Excursion Baie comeau - life of the pioneers tour at Baie-Comeau

This tour, combining history, nature, and technology, is another great way to get an overview of Baie-Comeau!

Colonel Robert McCormick, the president of the Chicago Tribune, founded the city in 1937 when he established a pulp and paper plant to control costs for his newspaper business. Today, Baie-Comeau is a high-tech industrial hub for hydroelectricity and home to about 23,000 residents. On this tour you will learn about the rich religious and cultural heritage, as well as the strong character of the hearty souls living in this remote paradise.

Havre St. Pancrace Lookout

From the pier, depart on the short drive to the magnificent Havre St. Pancrace lookout, 600 metres high for a brief photo stop. During Prohibition in the 1930s, this isolated spot was a popular delivery point for contraband liquor!

Village Forestier d'Antan

Continue on to a forest interpretation center known as Village Forestier d'Antan. The forest industry was crucial to the development of the North Shore. Activities such as cutting, hauling, driving, and other aspects of life in the forest are presented at this interpretation center. Typical buildings, period objects, and old photographs illustrate lumberjack's living conditions and way of life of this period.

Place La Salle

Finally there will be a short tour of Baie-Comeau's heritage area, including Place La Salle (this quaint commercial artery, home of the Biosphere square, full of sites of historical interest, bustles with specialty food shops, souvenir stores, art galleries, fine restaurants, and nightclubs), where visitors can admire the magnificent scenery and Champlain Street where the former Premier of Canada, Brian Mulroney, spent his childhood.

Please note: This tour involves approximately 200 yards (182 metres) of walking and is not recommended for guests utilising a wheelchair or with limited mobility. Comfortable walking shoes and a lightweight jacket are recommended. Tour may operate in a school bus.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Baie-Comeau's Heritage Area, Havre St. Pancrace Lookout, Village Forestier d'Antan, Place La Salle, Biosphere Square, Champlain Street