Kamouraska Quebec

ahschneid
3 days ago
12 min read

We drove to Kamouraska Quebec on 13 July 2026. We stayed at Camping Le Rayon De Soleil (Camping in the Sun's Ray) for one week and Kamouraska was our base as we toured the area. The beginning of our week there started out with a few inconveniences. A “Perform Service” light came on in the truck on our way to Quebec, so we needed to get that diagnosed. When we were setting up after arriving, our leveling system didn’t work. Fortunately, we were in a pretty level site, so we supported the back stabilizers that wouldn’t come down and settled in. That night one of our propane tanks ran out right at the end of Anita’s shower. Steve had to go out and switch tanks before his shower if he wanted hot water.

Tuesday we set out to address all these issues. We found a hardware store that sold propane fairly easily, so we got our tank filled. Next we found a RAM dealer with a service department. They connected a diagnostic tool to the truck and found it to be a filter with the emissions system. They cleared the service message and advised us to get the filter changed at our next oil change/maintenance. That left us with trying to get a mobile tech to come and look at our leveling system. Anita had tried to speak French on the phone with the tech recommended at the campground office, but it didn’t work, so we asked the bilingual guy in the office to please call the mobile tech for us. He stopped by our camper around 2pm to let us know the mobile tech would be by either later that day or the next day. We didn’t see him on Tuesday.

Wednesday morning (15^th) we got up a little earlier than normal and got dressed in case the mobile tech came early. Anita went for a walk around the campground and Steve hung around the campsite to assure we didn’t miss the repair guy. Anita returned and joined Steve outside and we both were reading our books. Around 10am, our mobile tech arrived. He spoke hardly any English but with Anita’s rusty French we communicated. He concluded that our leveling computer isn’t talking to the stabilizing legs. Because he is a mobile tech with limited parts, and we were in his area for only a week, he suggested we go to someone at our next stop to pinpoint the issue and repair it. So he called Caravane Rimouski and made an appointment for us in Rimouski which is on our way to Les Mechins. The place we’ll be stopping at is a somewhat large place and should be able to fix whatever the issue is.

After the mobile tech left, we hung out till after lunch and then went out to the downtown of Kamouraska. It was bustling with tourists. We walked along the St. Lawrence and then had a scoop of ice cream. We then checked out the museum above the visitor center. From there we drove out to a historic water mill and then headed home.

Kamouraska Quebec - 15 July 2026

Kamouraska Quebec - 15 July 2026

Kamouraska Quebec - 15 July 2026

The Church of St. Louis of Kamouraska

Kamouraska Quebec - 15 July 2026

The Church of St. Louis of Kamouraska

Kamouraska Quebec - 15 July 2026

The Church of St. Louis of Kamouraska

Kamouraska Quebec - 15 July 2026

The Church of St. Louis of Kamouraska

Kamouraska Quebec - 15 July 2026

The Church of St. Louis of Kamouraska

Kamouraska Quebec - 15 July 2026

The Church of St. Louis of Kamouraska

Kamouraska Quebec - 15 July 2026

The Church of St. Louis of Kamouraska

Kamouraska Quebec - 15 July 2026

Kamouraska Quebec - 15 July 2026

Kamouraska Quebec - 15 July 2026

Kamouraska Quebec - 15 July 2026

Kamouraska Quebec - 15 July 2026

Kamouraska Quebec - 15 July 2026

Sloped roof is a common sight in Quebec

Kamouraska Quebec - 15 July 2026

Art Gallery

Kamouraska Quebec - 15 July 2026

Museum - Book of Gregorian Chants from 1700's

Thursday 16 July we got on the road at 8am thinking we might catch a ferry to Tadoussac in Cote Nord, but it turned out that we should have gone to Riviere du Loup instead of where we were in Trois Pistoles. We still walked around and saw the views of the St. Lawrence at low tide. We headed back to Riviere du Loup to see the waterfall at the hydro electric dam, but we stopped to see a church in Trois Pistoles. We had seen the tall steeple from far and we wanted to see the inside. It was Église Catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges (Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church). The first church parish started back in 1697. The church we toured was built in 1888 and is the fifth church.

We saw the waterfalls in Riviere du Loup. While the falls start at the hydro-electric dam, they cascade over natural rock, so they are quite nice. We took the stairs to see them from a different angle and discovered another waterfall upstream, It was raining for part of the time. We had our lunch before leaving Falls Park and we headed to another church we had seen from afar. This one was in Riviere du Loup and named Église Saint-Patrice de Rivière-du-Loup (St. Patrice of Riviere du Loup Church). Again, just breath-taking beauty inside. Saint‑Patrice Church is the fourth church built on the territory of Rivière‑du‑Loup. Rebuilt after the 1883 fire, it was reopened as early as January 4, 1884, on the foundations of the previous building.

We had gotten the skinny on the ferry to Tadoussac and we decided to be on the first ferry out of Riviere du Loup at 7:45am Friday. It was recommended we arrive one hour before since Friday was expected to be their busiest tourist day of the season. We planned to wake up at 5am and be out the door between 6 and 6:15am to put us in line by 6:45am. We were home early since we’d gotten a fairly early start on Thursday, so we went for a walk around the campground and then hung out at our campsite.

