Just came back from an amazing whale watching trip to Tadoussac region in Quebec. This is a place on the Upper North shore of Saint-Laurence where hundreds, or maybe thousands of whales come to feed in the summer.
We went to a village called Les Escoumins, some 40 min up North-East of Tadoussac where few tourists venture. With not too many airports around, we flew to a small remote field in Forestville QC. The adventure started right away when it turned out that Budget allowed me to make an online reservation at Forestville where there is no Budget office. While the confirmation showed some address in Forestville, the car was waiting 250 miles away.
Here is where the pilot bond saved the day. Turned out that the owner of Les Ecumeurs, the nearest whalewatching operation is a pilot. Not only he came to pick us up, booked our hotel and loaned us his car for two days - he also gave us the Whale Watching Tour of epic proportions. Seek our Jean-Louis of Les Ecumeurs for advice on best time and place to arrive. The scenery is stunning in its rugged beauty. While technically Canada, it feels like another country, and not just because almost no one speaks English. Les Escoumins, a village of few dozen houses has a couple of high-end restaurants and a store with selection of wines and cheeses that rival some national capitals. So brush up your French and go! Here are a few teaser pics:
Flying over Saguenay river fjords on the way to Forestville QC
Huge blue whale - the 1st one we saw in the fog
Then they started popping out in groups all around
Whale watchers in a Zodiac boat on a misty morning on St.Laurent