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Major city · Canada

Franquelin

Stop for one night on Route 138 between Tadoussac and Baie-Comeau: the forest museum, nine short trails and a whale-watching shore. No town, no nightlife.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
CAD
Best months
Jun–Sep
avoid Nov–Apr (cold, snow, some services closed)
Airports
YBC · YYY
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • Canada ↗Visa-exempt travellers flying to or through Canada usually need an eTA; check your passport on the official Government of Canada site (canada.ca) and apply only there.
  • Canada ↗A Parks Canada pass is needed to stop in national parks such as Banff and Jasper; some spots (for example Moraine Lake) are reached only by shuttle or tour, so book ahead.
  • Canada ↗Keep well away from bears, elk and moose; carry bear spray on Rockies trails and follow trail closures.

Franquelin is a small North Shore municipality on the Gulf of St. Lawrence, about 30 km west of Baie-Comeau, built around the Thompson and Franquelin rivers and the old logging trade. It is a road stop, not a destination: one night covers the Village Forestier d'Antan museum, a coastal trail and the St. Lawrence shoreline. Two nights only if you want to hike several of the nine trails or fish.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Franquelin, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee and a pastry at the village bakeryC$4–8 (≈ US$3–6)
  • Sit-down mealSit-down meal in Baie-ComeauC$20–35 (≈ US$15–30)
  • Street or quick mealConvenience-store sandwich and drinkC$8–15 (≈ US$6–11)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekC$15–40 (≈ US$11–30)
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entryC$10–15 (≈ US$8–11) (check)
  • Budget bedReady-to-Camp prospector tent, a night, per roomC$90 (≈ US$70)
  • Mid-range bedInn or motel room, a night, per roomC$160 (≈ US$120)
  • High-end bedInn or motel room, a night, per roomC$240 (≈ US$180)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget C$90 (≈ US$70) · Mid C$150 (≈ US$110) · High C$250 (≈ US$190)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Village Forestier d'Antan (logging-camp museum)Nine marked hiking trailsSt. Lawrence shoreline and whale watching from landSt. Nicolas tunnel on Route 138
Airports
YBC Baie-Comeau Airport (About 40 km east; regional flights, mostly via Montreal or Quebec City (check)) · YYY Mont-Joli Airport (About 250 km southwest; larger regional airport on the Gaspé side (check))

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Franquelin: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−8°C

−18°C

12 rd

Feb

−7°C

−17°C

10 rd

Mar

−1°C

−11°C

11 rd

Apr

5°C

−3°C

11 rd

May

13°C

3°C

12 rd

Jun

19°C

8°C

12 rd

Jul

22°C

12°C

13 rd

Aug

21°C

11°C

12 rd

Sep

16°C

7°C

12 rd

Oct

9°C

2°C

13 rd

Nov

2°C

−4°C

13 rd

Dec

−5°C

−13°C

13 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is effectively required. Route 138 is the only through road and runs along the coast; the village streets are short and walkable, but the trails, hamlets and the tunnel are spread over several kilometres. Intercar coaches stop on Route 138 between Quebec City and Baie-Comeau, but they will not get you to the trailheads.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Baie-Comeaugo

Door to door: About 30 min

Route 138 east, about 30 km

Biggest town on this stretch: fuel, groceries, restaurants, sea kayaking and the Côte-Nord beer festival.

Godbout

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Route 138 west, about 30 km

Small harbour village with shoreline whale-watching points and a ferry link across the St. Lawrence (check the season).

Tadoussacovernight

Door to door: 3.5–4 h

Route 138 west, about 300 km

Whale-watching hub at the Saguenay fjord mouth; too far for a return day.

Forestvillecaution

Door to door: 2.5–3 h

Route 138 west, about 200 km

Ferry across to the Gaspé side; a long day, better as a stop on the way west.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Village centre (rue des Cèdres / rue des Érables)

The only real cluster: inn, bakery, convenience store and the museum, all within a few minutes on foot.

Pointe-Mistassini and Pointe St-Nicolas hamlets

Scattered shoreline houses and cottages; quieter, but you need a car for everything.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
C$90–140 (≈ US$70–110) excl. bed
Mid
C$140–220 (≈ US$110–160) excl. bed
High
C$220 (≈ US$160)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Inn or motel room1 × 1 night × C$160C$160
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × C$150C$300
Fuel, 100 km of local driving1 × C$15 · checkC$15
Museum entry, Village Forestier d'Antan2 × C$12 · checkC$24
eSIM, about a week of data2 × C$15C$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeC$53
Trip total≈ C$291 per person per day, bed includedC$582≈ US$450

2026 estimate in Canadian dollars; long-distance transport excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee and a pastry at the village bakeryC$4–8 (≈ US$3–6)
Bakery pizza or a meat pieC$6–14 (≈ US$5–11)
Convenience-store sandwich and drinkC$8–15 (≈ US$6–11)
Sit-down meal in Baie-ComeauC$20–35 (≈ US$15–30)
Museum entryC$10–15 (≈ US$8–11) (check)
eSIM or data SIM, about a weekC$15–40 (≈ US$11–30)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A quiet rural municipality; the real risks are the road (moose at dawn and dusk, long fuel gaps), cold water along the shore, and trails with no phone signal. Tell someone your route before you hike.
  • Services are thin: one bakery, one convenience store and one inn in the village. Fuel and a full grocery shop are in Baie-Comeau or Godbout.
  • Cell coverage and fuel gaps exist along Route 138; fill up before you leave the bigger towns.
  • Moose and deer on the road at dawn and dusk, especially in summer and autumn.
  • Black flies and mosquitoes are heavy in June and July; bring repellent.
  • Winter closes or buries most trails; the area is snowmobile country from roughly December to April.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Info-Santé (health advice, 24 h)
811
Intercar bus information
+1 418-665-3443

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

FranquelinFranquelin

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

À cette adresse, s'il vous plaîtTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Info-Santé (24 h health advice)811
  • Intercar bus information+1 418-665-3443

Embassy

No consulate here. Nearest US consulate-general is in Montreal; other countries: embassies in Ottawa, consulates in Montreal or Quebec City.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Intercar Quebec City → Baie-Comeau (stops on Route 138): about C$100–140 (≈ US$75–110), 9–10 h (check)
  • Fuel, Baie-Comeau → Franquelin → Godbout: about C$10–15 (≈ US$8–11) (check)

Say or show

  • Bonjour — Hello (bon-ZHOOR)
  • Merci — Thank you (mair-SEE)
  • Combien ça coûte ? — How much is it? (kom-BYEN sa KOOT)
  • Où est le départ du sentier ? — Where is the trailhead? (oo ay luh day-PAR du sen-TYAY)
  • Puis-je payer par carte ? — Can I pay by card? (pweezh pay-YAY par KART)
  • J'ai besoin d'aide — I need help (zhay buh-ZWAN ded)

French is the everyday language; a few words go a long way.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Franquelin. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep · avoid Nov–Apr (cold, snow, some services closed) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 2 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for YBC: last connecting flight times field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: village centre, museum and Thompson River, Pointe-Mistassini shoreline.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Village Forestier d'Antan, St. Nicolas tunnel, the nine trails) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Seasonal and hostile arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Canada

Sources