A report on Saguenay - courtesy of Holland America

[Sue's Mom]

Prior to our recent cruise I could not find any information on Saguenay. I am setting out in the next couple or so posts some information given to us by Holland America, which I hope will help other CCers. Saguenay covers a large area. I had printed discount coupons to the Little White House but it was much too far away for us to go independently.

 

Saguenay is a fairly new community. It represents the merged townships of La Baie, Chicoutimi and Jonquiere which were merged in February 2002.

 

The riverside complex includes “Ha! Ha! Park”. A good introduction to the region and its history is provided by the Musee de Fjord which exhibits examine the delicate ecosystems which characterize the Saguenay Fjord region and the pioneers that help establish local communities. There are some traditional craft workshops in the district, such as glass at Tourverre, Inc. or homemade soap at Olivier Soap Factory.

 

Several kilometres away from the dock is Chicoutimi where the Little White House with its stone foundation withstood the flood of 1996 when the rushing surge of the Chicoutimi River washed everything away everything else. The property has been restored to as it was prior to the flood.

 

The renovated Pulperie de Chicoutimi features seven art, history and ethnology exhibitions that tell about local life and the challenges it has presented. The ethnographic displays tell about local culture and the collection includes a small retrospective of Arthur Vileneuve’s work. The museum is his former home. The artist painted naïve frescoes on the entire structure, both inside and out.

 

The Louis Hémon museum is in the heart of Maria Chapdelaine county. The author (1880-1013) was born in France and began writing before emigrating to his adopted home of Quebec. He lived less than two years in Canada but is remembered as a native local son. During his stay he created his heroine, Maria Chapdelaine, but died tragically before the work was published. He and a friend were run over by a train whilst walking along tracks in a remote part of Ontario. His famous tale of duty and endurance in the face of tragedy is considered to be a dfining tale of early French Canada. The museum is the “Samuel Bédard House” where Hémon lived in 1912.

 

Covering 109 square miles, Saguenay National Park features dramatic cliffs, sheer mountains and a magnificent fjord. Divided into three sections the terrain is diverse. Rivière-Éternite’s 984 foot high granite walls were carved by moving glaciers and sand dunes formed at Tadoussac when the ice met the St. Laurence.

 

During the warm summer months, Baie Sainte-Marguerite is favoured habitat for the St Laurence beluga whale. Red pine forest surrounds the bay to complete a serene natural setting as the wales play in the fjord. The park is laced with well-maintained trails and rangers lead interpretative walks along both shores.

[Sue's Mom]

Parc National Des Monts-Valin. The Saguenay - Lac-Satint-Jean region's soul, Monts Valin includes several cliffs that tower nearly 3000 feet. As a natural haven, the highlands park is popular among hiking and camping enthusiasts in summer and offers a winter haven for showshoeing, cross country skiing or short backcountry skiing treks in winter. Pic de la Hutte is the highest point in the park and from its summit most of the Sagnenay region can be seen on a clear day.

 

L'Odyssée des Bâtisseurs is just upriver near Lac Saint-Jean at the village of Alma and is a theme park for the 21st century. The focus of the park is water - the essence of local development. Begin with the interactive exhibitions at Maison de Bâtisseurs. Built in 1936 the colonial style building, one of the park's several historic structures, is a national landmark. It was the administrative center for water conservation and hydroelectric production in the region. The Isle-Maligne hydroelectric plant still powers the region and Quebec City. Bâtissuers' path introduces various aspects of water trades through its interative displays. With water projected to be as valuable as oil in the near future, the museum is designed to educate the public about the need for water conservation and sensible management.

 

The Isle-Maligne district, a company-built town, encircles the theme park. Built to house workers during the construction of the hydroelectric plant, "town" architecture is representative of the historic style that accompanied the dawn of the industrial age in North America. The island is accessible via the Le Maligneau ferry. There is a shop at the park that offers books about regional history as well as a fine selection of souvenirs.

[Ephraim]

There is a town in Quebec called St Louis du Ha! Ha! It's supposedly an archaic term for an obstacle. (In fact, the sound of laughter is written "hi hi" so it's not related to laughter.) It's sometimes seen in other places in Quebec.

 

The town of Chicoutimi as well as the nearby towns were amalgamated by the Quebec government and renamed Saguenay a few years ago. (Many towns have now demerged.)

 

All in all, it's a lovely section of Quebec and the centre of Quebec's blueberry crop as well. I'd like to hear from people about their reception in the town and the treatment of visitors, especially how well they have done with speaking to you in English.

[Suzanne123]

The reception we got in Saguenay was unbelievable. The town's people were lined up to greet us and on the way back to the ship, they handed us chocloate cobvered blueberries (Yum!).

 

 

One of my favorite excursions from our Eurodam cruise in September was this one:

Let the rhythm of the tide mesmerize you in a sea kayaking excursion. Travel from the pier in La Baie on a 45-minute scenic drive to Parc National du Saguenay Interpretation Center. A safety briefing and paddling instruction will be given before you board a stable, two-person kayak equipped with easy rudder control. Then you are ready for your 1 1/4-hour paddle along Cape Trinity, with sheer cliffs and sandy beaches. On the surface, the beauty of the Saguenay Fjord is striking, but these waters also reveal glimpses of their depths that have long been thought unfathomable. If you're lucky you may encounter marine life, including lazy seals sunbathing on the rocks, or a whale frolicking in the water. Previous kayak experience is not necessary. You will have some free time at the Interpretation Center to shop for souvenirs or enjoy the exhibits.

 

It poured rain the entire time, but we had a ball -- If you like "roughing it" a little, (school bus transport out to the woods) it's a wonderful way to spend the day.

 

Our young guide spoke English fairly well. We had no trouble understanding him.

[eh2zed]

We were on the Eurodam Oct 2 stop at Saguenay. National car rental sets up a depot right on the pier when a cruise ship is in. We rented a car and went to Ste Rose du Nord, the little White House and then back to the ship for lunch. In the afternoon we went down to Saguenay National Park; spectacular. Left the car at the pier. Total cost including gas for the car around $80. Locals were wonderful.