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Major city · Canada

Tadoussac

Go for 1–2 nights in Jun–Sep for whales; skip as a winter base — most boats, inns and restaurants close Oct–May.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
CAD
Best months
Jun–Sep
avoid Nov–Apr (boats and most services closed; cold, snow, ice)
Airports
YQB · YYY
Nights
1–2
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.

Tadoussac is a village of about 800 people on the north shore of the St. Lawrence, where the Saguenay fjord meets the river. It is the oldest surviving French settlement in North America and the main whale-watching base in eastern Canada. The village is walkable end to end; you come for the water, not the town.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Tadoussac, 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.

  • CoffeeC$3–5 (≈ US$3–4)
  • BeerCraft beer at the microbreweryC$8–12 (≈ US$6–9)
  • Museum or sight ticketMarine Mammal Interpretation Centre entrycheck
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per personC$45 (≈ US$35)
  • Mid-range bedInn or motel double room, a night, per roomC$210 (≈ US$160)
  • High-end bedInn or motel double room, a night, per roomC$380 (≈ US$300)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget C$90 (≈ US$70) · Mid C$170 (≈ US$130) · High C$320 (≈ US$250)

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.

Whale watching (beluga, minke, fin, humpback)Saguenay fjord mouthOldest French settlement in North AmericaChapelle de Tadoussac (1747–1750)Sand dunes and coastal trails
Airports
YQB Québec City Jean Lesage (About 3 h 30 min by road via Route 138 and the free Tadoussac–Baie-Sainte-Catherine ferry; no direct bus link to the village from the airport) · YYY Mont-Joli (Small regional airport; long drive west, check car hire before booking)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Tadoussac: 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

6°C

−3°C

11 rd

May

14°C

3°C

12 rd

Jun

20°C

9°C

12 rd

Jul

23°C

12°C

13 rd

Aug

22°C

12°C

12 rd

Sep

17°C

8°C

12 rd

Oct

10°C

3°C

13 rd

Nov

3°C

−3°C

13 rd

Dec

−4°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

Walk. The village is about 1.5 km across and everything in the centre is reachable on foot in 10–15 min. A car is only useful for the dunes, Mont Adéla-Lessard and the Route 138 stops toward Baie-Sainte-Catherine. The Tadoussac–Baie-Sainte-Catherine ferry across the Saguenay is free and runs year round; it is the road link to the rest of the north shore.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Baie-Sainte-Catherine and the Saguenay ferry

go

Door to door: About 15 min crossing

Free ferry from the Tadoussac landing, continuous, year round

The ferry itself is the cheapest fjord view you will get; walk on and back if you have no car.

Sacré-Coeur and the Anse de Roche marina

caution

Door to door: About 30 min

Car west on Route 172, about 20–25 min

No bus; the road crosses parkland with no services and patchy signal.

Les Escoumins and Cap de Bon-Désir

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Car east on Route 138, about 30–40 min

Shore-based whale watching and the Pointe aux Vaches flats at low tide.

Forestville

caution

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min by car

Intercar bus toward Baie-Comeau, or car east on Route 138

Bus runs once daily; check the timetable before you plan around it.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

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

Rue des Pionniers / village centre

Inns, restaurants and the tourist office within a 5-min walk; best for a short stay without a car.

Rue du Bateau-Passeur

Hostel and several inns, 5–10 min walk to the beach and whale docks.

Bord-de-l'Eau / marina

Waterfront rooms and the marina bar; closest to the boats, noisier in high season.

Route 138 / ferry side

Motels near the ferry landing; you need a car or a 15–20 min walk into the village.

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$90–150 (≈ US$70–110) excl. bed
Mid
C$150–260 (≈ US$110–190) excl. bed
High
C$260 (≈ US$190)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Inn or motel double room1 × 2 nights × C$210C$420
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × C$170C$680
Whale-watching trip, adult2 × C$75 · checkC$150
Sea-kayak half day with guide2 × C$90 · checkC$180
Tadoussac–Baie-Sainte-Catherine ferry, car and passengers1 × C$0 · Free, year roundC$0
eSIM, about a week of data2 × C$25C$50
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeC$148
Trip total≈ C$407 per person per day, bed includedC$1,628≈ US$1,200

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

Prices of common things

CoffeeC$3–5 (≈ US$3–4)
Poutine or fast-food plateC$12–18 (≈ US$9–14)
Restaurant main, seafoodC$25–45 (≈ US$19–35)
Craft beer at the microbreweryC$8–12 (≈ US$6–9)
Whale-watching trip, adultC$58–99 (≈ US$45–75) (check)
Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre entrycheck
Marina docking, per foot per dayC$1.66 (≈ US$2)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Very safe. The real risks are cold water and wind on the boats, wildlife on the roads at dusk, and patchy cell signal on the park roads — tell someone your route before driving Route 172.
  • Whale season is roughly May–Sep; outside it most operators and restaurants shut. Check dates before booking a shoulder-season trip.
  • Book whale trips and rooms weeks ahead for Jul–Aug and the mid-Jun song festival; the village has few beds for its summer demand.
  • Cell coverage is patchy on Route 172 and Route 138 through the parkland west and east of the village; download offline maps.
  • Zodiac boats have no toilets and restrictive cancellation policies; ask before you pay.
  • The St. Lawrence here is cold year round and the wind on the water is strong; bring a windproof layer even in July.
  • Tipping is expected: 15–20% at restaurants, 10–15% for taxis.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

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.

TadoussacTadoussac

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

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

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in Tadoussac. The US consulate general is in Montréal; most other countries keep embassies in Ottawa and consulates in Montréal or Québec City.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Tadoussac → Baie-Sainte-Catherine ferry: free, continuous, year round, about 15 min (check)
  • Intercar Tadoussac → Québec City: about C$70–90 (≈ US$55–70), roughly 4 h (check)
  • Whale-watching trip, adult: C$58–99 (≈ US$45–75) depending on boat and duration (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 traversier ? — Where is the ferry? (oo ay luh tra-ver-SYAY)
  • Je voudrais réserver une sortie aux baleines — I would like to book a whale trip (zhuh voo-DREH ray-zer-VAY oon sor-TEE oh ba-LEN)
  • Puis-je payer par carte ? — Can I pay by card? (pweezh pay-YAY par KART)

French is the everyday language here; English is widely understood in tourism businesses.

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 Tadoussac. 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 (boats and most services closed; cold, snow, ice) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 4 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. 6 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for YQB: last Intercar departure field-checked, car-hire fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: village centre, Bord-de-l'Eau and marina, Pointe Rouge, Route 138 and the ferry.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre, Chapelle de Tadoussac, dunes belvedere) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Whale-operator comparison fixture: boat type, duration, adult fare, cancellation terms.

Meanwhile

Back to Canada

Sources