Urban Getaway
Discover the downtown area of Matane
The Promenade des Capitaines boardwalk
The Promenade des Capitaines is half a kilometer long and runs along the Matane Salmon River in the heart of downtown Matane. It is a reminder of our maritime past with the numerous texts, photographs and ships replicas placed along the stroll. There are also tributes to the former ships captains that have marked the Matane history.
The boardwalk, in addition to being educational, is a gift for the eyes. In fact, in addition to the possibility of observing seabirds, the view of the Matane Salmon River offers splendid landscapes that can hardly be found elsewhere.
Learn more about The Promenade des Capitaines
The Espace F art centre
Espace F is an artist-run centre dedicated to the dissemination, creation-production and cultural action in the visual, digital and interdisciplinary arts. It is located approximately halfway along the Promenade des Capitaines boardwalk in the Complexe culturel Joseph-Rouleau. The diversity of current approaches in these fields is at the heart of a mandate in which photography and video are given special attention. This is reflected in its regular programming and projects, as well as in its annual participation in the festival PHOS. Every day in the afternoon, the exhibition galleries are open to visitors free of charge.
Chic-Chocs Glacier's ice cream kiosk
A new kiosk offering artisanal liquid nitrogen ice cream, cold dogs, cold hamburgers, arbrapapa and other food curiosities inspired by local products from La Matanie, Chic-Chocs Glacier is a unique experience that marries gourmandise and science. Instant cooling to -196 degrees Celsius freezes and concentrates the flavors, then gives the ice cream a smooth texture. You've never tasted anything like it!
Learn more about Chic-Chocs Glacier
The Toujours Dimanche's bakery and shop
The bakery-café and boutique Toujours Dimanche (meaning always Sunday) are now located in two premises, to the delight of their customers. Following the fire of 2022, the company returns with a brand-new café space on Saint-Jérôme Avenue. Here, the team makes quality products entirely by hand, using a wide range of local and/or organic ingredients. The ready-to-eat counter offers pizzas, paninis and much more. Enjoy their specialty organic coffees, teas and smoothies in the dining room, on the terrace or to take away.
In its second location on Avenue D'Amours, the boutique offers a wide selection of bulk products in the zero-waste formula, as well as products from the Lower Laurentians and Gaspé, and a vast choice of organic, ketogenic, gluten-free and vegan foods. The boutique is also brimming with kitchenware, handicrafts and original gift ideas.
Learn more about the Toujours Dimanche bakery-café
Learn more about the Toujours Dimanche boutique
La Fabrique's pub and artisanal microbrewery
Come and taste, in a pleasant and warm decor, a range of beers brewed directly on the spot. It is possible to enjoy a variety of sandwiches and burgers where local and regional products are honored. La Fabrique also offers a stimulating cultural calendar where up-and-coming musicians perform and visual arts are exhibited.
La Miss Café
Coralie and her team welcome you in this new small café with a warm atmosphere located on the Saint-Jérôme Avenue. Next door to a library (La Chouette Librairie), La Miss Café is a real little gem to discover! A wide range of coffees of all kinds are offered in addition to other specialized beverages, pastries and healthy meals.
The Parc des Îles
A true oasis of nature in the heart of the city, the Parc des Îles of Matane is a green family area where it is good to relax in the summer. With its asphalt track, its sports equipment and its playground for children, it is designed to welcome athletes of all ages. For a daily workout or simply for a stroll along the Matane Salmon River, the Parc des Îles is the ideal place to recharge your batteries downtown.
Alone or in a group, come and discover a multitude of activities for young and old: beach and swimming, water games, picnic tables, children's playground with brand new installations, outdoor basketball and beach volleyball courts, walking trail and in-line skating track, bicycle trail (named William-Price), outdoor gym, mini-golf, kayak, pedal boat and bicycle rentals, skatepark, new pump track trail, dog park and drinks, snacks and ice cream at the Pavilion.
It's not for nothing that a large proportion of the city's activities are organized here: Quebec's National Day, Canada Day, the music festivals and many more!
Learn more about the Parc des Îles
Institut Cindiesthétique
Institut Cindiesthétique offers you a spa experience just steps away from the St. Lawrence River in the building of Riôtel Matane. A place of relaxation, offering various professional massage and aesthetic services. You will also have access to a heated indoor pool, whirlpool and sauna. Let yourself be carried towards a moment of rest and rejuvenation.
