Forestville

Aerial view of Forestville

Forestville is a town in the La Haute-Côte-Nord region of Quebec's North Shore. It's part of the tourist region of Manicouagan.

The main attractions of Forestville are:

• the various hunting and fishing activities, in particular at ZEC de Forestville;
• its services to travellers on route 138 or route 385 (leading to the ferry);
• its beaches, particularly on the northwest shore of the St. Lawrence River, along the Sault aux Cochons River or around its many lakes;
• its summer outdoor activities: Le Méandre golf course, hiking trails, bicycles, swimming, wild fruit and mushroom picking, canoes, kayaks, observation of marine mammals or boreal nature, mountain biking, etc.;
• its winter sports activities: cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice fishing;
• its great history: Indigenous prehistory, first settlers arrived in 1844, William Price's sawmill, the pulp and paper industry, the arboriduct, La Petite Anglicane museum;
• its events: the Loppet Boréal (cross-country ski race), and the ZEC de Forestville hunter's festival (in mid-October).

Understand

The main economic activities of Forestville are forestry, businesses, institutions, recreational tourism services and the ferry. Forestville has the services normally found in a service area near a highway such as gasoline, catering, accommodation and tourist information.

Forestville includes the tourist information office:

• Tourist information office (Bureau d'information touristique), toll-free: +1-800-667-2276. Daily 09:00–16:00. The Charlevoix Tourist Information Office is downtown, near the west shore of the bay, facing Parc du Quai Casgrain. It informs visitors about events, restaurants, accommodation, recreational tourism activities, the route to get to their destination, businesses, etc. (updated Jan 2022)

Get in

By boat

Ferry providing maritime service between Rimouski and Forestville

• 1 CNM Évolution (Rimouski-Forestville ferry) (Rimouski wharf), ☏ +1 418-725-2725, infocnm@traversier.com. During the summer season, the catamaran CNM Évolution makes the crossing between Rimouski in Bas-Saint-Laurent and Forestville in 55 minutes. (updated Sep 2022)

By bus

• Intercar, ☏ +1 418-547-2167, toll-free: +1-800-806-2167, serviceclient@intercar.ca. Operates bus routes within Quebec. (updated May 2022) Operates a daily route between Baie-Comeau and Montreal including stops in Forestville, Tadoussac, Baie-Sainte-Catherine, Saint-Siméon, La Malbaie, Clermont, Saint-Hilarion, Baie-Saint-Paul, Saint-Tite-des-Caps, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Boischatel, and Quebec City.

By car

Forestville is on Route 138 between Tadoussac to the west and Baie-Comeau to the east. Route 138 connects to Quebec City. From Saguenay, take Route 172 until the Route 138 jct; head northeast at the junction (i.e. left).

Get around

The main traffic route on the territory is Route 138, which runs along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. Nevertheless, Forestville has several streets and forest roads going north, notably the chemin de la rivière du Sault aux Cochons which runs along the east bank of the river, the chemin du Banc de Gravier and route 385.

See

• 1 The Little Anglican Museum (Musée La Petite Anglicane), 2, 2e Rue, ☏ +1 418-587-2285. The former Trinity Church was built in 1948 on the site of the Anglo Canadian Pulp and Paper Mills ltd and moved in 1955 serving the English speaking population of the time. The last church service was held in 1979. It has served as a museum since 1994. (updated Sep 2022)
• 2 Île-Laval Wildlife Reserve (Réserve faunique de l'Île-Laval), 615, route 138 (on the edge of Laval Bay, an appendage of the Gulf of St. Lawrence). Located on public land, this reserve is located on an island covering 31.5 hectares, with a highest point at 75 m above sea level. This island in Laval Bay is relatively sheltered from waves and wind, allowing birds to proliferate. This park is one of the few places on the North Shore with such a great diversity of waterfowl. This reserve has a heronry, the largest colony of kittiwakes, the largest cormorandium and the largest colony of herring gulls in this region. This reserve is also the habitat of the common eider, the third most important nesting site for this species; as well as a variety of other breeding bird species. Occasionally, paddlers may spot puffins and kakawis. In order to preserve this wildlife habitat, access to the island is prohibited. Light boats (eg canoe, kayak) are good ways to tour the island and discover this park by paddling; the only place of launching is at the port of Forestville. (updated Sep 2022)
• 3 Lookout from the lake (Belvédère du lac), 121, 1e Avenue. Observation point along the St. Lawrence River and at the mouth of the Sault-Aux-Cochons River and hydroelectric infrastructures. (updated Sep 2022)
• 4 Viewpoint on the river (Point de vue sur le fleuve), 1e Avenue (on the pier leading to the ferry). Point de vue sur le fleuve Saint-Laurent. This place allows you to observe life on the river: passage of ships, pleasure boating, marine mammals, birds, the coast of the North Shore, the evolution of atmospheric phenomena, sunrises, and sunsets. (updated Sep 2022)
• 5 Laval River Rare Forest (Forêt rare de la rivière Laval) (≈11 km north of Forestville). This forest covers 33 ha. In this sector of the Laval River, balsam fir is predominant. This forest is in the eastern balsam fir-white birch bioclimatic sub-domain. (updated Sep 2022)
• 6 Arboriduc. 24 hr. Preserved section of more than a kilometre of the arboriduct built in 1942 which brought wood from the breakwater still located at the end of the last meander before the mouth of the Rivière du Sault aux Cochons to the Baie Verte boarding wharf. The section is located between and (updated Sep 2022)

