Prepare yourself for a breathtaking experience and let your imagination guide you on this cruise to Île d’Anticosti and the Basse-Côte-Nord. In this most easterly region of the Province of Quebec, your senses are multiplied as you discover nature at its purest. From Rimouski to Blanc-Sablon via the mythical Île d’Anticosti, the Lower North Shore (Basse Côte-Nord) will no longer be a mystery to you. Every week from April to January, Voyages AML, a subsidiary of AML Cruises, offers a seven-day expedition aboard the Bella Desgagnés.
The Bella Desganés, a cargo-passenger vessel of eight bridges, with accommodations for one hundred passengers, was originally designed to travel to Île d’Anticosti and the Basse-Côte Nord, to ensure the transportation of goods and merchandise for the eleven communities served. It is now possible for explorers and lovers of Québec to embark on this ship, specially converted to include passengers, and have the opportunity to discover these eleven towns and villages, often inaccessible by land but so worthwhile exploring. Sept-Îles, Kegaska, Tête-à-la-Baleine are among the many wonders of the province that you can uncover in just a week. Here is my tale.
As the vessel arrived in Rimouski early in the morning, I made the decision to visit the regional capital of the Bas-Saint-Laurent region before heading out to sea in the evening. It was a wise choice since I learned a great deal about the Maritime technopole of Québec. Between the Maritime Institute, the St. Lawrence Observatory and the visit of the Onondonga submarine, linked with the notorious shipwreck of the Empress of Ireland, one can say I started my day on a good note. With my head filled with expectations, here I am in front of the impressive Bella Desgnagnés, ready for a new adventure.
With so many places to explore, with limited time allocated for stopovers, the program can change according to the weather or with each loading and unloading. We could sometimes enjoy four stops on the same day, to the delight and viewing pleasure of all passengers. Our first day on board showed us an absolute change of scenery. Heading towards Sept-Îles and, like its name indicates, its archipelago composed of seven islands each with a different background. Not wanting to miss anything on this picturesque region, I ambled on the decks with documentation at hand to immerse myself even more in the history of these unknown regions. I learned, for example, that the famous explorer Jacques Cartier passed by Sept-Îles in 1535. The Sept-Îles archipelago is also an excellent location for whale watching during the summer months. This coastal fishing town has its own tourist attractions such as the Vieux-Poste or the Shaputuan Museum and the Innu culture.
The second stop of the day was Port-Menier, better known by the fact that it is located on the famous Île d’Anticosti. Situated in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, this largest island of the Province of Quebec will impress you. Home to more than 160,000 white-tailed deer, around 227 bird species and a rare and unique flora, Île d’Anticosti offers breathtaking landscapes and has been nominated for the World Heritage Sites list, as protected by UNESCO. I deboard and there is still snow on the ground. April doesn’t seem to be synonymous with early spring in this region of Quebec. Before setting foot on the mainland, I wondered if I would have a chance to see a deer, but to my astonishment, not only was I to see some, but I was going to see hundreds! What a magical place! Very few cars, warm and welcoming people and especially an intimate encounter with nature at its finest!
Only a day spent travelling across the region and already I have so much admiration for this beautiful wilderness. I was however only at the beginning of my adventure. Wednesday will be the busiest day in terms of stopovers: Havre-Saint-Pierre, Natashquan, Kegaska and La Romaine. While each village has its own wealth, they all offer panoramic views worthy of a feature film. Havre-Saint-Pierre has been recognized for many years by the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve. Natashquan is a legendary village with the songs and poetry of Gillles Vigneault. Kegaska is built around the commercial crab, lobster and scallop fishery and La Romaine is a living example of Francophone-Innu cohabitation. The vastness of the territory and the singularity of the landscape make the Basse-Côte-Nord a unique place in the world. Thanks to this cruise aboard the Bella Desgagnés, you can explore this region, not easily accessible throughout the territory, due to the lack of road infrastructure.
Fortunately, there remained more than half of the expedition and the return trip will be taking us, once again, through these same villages. Just like yesterday, Thursday was divided into four stops. Early in the morning, I had taken the habit, after waking up, to go out on the deck and admire the impressive environment. Like every morning, I am dazzled by what surrounds me! We are at the beginning of April, the sun is shining and I see small icebergs on the calm river. The first stop of the day is Harrington Harbour. Its houses are painted in white and pastel shades, its wooden sidewalks serve as streets and its bridges span over rocks and coves, charms of a unique northern village. As the cruise progresses, the air becomes purer. A few years back, I had seen the film La Petite Seduction and I was enchanted by this unique location. Visiting the village, where this full-length feature film was shot, made me appreciate even more the beauty of Harrington Harbour.