MORE THAN 30 LOCAL farmers and PRODUCERS
Matanie's Flavor Trail
Plan your gourmet tour with our pamphlet and succumb to the delights of our region. This route invites you to come and meet our producers directly in their farm shops. A great invitation that can end with a delicious picnic at the beach. Get your paper copy at the Matanie Tourist Office, at the Matanie public market or at one of our many producers: market gardeners, bakers, cheese makers, beekeepers, farmers, fish smokers, soap makers, etc.
Download the Matane Flavor Trail's pamphlet (only in French)
Canada's northermost vineyard
A unique experience in a unique place with a passionate family, Tony welcome you to his estate: the Carpinteri Vineyard. In 2004, the Carpinteri family acquired an old strawberry field with a favorable microclimate. The site was suitable for growing vines, so they decided to convert it into a vineyard with hybrid grape varieties. The Carpinteri vineyard is located 40 km from the Gaspé Peninsula entrance and about 2 km south of Route 132, making it the northernmost vineyard in Canada. In the Carpinteri family, respect for the environment is very present in the way the vineyard is run. The exclusive use of organic fertilizers and the care given to their vines allow them to offer wines made from healthy grapes of great quality. The beneficial proximity of the Rivière Blanche favors the vineyard in many ways. It protects the vineyard from late frosts and provides a significant amount of dew.
Specialized in agrotourism, the vineyard offers free visits and tastings of their Gaspesian and Italian products: wines, spirits, basalts, olive oil and more! But what completely disoriented us upon arrival at the winery is the architecture of its 19th century Italian villa, literally transporting us to Tuscany during our visit.
For a total immersive experience, treat yourself to one of the 5 luxurious suites in the unique setting of Villa Carpinteri. You will have the chance to taste the Mediterranean cuisine prepared in front of you by the Carpinteri family's Chef as well as special wines prepared for the Villa's guests.
Learn more about the Carpinteri Vineyard
La Matanie's Local Farmers Market
You want to buy regional products? La Matanie's local farmers market is the place for you! Located in downtown Matane at the Colisée Béton Provincial, this farmer's market offers a wide range of products from local artisans and gives you the chance to talk with our farners and producers. Come and do your shopping every Saturday from July 15 to September 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; don't miss your chance to discover the fresh taste of La Matanie!
DISCOVER THE FRESHNESS OF SEAFOOD
Our fish shops and smokehouses
La Matanie is well known for the seafood and the freshness of our products from the St. Lawrence River. Their quality are well highlighted in our fish shops and smokehouses. Open in summer and winter, our two fish shops (Poissonnerie Matanaise and Poissonnerie Bertrand Desbois) offer homemade products, frozen seafood, and everything for a gourmet meal. The Raoul Roux Smokehouse and the M. Chassé Smokehouse are also open year round and offer exquisite smoked products. Whether it's shrimp, salmon or smoked trout, or salmon pâtés or mousse, it's worth the stop.
The famous Matane shrimp
You've probably already seen the name "Matane shrimp" on a restaurant menu or in the ingredients of a recipe. For more than 50 years, Matane has been a leader in northern shrimp processing thanks to Fruits de Mer de l'Est du Québec's factory. Now owned by the world leader Royal Greenland, the Matane shrimp's brand is known worldwide for its irresistible taste and pink color.
It is hard to believe that in the early days of shrimp fishing, few people wanted to eat it. Many people considered it a pest. However, slowly but surely, thanks to the ingenuity of the fishermen, shrimp became attractive and very popular with consumers. Nowadays, to the delight of many, shrimp is a seafood product that can be found in fish shops and restaurants throughout the Quebec province, but especially in Matanie. Many people even travel miles and miles just to get a taste of it. The Matane shrimp, or northern shrimp, is the pride of the region, which strives to promote it. The region's fish shopd and restaurants are very good allies in this mission. Restaurants, pubs, microbreweries, cafés, canteens, smokehouses and fish shops: partners who will help you discover and savour the northern shrimp in all its forms, from breakfast to dinner! A culinary experience awaits you in the four corners of the Matane region.
