In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent
Go only if you want roadless coast: plan 4–7 nights, reach it by plane or the Bella Desgagnés ship, and book beds before you book flights.
This municipality strings five villages along the Gulf of St. Lawrence between Kegaska and Tête-à-la-Baleine, plus the Innu reserve of La Romaine. There is no road between them: you fly, sail or ride a snowmobile. Kegaska is the only village on the Québec road network, at the end of Route 138. Come for remoteness, boardwalk villages, fishing culture and boat trips to islands, not for restaurants or nightlife.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (cold, ice, limited transport)
- Stay
- 4–7 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$120–180 excl. bed · Mid C$180–300 excl. bed · High C$300+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | C$3–5 |
| Simple cooked meal | C$20–35 |
| Beer in a bar / can at the shop | C$8–10 / C$3–5 |
| Boat excursion to an island | C$80–150 |
| eSIM or data plan, about a week | C$20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YHR · Chevery Airport
- Uncontrolled field with an automated weather station; scheduled flights link the coast villages.
- ZKG · Kegaska Airport
- About 1.9 km (1.2 mi) north of the village.About 1.2 mi (1.9 km) north of the village.
- ZGS · La Romaine Airport
- About 4.6 km (2.9 mi) north of La Romaine.About 2.9 mi (4.6 km) north of La Romaine.
- ZTB · Tête-à-la-Baleine Airport
- In the village.
- YIF · Saint-Augustin Airport
- On the Saint-Augustin River, near Saint-Augustin and Pakuashipi.
Typical fares
- Bella Desgagnés, Rimouski to the coast
- fare by distance and cabin class; book ahead (check)
- Scheduled flight between coast villages
- short hop, fare varies by route (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
No road connects the villages. Move by scheduled small aircraft between YHR, ZKG, ZGS, ZTB and YIF, or by the Bella Desgagnés cargo-passenger ship, which calls at Saint-Augustin, La Tabatière, Tête-à-la-Baleine, Harrington Harbour, La Romaine, Kegaska and Blanc-Sablon on a weekly run from Rimouski. In winter the Route Blanche snowmobile trail links the villages from Natashquan; it is about 525 km (326 mi) and conditions change each year. Locally you walk, and in Harrington Harbour you walk on boardwalks.No road connects the villages. Move by scheduled small aircraft between YHR, ZKG, ZGS, ZTB and YIF, or by the Bella Desgagnés cargo-passenger ship, which calls at Saint-Augustin, La Tabatière, Tête-à-la-Baleine, Harrington Harbour, La Romaine, Kegaska and Blanc-Sablon on a weekly run from Rimouski. In winter the Route Blanche snowmobile trail links the villages from Natashquan; it is about 326 mi (525 km) and conditions change each year. Locally you walk, and in Harrington Harbour you walk on boardwalks.
See and do
Known for
- End of Route 138 at Kegaska
- Harrington Harbour boardwalks
- Bella Desgagnés coastal ship
- Innu reserve of La Romaine (Unamen Shipu)
- Snow crab and lobster fishing
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Blanc-Sablon | Bella Desgagnés from the coast ports, or scheduled flight | Half a day to a full day by ship |
| Bonne-Espérance | Bella Desgagnés or scheduled flight to the Blanc-Sablon area, then local transport | Half a day or more |
| Gros-Mécatina | Bella Desgagnés to La Tabatière, or scheduled flight | A few hours by ship |
| Saint-Augustin | Bella Desgagnés or scheduled flight to YIF | A few hours |
| Petit-Mécatina | Local boat from Harrington Harbour or Tête-à-la-Baleine | Half a day |
Sleep
- Chevery
- Municipal capital and the practical base: marina sheltered 2 km (1.2 mi) up the Nétagamiou River, a 4-km riverside trail and waterfalls 500 m from the village.Municipal capital and the practical base: marina sheltered 1.2 mi (2 km) up the Nétagamiou River, a 4-km riverside trail and waterfalls 500 m from the village.
- Harrington Harbour
- Island village of about 300 people on four islands; boardwalks connect houses, businesses and the 61-m summit. Book early, beds are few.
- Kegaska
- Road's-end village of about 130 people; the only place here you can drive to. Good first or last night.
- La Romaine (Unamen Shipu)
- Innu reserve plus a small Francophone community at the Olomane River mouth; museum and outfitters.
- Tête-à-la-Baleine
- One of the coast's French-speaking villages; island excursions and short marked trails.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-BYEN sa KOOT |
| Where is the wharf? | Où est le quai ?oo ay luh KAY |
| Can I pay by card? | Puis-je payer par carte ?pweezh pay-YAY par KART |
| I need help | J'ai besoin d'aidezhay buh-ZWAN DED |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- Villages have no road link: a missed flight or ship can cost days. Build slack into any connection.
- Fuel, parts and medical care are limited; carry medication and a satellite messenger if you go off the villages.
- The Route Blanche snowmobile trail needs fuel, maps, spare parts, a satellite phone and survival gear; travel in a group.
- Route 138 is paved to Kegaska, but the gap east of Kegaska means no through drive to Blanc-Sablon.
- Cell coverage is patchy outside villages; download offline maps before you fly.
Violent crime is rare; the real risks are weather, isolation and transport. Flights and ship calls are cancelled for fog and wind, so keep two spare days, tell someone your plan, and carry a satellite messenger outside villages.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent yet. Suggested stay: 4–7 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- End of Route 138 at Kegaska
- Harrington Harbour boardwalks
- Bella Desgagnés coastal ship
- Innu reserve of La Romaine (Unamen Shipu)
- Snow crab and lobster fishing
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Municipalité de Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent: mcngsl.ca/
- Relais Nordik — Bella Desgagnés: www.traversiers.com/fr/nos-traverses/desserte-maritime-de-lile-danticosti-et-de-la-basse-cote-nord
- Wikivoyage: Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent, revision 5211200 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5211200
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No consulates on the coast; US consulate general in Québec City or Montréal, other embassies in Ottawa. Check before you travel.
English is widely spoken in Kegaska and Harrington Harbour; French and Innu are also used.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/cote-nord-du-golfe-du-saint-laurent). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.