Around noon, here we are on the banks of Tête-à-la-Baleine. This village, of a little over a hundred residents, takes its name from one of the islands of the archipelago «Toutes-îles» composed of 600 islands, one of which looks strangely like a whale’s head. A little farther on the coast is the village of La Tabatière, known for its wolfish industry. Freshly arrived, the smell of fresh fish captures you. We can also distinguish the rock-side houses, the Priest’s Hill trail and its Gros Mécatina Migratory Bird Sanctuary, protected by Parks Canada. Here again, the views are breathtaking and the authenticity of the region is well represented.
At the end of the day, here we are at the last stop, Saint-Augustin, one of the largest villages of the Basse-Côte-Nord. A sublime sunset overlooks the village and allows us to admire the fauna and flora. The timing was almost perfect. Saint-Augustin is ideal for the observation of a large variety of seabirds, wolfish, and whales, from fin whales to beluga whales. The beautiful sandy shores can be distinguished throughout the region. Today, the banks are snow-covered and the village residents have come to pick up the goods transported from Rimouski to their village. They load large wooden sleds pulled by snowmobiles and return with their cargo.
Back on board, leaving Saint-Augustin behind me with the feeling that I would someday return, I realized that there was only one stop left before the return trip to Rimouski. This stop was Blanc-Sablon! During the whole stay, while conversing with the crew and staff of the boat, this destination kept coming up. I don’t need to tell you about the excitement I felt once in bed, knowing that the next day I would see it, straddling the Labrador boarder, which is the easternmost village of the Province of Quebec.
Everything is different in Blanc-Sablon. We have the impression that the residents don’t live in the same world as the rest of us. Here, at the Labrador boarder, I felt different, far from my comfort zone and my everyday city life. People here live to the rhythm of the village. The presence of politicians is few and far between. Icebergs, puffins and snow-covered beaches dot the landscape. What a wonderful way to end the first leg of the Île d’Anticosti and Basse-Côte-Nord cruise. We walk to the sign indicating the Labrador border. The gusts of wind that make the snow fly in all directions, the boreal vegetation and the music of the river exhilarate us!
The rest of the Bella Desgagnés journey is the opposite of the first five days of excursion, this time, it will only last the weekend. This means shorter stopovers, but a second chance to contemplate each of the eleven villages described above. The ship will pass through St. Augustine and La Tabatière Friday night, Tête-à-la-Baleine, Harrington Harbour, La Romaine, Kegaska and Natashquan on Saturday, Havre-Saint-Pierre and Port-Menier Sunday and arrive in Rimouski Monday in the middle of the day. Sometimes we deboard in the middle of the night in these tiny little villages. The glow of the stars illuminate the silence of the night. Never in my life have I found the sky so beautiful.
Every morning, I continued my ritual of going on the bridge to immerse myself with the surroundings before having breakfast. I always meet employees of the boat who, like me, appreciate the incredible landscape. On the penultimate morning, there was lots of snow and wind, so I made my observations of the panorama in the magnificent glazed room from the front of the vessel. The ship also offers several comfortable areas to relax between stopovers. The atmosphere on board is festive, people exchange information, play board games, take pictures and contemplate the scenery.
I occupied a double exterior cabin. Even from my bed I had a fascinating view of the boat’s progress. I slept like a baby, cradled to the waves of the St. Lawrence River. The meals on board were delicious. The variety is surprising and special attention is brought to use local products, particularly from the sea. I truly enjoyed the food and not once was I able to resist the chef’s succulent desserts. I took my meals in the dining room of the boat and sometimes I went to the cafeteria located on another bridge to satisfy my cravings.
This week aboard the Bella Desgagnés has been an unforgettable experience. Learning so much in such a short time on the Basse-Côte-Nord was magic. Discovering the vast and impressive territory, going to historic regions and admiring the fauna and flora at its best, will forever be engraved in my memory. You must venture into this splendid part of the Province of Quebec with AML Cruises. It’s a unique way to visit these remote places and villages. You will feel so close and yet so far away from home!