Learn more about the northern shrimp
Commercial fishing calendar and arrivals in our fish shops
In season, several other fresh species are available at specialized counters: haddock, tuna, capelin, smelt, scallop, surf clam, whelk, rock crab, seaweed, as well as various groundfish species.
admire our SCENERY AND beautiful LANDSCAPES
Matane's Marina
Whether you are a sailor, a boat enthusiast or simply curious, a stop at Matane's marina is a must. Close to the downtown area and offering drinks, the building in the marina named Delphis Bélanger is the ideal place to get supplies and meet interesting people during your stopover in the region. The many sailboats in the marina will impress the young and old alike. On site, "Le Knorr", a replica of a Viking ship will welcome you. How to explain its surprising presence here? This is an excellent question to ask the members or employees of the marina.
If you are coming in from offshore, head for the red and white buoy marked "MATAN" (48º51.639'N; 67º32.357'W). Communicate by VHF with the marina staff, on channel 68, to indicate your arrival and the size of your boat so that they can assign you a berth. The Club de Yacht de Matane offers several services to sailors: water, 25A and 30A electricity on the pontoons, gasoline and diesel, service module including five private shower rooms, toilet and sink, laundry room, launching ramp, minor repair shop, dry dock and free long-term parking.
Learn more about Matane's marina
The Barachois : outdoor beach bar, shows and culinary events
A new outdoor bar on the shores of the St. Lawrence River as well as a performance venue featuring indoor ou outdoor musical shows depending on the weather, the Barachois is an exceptional place to relax, enjoy an aperitif, discover Quebec artists and taste dishes inspired by local products during sporadic thematic events while enjoying the breathtaking view of the sea. Located right next to Matane's marina, a wide range of activities and thematic events take place there all summer long. A BBQ rental service is even available for those who would like to grill a good meal before enjoying it. A bar service is available on site with more than 75% of the menu inspired by local products including several beers from our Gaspesian microbreweries.
Learn more about the Barachois and its activities offered during summer
Doris Gardens (Jardins de Doris), an oasis in the heart of the city
Who said gardens weren't an activity for kids? Doris Gardens has been disproving that myth for over 20 years. This place is literally magical, for young and old alike. Houses have been set up in magical gardens where the whole family can visit the house of the three little pigs, Goldilocks and the three bears, Snow White's house and Captain Hook's boat. Small animals, ponds, annual and perennial gardens will make this day an unforgettable experience. Take the opportunity to bring a lunch and picnic in the gardens's area that has been set up just for you. Doris, Sylvain and their team will welcome you in an enchanting decor of a thousand colors.
Learn more about Les Jardins de Doris
Matanie's Scenic Drives
Are you looking for routes to take by car or bicycle to discover the landscapes of La Matanie?
La Matanie's landscape is based on five major geographic areas that make up the foundation of our territory. The St.Lawrence river and the coastline are among the exceptional landscape elements of our region. They constitute the signature landscape, in addition to the numerous viewpoints throughout the territory. The plain and the agricultural terraces form a staircase leading to the piedmont, colored by the mosaic of colors of the fields and by the wind turbines. The piedmont is the link between the terraces and the hinterland, where agriculture and forest are mixed. To the east and south of the territory, the forested plateau is home to hamlets and resort areas. Acting as a great link, the Matane Salmon River and its valley constitute the link that unites the different geographical areas of the territory as well as the rural and urban environments. Discover the variety of Matane's landscapes! Travel our roads with their diversified landscapes and spectacular viewpoints.
Choose one of our scenic drives to discover
Covered bridges
Discover our three covered bridges, still in service, two of which are located along the Matane River, in the municipality of Saint-René-de-Matane.
Jean-Chassé's Bridge, Saint-René-de-Matane
Built in 1945 and measuring 145 feet long, you will find it on Route de la Montagne, near Fumoir M Chassé (smokehouse).
François-Gagnon's Bridge, Saint-René-de-Matane
Located only a few kilometers further South, on Rue Gagnon, this second covered bridge was built in 1942 and is 170 feet long.
Pierre-Carrier's Bridge, Saint-Ulric
As for this last covered bridge, it is located on a completely different river, Rivière Blanche (White River), in the municipality of Saint-Ulric. Built in 1918 and measuring 81 feet long, you will this one on Chemin du Pont-Couvert, right next to the Carpinteri Vineyard, a highly visited site and one of our must-sees in the region. The Pierre-Carrier' Bridge was named a heritage building in February 2019 by the municipality of St-Ulric. It is also listed in the Quebec Cultural Heritage Directory.