Last Updated on August 29, 2024 by Pamela MacNaughtan
Abitibi-Témiscamingue is an easy road trip from Quebec City, Central and Northern Ontario. It’s far away from the congestion of cars and people in southern Quebec and Ontario, with dense forests hugging its roads. The region is known for its beauty and outdoor adventures. Its rugged landscapes are ideal for fishing, hunting, canoeing, cycling, and hiking.
There are enchanting national parks, thousands of lakes, and hundreds of kilometres of quad and snowmobile trails. Abitibi-Témiscamingue is also filled with intriguing history, art, delicious food, lovely towns and cities – and best of all, endearing locals.
Abitibi-Témiscamingue is a part of Quebec that is often overlooked, and its off-the-beaten-path status makes a road trip feel more exciting. During the pandemic, when everything was closed, I drove through the region in autumn when the foliage was vibrant and mesmerizing. This time around it’s summer, everything is open!
Here’s my 4-day road trip itinerary for Abitibi-Témiscamingue!
Day One
Highlights: Kabane Rose, Parc national d’Opémican, Fort Témiscamingue, and the enchanted forest.
Driving to Abitibi-Témiscamingue from Ontario
After a week with my family in central Ontario, I was eager for the drive to North Bay, and across the border into Quebec. There are a few roads from Northern Ontario to Quebec, but ON-63 from North Bay is my favourite. It’s quiet and winding, and after a couple of hours on busy highways I am ready for peaceful landscapes.
It’s a scenic drive lined with trees and the occasional glimpse of the Ottawa River. Peaceful early in the morning, it gains popularity as the day progresses, with RVs and vacationers driving to places like Parc national d’Opémican and Laniel.
Crossing the Ottawa River into Témiscaming, QC-101 snakes through the region, past small towns, Parc national d’Opémican and Laniel. I woke up at 4 am, piled into my SUV rental and drove to Abitbi-Témiscamingue, choosing to get ahead of the hoards of people travelling from Toronto to cottage country for a long weekend.
A playlist of 80s classics filling the car, I soaked up the tree-filled landscapes of Abitibi-Témiscamingue. I drove around Témiscaming, stopping at Ancien barrage d’Hydro, and stumbling across Musée de la Gare. I was too early to visit the museum, so I made a mental note and drove towards Parc national d’Opémican.
[Other routes to Abitibi-Témiscamingue include: ON-65 from Temiskaming Shores, Ontario, Route 117 from Virginiatown, and Route 101 from Matheson.]
Parc national d’Opémican
Divided into four sectors – Pointe-Opémican, Lac-White, Île-aux-Fraises, and Rivière-Kipawa – Parc national d’Opémican (Opémpican) is a welcome addition to the Témiscamingue area. Established in 2018, the park features over 100 campsites (traditional and ready-to-camp among them) surrounded by tall pines.
From mid-June to mid-October, the hiking trails are open, and if I had the time and energy I would have hiked the Inukshuk or Grande Chute trails (The app All Trails has 9 hiking trail recommendations for Opémican). Lac Témiscamingue is popular for canoeing and kayaking, and the park has a 3km bike trail.
Driving the roads of the Rivière Kipawa sector first thing in the morning with its rivers, wildflowers, and forested views filled me with calm after weeks of stress.
Mexican-Inspired Eats at Kabane Rose
In the village of Laniel, in the Lac-White sector of Opémican, is Kabane Rose, a Mexican-inspired casse-croûte run by mother-son team Patricia and Émile. It’s a bright pink shipping container next to the SEPAQ office, with a patio of colourful picnic tables and rope swings with wooden seats.
The menu features chicken or black bean quesadillas, and steak, pork or fish tacos. Each is served with pico de gallo and some of the best lime crema I’ve had in a long time. The food here is fresh, delicious and you can taste the love. This year they’ve added ice cream, which is great for warm summer days by the lake.
[On Google Maps the restaurant shows up as Kabane Panache and “temporarily closed”. Patricia sold the business during the pandemic, but when the new owners went bankrupt she and her son decided to repurchase it and changed the name to Kabane Rose.]
Obadjiwan Fort Témiscamingue National Historic Site
Standing on the shore of Lac Timiskaming are the remnants of Fort Témiscamingue, the first fort built in the area by New France. Long before the arrival of the Europeans, this land was used by First Nations peoples for hunting, gathering and fishing.
The fort, built to compete with the English-led Hudsons Bay Company, closed in 1690 but reopened again in 1720, changing hands from French merchants to free traders to the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1821 – all thanks to the high-quality furs found in the area.
The buildings that made up Fort Témiscamingue are no longer standing, instead, vignettes have been erected to give insight into the daily workings of the fort. After paying a small admission fee, begin with the interpretation area to learn about the establishment of the fort and the history of fur trading in the area.
Once outside it’s time to walk around on your own, interacting with costumed characters, and imagining what the fort was like at its peak. A visit to the enchanted forest, with its curved trees is highly recommended.
Where to stay: I stayed at the La Bannik Hotel (they have campsites, RV sites, and cabins too), which is a couple of minutes down the road from Fort Témiscamingue.
The rooms are contemporary in style and come with a small kitchen area, desk, and sitting area.
Best of all, my lake view room had a small outdoor patio space perfect for watching sunsets.
Day Two
Highlights: Strawberries, Grotte Notre-Dame de Lourdes, Baie des Pères
Ville-Marie
Snuggled on the east shore of Lac Témiscamingue is Ville-Marie, a little town with big charm. The settlement of Ville-Marie started in 1870, but its roots trace back to Fort Témiscamingue when the area was a popular fur trading destination. Today, though, the town is a peaceful escape and a lovely place to stop on a road trip through Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
The day began with breakfast at La Gaufrière, followed by a drive to Ferme Nordvie where you can pick strawberries. I skipped the picking and went to the farmstand to linger over fresh produce and juicy plump strawberries. I settled on a small strawberry slushie and braced for the inevitable brain freeze.
