Region

Charlevoix

Base in Baie-Saint-Paul or La Malbaie; drive Route 138 and day-trip the rest.

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Key facts · Canada

Best months: May–Sep
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: Canadian dollar (CAD, $)
Language: English and French
Plugs: A · B · 120 V
Time zone: Six zones: UTC−3:30 to UTC−8

Month by month hereIn detail ↓

Rules in force · 6Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…

North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
Canada ↗Visa-exempt travellers flying to or through Canada usually need an eTA; check your passport on the official Government of Canada site (canada.ca) and apply only there.
Canada ↗A Parks Canada pass is needed to stop in national parks such as Banff and Jasper; some spots (for example Moraine Lake) are reached only by shuttle or tour, so book ahead.
Canada ↗Keep well away from bears, elk and moose; carry bear spray on Rockies trails and follow trail closures.

Charlevoix is a 6,000 km² stretch of the Saint Lawrence north shore between the Laurentians and the river, shaped by a meteor impact about 350 million years ago and named a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1989. Two towns carry the beds and the restaurants: Baie-Saint-Paul for art, cafés and Route 381 into the parks; La Malbaie for the resort strip, the casino and whale water. Everything else is a short drive. A car is close to essential — Intercar buses link the river towns, but the parks and the ski hill need wheels.

Where to sleep

6 places in this region

Sleep base

Baie-Saint-PaulCity guide
Art galleries, restaurants, gateway to Route 381 and the parks.
Best Jun–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Baie-Saint-Paul →
La MalbaieCity guide
Resort hotels, casino, Pointe-au-Pic; whale water to the east.
Best Feb–Mar, Jun–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open La Malbaie →

Day trip

Saint-IrénéeCity guide
Between the two towns; beach and summer music venue.
Best Feb, Jun–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Saint-Irénée →
Les ÉboulementsCity guide
Hill village above the river; the ferry to L'Isle-aux-Coudres is at Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive.
Best Jun–Oct, Jan–Mar
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Les Éboulements →
Petite-Rivière-Saint-FrançoisCity guide
Massif de Charlevoix ski hill and its big vertical.
Best Jun–Sep, Jan–Feb
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Petite-Rivière-Saint-François →
L'Isle-aux-CoudresCity guide
Free 15-minute ferry; half a day by bike or car.
Best Jun–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open L'Isle-aux-Coudres →

Plan the nights

How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags

Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags

Night sequences

2 nights: Baie-Saint-Paul 2; one park day, one village day
3 nights: Baie-Saint-Paul 2 + La Malbaie 1, driving Route 138 east
4 nights: Baie-Saint-Paul 2 + La Malbaie 2, adding L'Isle-aux-Coudres and a whale run

Route 138 is a two-lane highway with slow trucks and few passing lanes; a 60 km (37 mi) hop can take over an hour.Route 138 is a two-lane highway with slow trucks and few passing lanes; a 37 mi (60 km) hop can take over an hour.
Park shuttles and parking fill on summer weekends and during fall colour; arrive before 09:00 or book ahead.Park shuttles and parking fill on summer weekends and during fall colour; arrive before 9:00 AM or book ahead.
Many restaurants and inns close from November to May outside the ski season.

Day-trips door to door

To	From	Door-to-door p50	Last return	Note
L'Isle-aux-Coudres	Baie-Saint-Paul	45 min	check	Ferry from Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive is free and runs about every 30 minutes; check the last sailing.
Grands-Jardins National Park	Baie-Saint-Paul	50 min	check	Route 381 north; day fee about $9.25 per person, 2026 estimate.
Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie National Park	La Malbaie	40 min	check	Access from Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs; the Acropole des Draveurs hike is a full day.
Tadoussac	La Malbaie	90 min	check	Free 8-minute ferry from Baie-Sainte-Catherine; whale watching from May to October.

Bags between cities

No luggage forwarding here; pack for the car, and note that the Rivière-du-Loup ferry takes vehicles.

