Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business The Saguenay Fjord is one of the most southerly fjords in the Northern Hemisphere, a deep, steep-sided valley that cuts roughly 105 kilometres from the Saguenay region to the St. Lawrence River at Tadoussac.
Baie-Éternité
Baie-Sainte-Marguerite
Cruising the fjord
Musée du Fjord
+5 more places
This guide covers the fjord, the park that protects it and the cities and villages along it, so you can combine landscape, history and food in one trip.
The fjord was carved by glaciers during the last ice age, and its average depth is about 210 metres, with a deepest point of about 270 metres.
Beyond the scenery, the region has a distinct identity. People here are proud of their blueberries, their mill history and their strongly French-speaking culture, and a visit combines outdoor activity with warm, unpretentious hospitality.
The national park alone offers more than one hundred kilometres of hiking trails, along with sea kayaking, camping and a boat tour of the fjord, and in winter it opens ski and snowshoe routes.
Saguenay Fjord National Park protects much of the shoreline, and Baie-Éternité is its southwestern section, reached through the village of Rivière-Éternité. The park's interpretation centre explains how the fjord formed and what lives in it.
Baie-Éternité is the southwest section of Saguenay Fjord National Park. Photo: Dude1945, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
The northern section near Sacré-Coeur has an interpretation centre for belugas, and in summer these white whales gather in the bay.
Beluga whales gather in Baie-Sainte-Marguerite during summer. Photo: J.boulian, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cruises run on the river in the warm months and depart from La Baie, giving a wide view of the cliffs from the water. Allow half a day.
Fjord cruises depart from La Baie during the warm months. Photo: Nichole Ouellette/ouellette001.com, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
The Musée du Fjord in La Baie combines a museum and an aquarium, and it is a good introduction to the fjord's marine life and geology. Plan about two hours.
The Musée du Fjord in La Baie combines a museum and an aquarium. Photo: Cantons-de-l'Est, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
In a riverside park, this twenty-one metre aluminium pyramid is covered in reflective signs and commemorates the 1996 flood, which destroyed about 250 buildings. Climb the steps for the observation deck.
The pyramid honours the victims of the 1996 flood. Photo: Adqproductions, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
La Pulperie is a historic mill in the middle of Chicoutimi, surrounded by a large park, and it houses a regional museum and cultural centre.
The Pulperie de Chicoutimi is a historic mill site that now houses a regional museum. Photo: Chicoutimi, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Built in 1950, this was the first all-aluminium arch bridge in North America. It stands in Arvida, a planned town created around an aluminium smelter.
Built in 1950, it was the first all-aluminium arch bridge in North America. Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Near Shipshaw, this village was abandoned after a landslide in 1971 destroyed thirty-eight houses. A stone memorial and a crater remain.
On the north shore of the river, Sainte-Rose-du-Nord belongs to the Association of the Most Beautiful Villages of Quebec. Its wharf, church and quiet streets are ideal for a slow lunch.
Sainte-Rose-du-Nord sits on the north shore of the Saguenay River. Photo: Ymblanter, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Tadoussac sits at the mouth of the fjord and is known for whale watching. A free ferry crosses the Saguenay River here on Route 138, which is the main link toward Sept-Îles.
Tadoussac is at the mouth of the fjord, a base for whale watching. Photo: Selbymay, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Val-Jalbert is a former pulp mill village near Roberval, abandoned in 1927 after the mill closed. It has more than seventy original buildings and is described as one of the best-preserved ghost towns in Canada. Allow half a day, and combine it with Lac-Saint-Jean.
The region is known for two things in particular: meat pies and blueberries. Tourtière du Lac-Saint-Jean is a deep pie with thick crust, cubes of potato, meat and broth, larger than the usual tourtière.
Blueberries are the region's pride, and locals are called les bleuets. Chocolate-covered blueberries are a popular souvenir, made by monks at Mistassini on Lac-Saint-Jean.
For a stroll, try rue Racine in downtown Chicoutimi, where shops sell local sweets and maple products.
Popular dishes to try in Saguenay Fjord
Pick a base according to the experience you want.
Chicoutimi is the busiest and most central choice.
Jonquière suits visitors who want local bars and restaurants and who plan to cross the aluminium bridge or visit Arvida.
Sainte-Rose-du-Nord is the right pick for a quiet, scenic stay on the north shore, with village charm and river views.
In July, August and fall weekends, reserve rooms well ahead.
Where to stay in Saguenay Fjord
Summers are warm, with daytime highs around 24 degrees Celsius, and long daylight hours make it the best time for cruises, hiking and belugas. Early autumn brings colour along the cliffs.
Daylight ranges from about 4:45 in the morning to 8:45 in the evening in summer, but only about eight and a half hours in winter. A theatrical show about the region's history, La fabuleuse histoire d'un royaume, is performed in La Baie in summer, so check the schedule if you want to see it.
Bagotville Airport has scheduled flights from Montreal, and the closest large airport is at Quebec City. Intercar buses run to Chicoutimi from Montreal and Quebec City, taking about two and a half hours from Quebec City.
By car, Route 175 from Quebec City crosses a large provincial park, with only one fuel stop at its midpoint.
Local buses and taxis cover the cities, but you will want a car to reach the national park, Sainte-Rose-du-Nord and Tadoussac.
Explore Chicoutimi, with the Pulperie and rue Racine, then continue to La Baie for the Musée du Fjord.
Take a fjord cruise from La Baie, then walk the Pyramide des Ha!
Drive to Baie-Éternité or Baie-Sainte-Marguerite for hiking and belugas, then stay overnight in Sainte-Rose-du-Nord.
Continue to Tadoussac for whale watching, or head to Lac-Saint-Jean and Val-Jalbert.
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