A trip in our backyard

Photography by Jean-Mat Vincent

For us at Bon Vivant, Fall is our favourite time to hit the road and reconnect with nature. Recently, we loaded up the van and took a drive through the beautiful province of Québec to check out the unique and stunningly beautiful Saguenay Fjord.

 

 

The rich history of the Saguenay Fjord begins with the Innu nation, the indigenous residents of the land. For the Innu, the area served as an important trade route between nations. Thousands of years later, during the French colonisation of the region, the Saguenay river became an important hub for the fur trade. 

The river is powerful with it’s high-flowing water bordered by steep and imposing cliffs. At Tadoussac, where the Saguenay river flows into the immense St. Lawrence river, Beluga whales can frequently be seen,  as can the more fearsome Greenland shark, an apex predator that can grow up to 24ft.

 

In the early 19th century, the river waters were harnessed by pulp and paper, and logging industries for transport, which lead to a decline in some of the natural beauty of the region. Fortunately, as of 70’s the Quebec government has been buying up the land around the Fjord as an effort to protect it from overdevelopment.  Since the early 80’s the Saguenay Fjord has been declared a fully protected national park and is home to many species of incredible wildlife including wolves, lynx, bears, beavers, and moose. The steep cliffs of the Fjord serve as a nesting area for peregrine falcons, and it’s waters are home to brook trout, salmon, and seals.

 

 

The Saguenay Fjord is a place of unparalleled beauty. It’s lands are rich with culture and history beginning with source of powerful water which carved its place into the land. It’s a place that reminds us of our past, the untamed majesty of nature, and our duty to protect the earth.