Baie-Comeau info, please

[hybrn8]

Not having much luck finding info about this port of call....anyone have any links they can share? Car rental good idea? Which company? Suggestions much appreciated.

[GTJ]

I've been to Baie-Comeau a few times, but only because it is from where the ferry to Matane departs. I assume that the vessel will dock at the ferry terminal, in which case there is a real ferry terminal at which to alight. See http://www.traversiers.gouv.qc.ca/en/photo_album/38/matanebaie-comeaugodbout.html.

 

It is some distance into the city, perhaps 2 km into the city centre. There is public transportation, but it stops on the main road, not at the ferry terminal, and it only operates once hourly, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (no Sunday service). Download the route map and timetable here: http://www.ville.baie-comeau.qc.ca/vivre/environnement/transport_commun/.

 

I've never been there to do a tourist visit, and I don't recall there being much of interest, but you can probably get some ideas by looking at the tourist site here: http://www.ville.baie-comeau.qc.ca/en/visiting/.

[hybrn8]

Thanks for the info. Had already been to town's website and it isn't particularly helpful which leads me to believe that this little town isn't really geared up for tourists and that it's more of a company town. Not a bad thing - makes for a nice change of pace. That said, it is likely that trying to rent a car to do a bit of touring might be the best bet. None of the ship excursions (which we don't like anyway) interest us. Or, maybe there will be some enterprising taxi drivers at the dock ready to take passengers on a bit of a tour. I imagine the scenery up and down the river is wonderful. And maybe there are a couple fun restaurants in the town center. Any other thoughts from others most appreciated.

[martinimadam]

GTJ - thanks for the info. Pretty much what I expected, unfortunately.

 

hybrn8 - like you, I'm not too taken with the ships excursions. Am also hopeful that there may be some "enterprising taxi drivers" waiting. Since so few ships seem to stop here, I'm not sure why we are (HAL/Maasdam). Though I am thankful for the leisurely trip down what should be a fantastically scenic route.

[martinimadam]

Just looked at the bus route site (thanks GTJ). Though my french is pretty rusty, looks like, in addition to Sundays, the buses also don't run between noon and 1PM.

[GTJ]

Just looked at the bus route site (thanks GTJ). Though my french is pretty rusty, looks like, in addition to Sundays, the buses also don't run between noon and 1PM.

 

Yes, your French is good enough to have understood that note on the timetable. Sometimes when I'm out-of-town I will just take a round-trip on the local bus system for a very inexpesive (though unguided) bus tour. Here the "tour" would last 2 hours and cost $5.00. Don't expect everyone to know English, though a good many of people do know the language (especially so if you make sure that they know you are American and not Canadian--"Je suis américaine"). It is a pretty area, with mountains on one side and the river on the other. I've been along highway 138 all the way from Québec to Sept-Îles via motorcoach, then onward past its discontinuous parts to the end of the highway in Blanc-Sablon by using the combination passenger-freighter cruise ship "Nordik Express" out of Rimouski.

 

I can't give a recommendation for eating there . . . as I was just passing through quickly I just stopped at a local St. Hubert (not bad but nothing special). But with some searching you're likely to find a good place.

 

If you're looking for a drive, I could suggest heading west on highway 138. It is 2-1/2 hours to Tadousac, a pretty town on the river known for the whales that congregate there. There are more tourist services there. There's also a free ferry across the Saguenay to a pleasant look-out on the other side, but be sure to allow enough time to get on the ferry back to Tadousac. Unfortunately, the bus is not set up to make this tour for cruise passengers: Intercar departs Baie-Comeau daily at 7:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon, arriving Tadousac about 2.5 to 3 hours later; Intercar returns from Tadousac dialy at 2:00 p.m. and 9:35 p.m., arriving back in Baie-Comeau about 2.5 to 3 hours later. See http://www.intercar.qc.ca.

 

Depending on your vessel's schedule you could take the ferry to Matane and back. But you won't see much of anything in the river that you would not have already seen from your vessel . . . and there's nothing at the Matane ferry terminal within walking distance before having to take the ferry right back. The ferry departs Baie-Comeau at 2:00 p.m. on Mondays, Fridays, and Sundays, arriving in Matane at 4:20 p.m., returning from Matane at 5:00 pm., and arriving back in Baie-Comeau at 7:20 p.m. See http://www.traversiers.gouv.qc.ca.