Events

• Côte-Nord Migratory Bird Festival (from Tadoussac to Forestville) (Festival des oiseaux migrateurs de la Côte-Nord (de Tadoussac à Forestville)). This festival is under the aegis of the Tadoussac Bird Observatory in association with QuébecOiseaux. (updated Sep 2022)

Do

• 1 Green Bay Trail (Sentier de la Baie Verte). Walking path. (updated Sep 2022)
• 2 Laval River Park (Parc Rivière Laval) (along the Laval River). (updated Sep 2022)
• 3 Forestville rest area (Halte routière de forestville), 615 route 138 (on the edge of Baie Laval). (updated Sep 2022)
• 4 Bowling alley (Salle de quilles), 12, 10e rue, ☏ +1 418-587-6875. Bowling alley. (updated Sep 2022)
• 5 Forestville Curling, 10, 10e avenue, ☏ +1 418-587-4482, curlingfv@hotmail.com. Curling club. (updated Sep 2022)
• 6 ZEC de Forestville, 41, route 138 Est (bureau-chef), toll-free: +1-888-587-0112, zecforestville@globetrotter.net. Controlled harvesting zone (ZEC) offering lodging services (cottage), hunting (woodcock, grouse, hare, moose, black bear, grouse), fishing (pike, whitefish, rainbow smelt, splake, brook trout, yellow perch, salmon and lake trout), camping (rustic or seasonal), outdoor activities (access to a beach, canoeing, canoe-camping, mushroom picking, berry picking, kayaking, ford, fly fishing, ice fishing, hiking, and mountain biking). (updated Sep 2022)
• 7 Le Meandre Golf Club (Club de golf Le Méandre), 40, 1e avenue (along the last major curve of the Sault-Aux-Cochons River (near its mouth)), ☏ + 1 418-587-6363, golf.meandre@hotmail.com. Public golf course. (updated Sep 2022)

Buy

Foods

• 1 Provigo, 25, route 138, ☏ +1 418-587-2202. General grocery store. (updated Sep 2022)
• 2 Les saveurs boréales, 12, 1e rue, Forestville, ☏ +1 418-587-4884. Delicatessen specializing in the harvesting of local products from the North Shore such as green plants (glasswort, Scottish lovage), teas (Labrador tea, chaga), mushrooms (morels, tube chanterelle, bolete, crab mushroom), and spices. Take-out orders. (updated Sep 2022)
• 3 Centre Sylvicole Forestville inc, 350, route 138, ☏ +1 418-587-4353, info@servallee.com. Extensive greenhouses producing various plants. (updated Sep 2022)

Others

• 4 Atelier Éco-Art, 182, route 138, ☏ +1 418-587-4373, eco-art@telus.net. Creation of works of art with sand, glass and felted wool. (updated Sep 2022)

Eat

• 1 Cantine La Bonne Franquette, 121, route 138, ☏ +1 418-587-6221. Canteen. (updated Sep 2022)
• 2 Cantine du Vacancier, 81, route 138, ☏ +1 418-587-4640. Canteen. (updated Sep 2022)
• 3 Restaurant La Maison de Hong Kong, 46, route 138 (in downton), ☏ +1 418-587-6406. Chinese restaurant. Services: delivery, takeout and dine-in. (updated Sep 2022)
• 4 Restaurant Le Danube Bleu, 5, route 138, ☏ +1 418-587-2278. Restaurant. Diversified continental menu. Table d'hôte with salad bar. Seafood specialties. (updated Sep 2022)
• 5 Restaurant chez Marie-Anne, 240, route 138, ☏ +1 418-587-6534. Restaurant. (updated Sep 2022)
• 6 Pourvoirie des Bouleaux Blancs, 17, 7e rue (bureau administratif) (14.5 km northwest of downtown, accessible by a forest road), ☏ +1 418-587-6131. Meals on site. Outfitter covering 50 km² (19 sq mi) of exclusive territory offering 36 lakes for fishing and seven accommodation camps. This outfitter offers fishing, hunting, family vacation packages and various other services to vacationers. (updated Sep 2022)

