St. Anne Canyon, Tadoussac, Trois Pistoles

It's the weekend and we were exploring the East. First, we visited St. Anne Canyon, stopped by the beach, and enjoyed the views. It was a beautiful autumn day, which became sunnier and warmer after the initial rain.
St. Anne Canyon is located just after Quebec, and we can spend the morning here with the three suspension bridges, the small hiking trail, and the playground for the children. The canyon has several steep steps and must be even more impressive in the spring with high water levels. You can cross the canyon at three points via suspension bridges. The bridges become easier in their design, and this brings more or less joy to some. After a final picnic, we continued along the coast with beautiful views and the first autumn-colored trees.

The ferry to Tadoussac is free, runs frequently throughout the day, and takes about 20 minutes. In Tadoussac itself, it is already time for dinner, and we have fish and chips by the harbor, hoping to see a small whale. But the whales are dining elsewhere tonight.

In the morning, we start early with breakfast at the local bakery in Tadoussac, which is recommended and has a cozy table with a bench inside, where you can observe locals and tourists visiting the bakery. We then take the short hike at Pointe de l'Île and pet the beluga whales in front of the Maritime Museum, which unfortunately opens at 11:00 am. On the way to the national park, we stop by the two sand dunes in Tadoussac. The view from up here over the St. Lawrence River is magnificent today. We see many kayaks and boats for whale watching, but no whales yet. But in the Marine Park of Saguenay-Saint-Laurent, we get lucky. It's a sunny day, and we spot plenty of minke whales, two seals, and many birds. It's simply wonderful, and all we need to do is sit back, enjoy the view, and be amazed.

On our way back to Quebec, we take the ferry from Les Escoumins to Trois Pistoles this time. It's recommended to book this ferry in advance, as there are only limited spots for cars. Once again, we have an early morning ferry, and with an hour to check-in before departure, we wake up at 5:45 am. But we get to see the sunrise and whales again while waiting at the ferry. Unfortunately, we don't see any more whales during the crossing. It's getting windier, making it difficult for us to spot the little fin. On our return journey, we pass by picturesque villages, lots of farmland, nature, and enjoy the occasional playground, the Maritime Museum, or a historic covered and renovated wooden bridge in Saint-Omer.