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Low tide

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

6 confessionals in this church

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Trois Pistoles Quebec - 16 July 2026

Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 16 July 2026

Lots of fireweed blooming here

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 16 July 2026

Parc des Chutes - Falls Park

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 16 July 2026

Parc des Chutes - Falls Park

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 16 July 2026

Parc des Chutes - Falls Park

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 16 July 2026

Parc des Chutes - Falls Park

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 16 July 2026

Parc des Chutes - Falls Park

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 16 July 2026

Parc des Chutes - Falls Park

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 16 July 2026

Parc des Chutes - Falls Park

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 16 July 2026

Eglise Saint-Patrice de Riviere du Loup

Saint Patrice Church

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 16 July 2026

Eglise Saint-Patrice de Riviere du Loup

Saint Patrice Church

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 16 July 2026

Eglise Saint-Patrice de Riviere du Loup

Saint Patrice Church

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 16 July 2026

Eglise Saint-Patrice de Riviere du Loup

Saint Patrice Church

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 16 July 2026

Eglise Saint-Patrice de Riviere du Loup

Saint Patrice Church

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 16 July 2026

Eglise Saint-Patrice de Riviere du Loup

Saint Patrice Church

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 16 July 2026

Eglise Saint-Patrice de Riviere du Loup

Saint Patrice Church

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 16 July 2026

Eglise Saint-Patrice de Riviere du Loup

Saint Patrice Church

Friday the 17^th our plan for rising early all came together. We were on the first ferry out of Riviere du Loup to St. Simeon and then we drove to the end of the road to take the short ferry trip to Tadoussac, the place known for seeing the Beluga whales. Actually before we got on the first ferry in Riviere du Loup, we saw three Beluga whales from our truck while waiting in line for the ferry. They’re so white, in calm water they’re easy to spot when they breech the water, but later on the ferry, Anita kept thinking she saw a whale and it was just a white cap with the rough water. In Tadoussac, we took the short hike to the point of rocks from which whales can be seen. We sat there for a while but didn’t see any whales. We decided to have our lunch and then explore more of Tadoussac. We had paid for 4 hours in the parking lot, so we had time. We checked out the little chapel at the corner which is also pictured on the town’s map as an attraction. Next we walked to the church a few yards up the street and found it was the mission church for the chapel. That one was locked so we couldn’t go inside. We continued our walk around Tadoussac and decided to start heading back around 2pm. We didn’t need reservations for either of the ferries we took, so we just got in line for the first one heading back in Tadoussac. That one filled up and was off pretty quickly, so we had time to stop at a couple of pullouts on our way back to St. Simeon. We saw more Beluga whales from the shore. Unfortunately we couldn’t get any good pictures with not having a zoom lens on an expensive camera, but we could see them clearly in our binoculars. They were so white! Also, they looked playful and cute. The statues at the Marine Interpretive Center depicted them well.

We got back to the Ferry in St. Simeon around 3:30pm and the posted ferry schedule said there was one at 4pm and 5:30pm. We thought we might get on the 4pm ferry, but maybe not. Well the “4pm ferry” arrived closer to 4:45pm and yes, we were squeezed onto it, but we didn’t leave till around 5:30pm (the time of the last ferry). We had heard that that day was the first day of the busiest time of the season for them and now we learned that because of all the cars they have to get on each ferry, they can’t adhere to the posted schedule. They were still going to have one last ferry, but at the rate it was going, it was likely close to 7pm vice the posted time of 5:30pm. Luckily for us, we were back at Riviere du Loup by 6:45pm, so we decided to eat at the restaurant next door to the ferry terminal. There were lots of cars there so we took that as a good sign. We had to wait 30 minutes for a table, but it still beat cooking when we got home after our 5am wake up and a long day. We had a nice dinner and decided it was Anita’s birthday dinner. She had her favorite, shrimp and after such a great day it was a fitting celebration. We had traveled on her actual birthday. We watched the sunset and then headed home. We got home a little before 9pm and after showers and a little TV, we were done. It was bedtime by a little after 10.

Our day in Tadoussac was the highlight of this stay. We had heard that Tadoussac is the place to see the Beluga whales from shore or to get on a tour boat to see them. We had seen YouTube videos of people on the tour boats seeing the Beluga whales, but they were so far, the whales were just dots on their video. The pictures we got of the Beluga whales are just white dots too.

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 17 July 2026

On the drive to the ferry early in the morning,,,

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 17 July 2026

First ferry at 7:45am and we were there at 6:35am...there were already lots of vehicles in line...

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 17 July 2026

On the ferry...

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 17 July 2026

From the ferry...

Riviere du Loup Quebec - 17 July 2026

We would be one of the first off the ferry in St. Simeon...

Approaching St. Simeon Quebec - 17 July 2026

Approaching St. Simeon Quebec - 17 July 2026