Drink

• 1 Bar Le Black, 23 route 138 (at Disco Bar Blaquière). Bar. (updated Sep 2022)
• 2 Pub Le Chianti, 5 route 138. Pub with 70-inch TV screen and six central TVs. Choice of over 40 wines. (updated Sep 2022)

Sleep

Hotels

• 1 Écono Lodge, 5, route 138 (near Le Méandre golf course and a few minutes from the ferry linking Forestville to Rimouski), ☏ +1 418-587-2278. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Hotel with two restaurants on site: Le Danube Bleu and the pub Le Chianti. This hotel offers five meeting rooms and a Sunday brunch. This hotel accepts pets. (updated Sep 2022)
• 2 Four Seasons Motel (Motel Quatre Saisons), 157, route 138, ☏ +1 418-587-6666. Motel managed under the banner of Gestion Laprise. (updated Sep 2022)
• 3 Domaine du Bois Rond, 100, route 385. Three-star hotel. (updated Sep 2022)

Gîtes

• 4 Sonny Desbiens, 619, route 138 Est, ☏ +1 418-768-6531. Accommodation. (updated Sep 2022)

Camping

• 5 Camping de la Baie Verte, 1e Avenue (along the St. Lawrence River, facing Baie Verte, a few dozen meters from the ferry linking Forestville to Rimouski), ☏ +1 418-587-6561. Campground backed by a mountain offering 35 equipped sites that can accommodate recreational vehicles of all kinds, as well as tents. (updated Sep 2022)
• 6 Camping Lac Aux Pins, 1025, route 385, ☏ +1 418-587-6529. Camp site. (updated Sep 2022)
• 7 Camping Zec Forestville, 41, route 138 Est, ☏ +1 418-587-4000, toll-free: +1-888-587-0112. Campground with 70 campsites. It offers in particular the beach, Quad/ATV trails and hiking. The site also offers cabin accommodation, a boat launch and boat rentals. (updated Sep 2022)

Outfitters

• 8 Pourvoirie des Bouleaux Blancs, 17, 7e rue (bureau administratif) (14.5 km northwest of downtown Forestville and accessible by a forest road), ☏ +1 418-587-6131. Outfitter covering 50 km² of exclusive territory offering 36 lakes for fishing and seven accommodation camps. This outfitter offers fishing, hunting, family vacation packages and various other services to vacationers. (updated Sep 2022)
• 9 Pourvoirie Club Paradis Sauvage, 205, route 138 Est, ☏ +1 418-587-3355. Fishing club offering 15 lakes where native speckled trout abound. Boats without a motor are available for fishing activities on the lakes. This outfitter is located in zone 18 for moose, black bear and small game hunting. Hunters are encouraged to bring their mountain bike. Hunting with bows, black powder rifles and rifles is permitted. The salt pans are distributed to ensure optimal hunting conditions. (updated Sep 2022)

Cope

Municipal services

• 1 Guy-Ouellet complex (Complexe Guy-Ouellet), 10, 10e rue, ☏ +1 418-587-2285. Multifunctional centre offering a variety of services: 1 heated arena (formerly called "Centre Villuc") with a capacity of 650 seats, a modern training room, an entrance hall with food service, a bowling alley six lanes with reception room and bar, two curling lanes with community room and bar, a multipurpose room with air conditioning and newly renovated bar on the 2nd floor with a capacity of 450 people, an elevator, a small kitchen, two soundproof music rooms, a classical and jazz ballet room and an exhibition room (which can be used as a meeting room). Free. (updated Sep 2021)
• 2 Public pool (Piscine municipale), 8, 10e rue (near primary and secondary school), ☏ +1 418-587-4533, animation@forestville.ca. mid-June to mid-August. This heated outdoor swimming pool is 23.5 metres long and can accommodate up to 200 swimmers at a time. Free. (updated Sep 2021)
• 3 Camille Bouchard Library (Bibliothèque Camille-Bouchard), 10, 10e rue (near the Polyvalente des Rivières), ☏ +1 418-587-4482 ext 3103, bibliotheque@forestville.ca. This library is affiliated with the BIBLIO de la Côte-Nord network, offering various digital services via the Internet. Free. (updated Sep 2021)
• 4 Downtown Park (Parc Centre-Ville) (near the primary and secondary school, the municipal swimming pool and a residence for seniors). This park offers in particular: skatepark with modules, "Pump track" style bicycle track, modules for children, gazebo, a basketball court, a volleyball court, a shuffleboard court, a walking path, a rest area with tables and benches, as well as a space for general public activities. Free. (updated Sep 2021)

Go next

Routes through Forestville

Quebec City ← Longue-Rive ←	W  E	→ Baie-Comeau → Sept-Îles
END ←	N  S	→ → Rimouski