When to go

Months and weather

Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table

Country	JJan	FFeb	MMar	AApr	MMay	JJun	JJul	AAug	SSep	OOct	NNov	DDec
Baie-Saint-Paul	×	×	×	×	ok	go	go	go	go	go	×	×
La Malbaie	ok	go	go	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×
Saint-Irénée	ok	go	ok	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×
Les Éboulements	go	go	go	×	ok	go	go	go	go	go	×	ok
Petite-Rivière-Saint-François	go	go	ok	×	ok	go	go	go	go	ok	×	ok
L'Isle-aux-Coudres	×	ok	×	×	ok	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×
Canada (country-wide)	ok	ok	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	go	ok	ok

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month

Zone	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Charlevoix river shoreBaie-Saint-Paul to La Malbaie	cold	cold	cold	ok	best	best	best	best	best	ok	cold	cold

best: dry, mildok: workable

Charlevoix river shore: Best June to early October. Summer days 20–25 °C (68–77 °F); winter −10 to −20 °C (14 to −4 °F) with heavy snow. Fall colour peaks late September to mid-October.Best June to early October. Summer days 68–77 °F (20–25 °C); winter 14 to −4 °F (−10 to −20 °C) with heavy snow. Fall colour peaks late September to mid-October.

The river moderates the shore; the plateau above is colder and snowier. Ski season at the Massif runs roughly December to April.

Getting in and passes

Arrival times and regional passes

Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate

From	To	How	p50	Note
Québec City	Baie-Saint-Paul	Car on Highway 138	1 h 15–1 h 45	The standard approach; no train.
Montréal	Baie-Saint-Paul	Car via Highway 138	4–5 h	Long for a day; break the drive or fly into Québec City first.
Québec City	Baie-Saint-Paul / La Malbaie	Intercar bus	check	Runs along the river from Gare du Palais; reservations required for some stops.
Rivière-du-Loup	Saint-Siméon	Ferry	65 min crossing	Vehicle ferry; book in high season.
Tadoussac	Baie-Sainte-Catherine	Ferry	8 min crossing	Free, no reservation; the link to the north shore.

Regional passes

Verdict first

SEPAQ day fee (Grands-Jardins, Hautes-Gorges)

buy

About $9.25 per person per park, 2026 estimate; buy at the gate or online.

SEPAQ annual parks pass

check

Only pays if you visit several SEPAQ parks on the same trip; run the day fees first.

Eat and move on

Regional food and where to go next

Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next

Regional food

Where and when it works

Dish	Where	Timing / trap
Cheese from the region's fromageries	Baie-Saint-Paul and Route 138 farm stands	Charlevoix is a designated cheese region; buy at the farm or the market.
Sugar-shack and maple plates	Saint-Urbain and inland villages	Season runs roughly March to April; book ahead on weekends.
Bistro and café plates	Baie-Saint-Paul, rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste	Kitchens often close 21:00; many shut one or two weekdays.Kitchens often close 9:00 PM; many shut one or two weekdays.
Seafood and fish	La Malbaie and Pointe-au-Pic	Look for local shrimp and snow crab in season; reserve in summer.
Microbrewery and cider stops	Baie-Saint-Paul and L'Isle-aux-Coudres	Cideries on the island are a common bike stop.

Go next

Central Quebec

planned

Highway 138 south and west

The parent region; Québec City is the hub.

Manicouagan

Ferry to Baie-Sainte-Catherine, then Route 138 north

Tadoussac and the whale river; one night minimum.

Gaspé Peninsula

Long drive via the south shore or Route 132

A separate trip; plan several days.

Québec

Highway 138, 1 h 15–1 h 45 to the city edge

Walled old town; the usual first or last stop.

Planning aids

Built from this guide's own data

Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…

Region in numbers

Where to sleep: 2 bases
Day trips: 4, 40 min to 1 h 30
Nights suggested: 2–4 nights
Ways in: 5 listed
Best months: May–Sep

Going in…

Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.

Pick a month.

Explore Central Quebec Up to Canada

Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources

Sources

officialTourisme Charlevoix
officialSEPAQ — Quebec national parks
officialSociété des traversiers du Québec — ferries
officialIntercar
officialUNESCO — Charlevoix Biosphere Reserve
secondaryWikivoyage: Charlevoix, revision 5241787 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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