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
Forestville
Stop 1 night if you are driving Route 138 or taking the Rimouski ferry; skip it as a destination on its own.
Forestville is a small service town on Quebec's North Shore, about 3,270 people, built on forestry and the ferry link to Rimouski. It is a practical overnight stop on Route 138 between Tadoussac and Baie-Comeau, with a beach, a bird reserve you can only see by kayak, a golf course and a curling club. There is no reason to come here for its own sake; there is every reason to sleep here if you are driving the coast or waiting for the ferry.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Jun–Sep for the ferry, beaches and bird reserve; Feb–Mar for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr if you are not here for snow (many services thin out; the ferry does not run)
- Stay
- 1 night
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$90–140 excl. bed · Mid C$150–230 excl. bed · High C$250+ 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 and ambulance 911 · Info-Santé (health advice) 811
- 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$2–4 |
| Canteen meal (poutine, burger) | C$12–20 |
| Restaurant main course | C$20–35 |
| Beer in a bar / can at the grocery store | C$7–9 / C$2–4 |
| Grocery run for a picnic | C$15–30 |
| Golf, 18 holes at Le Méandre | C$40–70 |
| ZEC day access | C$10–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YYY · Mont-Joli
- About 2 h 30 min by car via Route 132 and the Rimouski ferry, or a long drive around via Quebec City; check
- YQB · Québec City Jean Lesage
- About 4 h 30 min by car via Route 138; the usual arrival point for a North Shore road trip
Typical fares
- Rimouski → Forestville ferry
- about 55 min by catamaran, summer only; fare check
- Forestville → Tadoussac by car
- about 1 h 15 min on Route 138
- Forestville → Baie-Comeau by car
- about 2 h 30 min on Route 138
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
You need a car. Route 138 is the main street and everything sits along it or just off it; Route 385 heads north to the ZEC and the outfitters. The town is small enough to walk in the centre, but the beach, the campground and the ferry dock are a few km apart.
See and do
Known for
- Rimouski ferry crossing
- Île-Laval bird reserve
- ZEC de Forestville hunting and fishing
- Route 138 North Shore stop
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tadoussac | Route 138 west, about 1 h 15 min by car | About 1 h 15 min |
| Baie-Comeau | Route 138 east, about 2 h 30 min by car | About 2 h 30 min |
| Godbout | Route 138 east, about 45 min by car | About 45 min |
| Franquelin | Route 138 east, about 1 h 15 min by car | About 1 h 15 min |
| Sacré-Coeur | Route 138 west then Route 172, about 1 h 30 min by car | About 1 h 30 min |
Sleep
- Route 138 strip (downtown)
- Motels, the Écono Lodge, restaurants and the grocery store; best for one night with a car.
- Baie Verte / ferry side
- Campground and the pier viewpoint, a few dozen metres from the ferry dock; best if you have an early crossing.
- Route 385 (north)
- Campgrounds and outfitters along the road toward the ZEC; best for fishing and snowmobile trips.
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 ferry? | Où est le traversier ?oo ay luh tra-ver-SYAY |
| Can I pay by card? | Puis-je payer par carte ?pweezh pay-YAY par KART |
| Where is the toilet? | Où sont les toilettes ?oo son lay twa-LET |
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
- The Rimouski ferry is seasonal: confirm the sailing dates and book ahead in summer.
- Access to Île-Laval is prohibited to protect nesting birds: you can only paddle around it.
- Distances on the North Shore are long and fuel stops are sparse; fill up before heading east or west.
- Winter driving on Route 138 needs winter tires and daylight planning.
Very safe. The real risks are long driving distances on Route 138, moose on the road at dusk, cold water and winter conditions: tell someone your route before heading north on the forest roads.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Forestville yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Rimouski ferry crossing
- Île-Laval bird reserve
- ZEC de Forestville hunting and fishing
- Route 138 North Shore stop
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Ville de Forestville — official site: ville.forestville.ca/
- Tourisme Côte-Nord: www.tourismecote-nord.com/
- Intercar: intercar.ca/
- ZEC de Forestville: zecforestville.reseauzec.com/
- Wikivoyage: Forestville (Quebec), revision 5248716 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5248716
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Forestville
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No consulates here. For US, UK, Canadian and other consular help, look to Québec City or Montréal; in an emergency call 911.
French is the everyday language; a short bonjour goes a long way.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/forestville-quebec). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.