L’Éden Rouge, a farm known for its delicious tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and lettuces, was where I stopped for lunch. The farm’s boutique is packed with local products, and there is a small lunch menu – the focaccia is quite good! After lunch, I drove through the Covered Bridge Dénommée and admired a spectacular retro house in Lorainville.
On a hot day, swimming in the lake is a perfect way to cool off, followed by a stop at Le Glacier for soft-serve ice cream – blueberry is quite good. A walk up to the top of Grotte Notre-Dame de Lourdes offers a beautiful view of the town and Baie des Pères. It’s a popular pilgrimage, with walking trails lined with images of saints, surrounded by tall, lush trees.
On the opposite end of town is Les Chocolats Martine (which also has a 4-room auberge). Eager to find more viewpoints, I drove down chemin de la Pointe au Vin and chemin de Érablière until it was clear that the roads were not public (oops). Dinner was a stop at La Fringale for poutine because every Quebec road trip needs a few casse-croûte stops.
Where to stay: I stayed at the Auberge Nouvelle France, an incredible find. There are gorgeous hardwood floors and a grand staircase; the common kitchen has a microwave, toaster, and tea and coffee. The back porch has plenty of seats for watching the sunset over Baie des Pères.
The rooms are spacious, with comfortable beds, and beautiful trendy bathrooms. Breakfast was a tasty to-go container filled with yogurt, granola, fruit, and a croissant. It’s a quiet place to stay, and I’ll definitely be back.
Day Three
Highlights: Angliers, Croissants, Art, and friendly locals
Ville-Marie to Rouyn-Noranda
The 130 km drive from Ville-Marie to Rouyn-Noranda on QC 391N is tranquil, especially first thing in the morning. Stop in Angliers to visit Chantier Gédéon and Le site historique T.E. Draper. A side trip to Musée de Guerin provides insight into local life in the 50s and 60s. There are several hiking trails near Rouyn-Noranda, and if I were in my hiking era I’d stop to enjoy one or two, but I am in my croissant era, so I take a mental note and continue driving.
Rouyn-Noranda
I fell hard for Rouyn-Noranda. The day began with croissants and iced coffee at Le St-Honore, a long beautiful boulangerie cafe with buttery croissants, great bread, and even better pastries. The largest city in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Rouyn-Noranda is easy to navigating, making it easy to sink one’s teeth into the city’s beauty and charm.
The city was built on mining and smelting, which has large negative environmental impacts, but there is more to the city than its past. Something I discovered first hand. The arts scene, for one, is vibrant and enticing – from murals and sculptures to performing arts theatres and festivals. Musée d’Art is a wonderful little art museum, and Bar-Libraire Livresse, a bookshop café, is a great place to work and sip iced cappuccino.
In summer, some of the streets downtown are turned into pedestrian zones with picnic tables and outdoor patios. On a sunny day, a walk on the boardwalk hugging the shores of Lac Osisko is relaxing. The fountain, erected on the city’s 50th anniversary, is mesmerizing, and Magasin général Dumulon, the oldest business in Rouyn-Noranda. The Fleur d’eau Botanical Park is a perfect spot to relax.
One day is not enough time to explore the city’s food scene, but I did my best to sample a few, picking up treats at Les pâtissières de ruelle was a highlight. Restaurant Olive et Basil has a wonderful health-forward menu (and the best artichoke dip), and breakfast at Le St-Exupéry (named for the famous author, Antoine Exupéry) is a must.
Where to stay: I stayed Le Noranda Hôtel & Spa in Vieux-Noranda. It’s a lovely small hotel, popular with business travellers. There’s a spa and restaurant, which I did not have time to try this time around.
I relished my King-sized business room, with it’s outer door leading to the parking lot. Perfect for making a quick quiet departure. The room is cozy, and the bed comfortable. Sleep came fast, which is usually a challenge for me when I travel.
Day Four
Highlights: Relaxation
Val d’Or
The drive from Rouyn-Noranda to Val d’Or included stops in Amos to see Refuge Pageau, which was put on hold due to rain. So. Much. Rain.
Tourism content is often filled with blue skies and romantized itineraries, but perfect weather does not exist. The constant rain played a bigger role than planned. There was a stop at Miellerie de la Grand Ourse for honey gin, and a failed search for an alpaga farm (I’m told it is great though, so next time I’m in the region I will try again!).
Val d’Or (meaning “valley of gold”), has a history of mining and lumber similar to Rouyn-Noranda. There are plenty of outdoor adventures, and the epicurean scene is growing. Feeling a little seduced by the rain, I stopped at Le Prospecteur Microbrasserie for a late afternoon snack of craft beer, fried cheese curds, and artichoke dip.
I drove around the city, admiring murals, and taking in the downtown sights before heading to my hotel for the night, a dome at Station Boréale. Making the most of a road trip is great, but it’s also important to slow down and relax. It was early evening when I walked into my dome, pulled out the bed and laid down to watch movies while listening to the patter of rain. When sunset approached and the rain eased up, I ventured back outside to enjoy the sky painted in vibrant oranges, pinks, and purples.
It’s clear that I need to return to Val d’Or, and much of Abitibi-Témiscamingue. I’m lucky to know a couple of people in Quebec City from Val d’Or and I already have a long list of places to go and things to do when I return. There are festivals to check out, restaurants to dine in, art to admire, local beers, and lush wilderness to embrace.
Are you ready to experience Abitibi-Témiscamingue?
