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Major city · Canada

Baie-Sainte-Catherine

Sleep 1 night here only if you want the free Tadoussac ferry and a quieter bed; otherwise base in Tadoussac and cross for the day.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
CAD
Best months
Jun-Sep for whales and open services; Feb-Mar for snowmobile trails
avoid Nov-Apr (most services and cruises closed, ice and snow)
Airports
YQB · 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.

Baie-Sainte-Catherine is a 200-person village at the mouth of the Saguenay, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence, in the Charlevoix region of Quebec. It is the south landing of the free Tadoussac ferry and a whale-watching departure point, with the Pointe-Noire belvedere looking over the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park. Most travellers pass through in under an hour; a night here buys cheaper beds than Tadoussac and the same whales.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Baie-Sainte-Catherine, 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)
  • Sit-down mealRestaurant main courseC$20-35 (≈ US$15–30)
  • Street or quick mealSandwich or poutineC$10-18 (≈ US$8–14)
  • Beerdraught in a barC$7-10 (≈ US$6–8)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekC$20-40 (≈ US$15–30)
  • Budget bedCampsite pitch (2 adults, no services), a night, per roomC$35 (≈ US$30)
  • Mid-range bedGite or B&B double, a night, per roomC$160 (≈ US$120)
  • High-end bedGite or B&B double, a night, per roomC$240 (≈ US$180)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget C$90 (≈ US$70) · Mid C$160 (≈ US$120) · High C$280 (≈ 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.

Tadoussac-Baie-Sainte-Catherine ferryPointe-Noire belvedere over the Saguenay FjordWhale-watching cruisesSaguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park
Airports
YQB Quebec City Jean Lesage (About 208 km by route 138, roughly 2 h 40 min by car; the nearest practical gateway.) · YYY Mont-Joli (Small regional airport east along the St. Lawrence; check seasonal links.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Baie-Sainte-Catherine: 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

10 rd

Apr

6°C

−3°C

11 rd

May

14°C

3°C

12 rd

Jun

19°C

8°C

12 rd

Jul

22°C

11°C

13 rd

Aug

21°C

11°C

13 rd

Sep

16°C

7°C

12 rd

Oct

9°C

2°C

12 rd

Nov

2°C

−4°C

12 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

The village is a strip along route 138 and route de la Grande-Alliance; most beds, the wharf and the ferry landing are within a 15-20 min walk. A car is the practical way to reach Pointe-Noire, the campground and the parks. Intercar buses stop at Restaurant Le Vacancier, 329 route 138.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Tadoussac

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Free Traversiers ferry from the Baie-Sainte-Catherine landing, about 10 min crossing

Runs year-round; the crossing is the cheapest way to see the fjord mouth.

Pointe-Noire Interpretation and Observation Centre

go

Door to door: About 20 min by car

Drive or walk west along route 138 to the belvedere

Closed for the winter season; binoculars for whales, seals and seabirds.

Fjord-du-Saguenay National Park

go

Door to door: 1-1.5 h

Route 138 west, then route 170 toward the fjord trailheads

Hiking and viewpoints on both sides of the Saguenay; a full day.

La Malbaie

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Route 138 west along the Charlevoix coast

Restaurants, golf and services; pairs with Baie-Saint-Paul.

Baie-Saint-Paul

go

Door to door: 1.5-2 h

Route 138 west, or Intercar bus toward Quebec City

Art galleries and food; a good overnight stop on the way to Quebec City.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

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

Route 138 / Grande-Alliance strip

Motels, gites and the restaurant cluster; walkable to the wharf and ferry.

Saint-Firmin sector (rue Leclerc)

Church, gites and bay views; 5-10 min walk from the strip.

Camping et Ranch du Fjord

604 route de la Grande Alliance, about 5 min by road from the ferry; 55 pitches.

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$150-230 (≈ US$110–170) excl. bed
High
C$250 (≈ US$190)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Gite or B&B double1 × 1 night × C$160C$160
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × C$160C$320
Whale-watching cruise, per person2 × C$110 · checkC$220
Tadoussac ferry, car and passengers1 × C$0 · Free crossingC$0
Intercar bus, Quebec City to Baie-Sainte-Catherine2 × C$60 · checkC$120
eSIM, about a week of data2 × C$25C$50
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeC$87
Trip total≈ C$479 per person per day, bed includedC$957≈ US$700

2026 estimate in Canadian dollars; prices before sales tax. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

CoffeeC$3-5 (≈ US$3–4)
Sandwich or poutineC$10-18 (≈ US$8–14)
Restaurant main courseC$20-35 (≈ US$15–30)
Beer, draught in a barC$7-10 (≈ US$6–8)
Whale-watching cruisecheckC$75-150 (≈ US$55–110)
eSIM or data SIM, about a weekC$20-40 (≈ US$15–30)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Very safe for a village of about 200 people; the real risks are cold water, fast currents at the Saguenay mouth, wildlife on route 138 at dusk and services that shut outside summer.
  • Almost everything closes outside summer; check opening dates before booking a winter night.
  • The Pointe-Noire interpretation centre closes for the winter season.
  • Whale cruises run on fixed departures: book ahead in Jul-Aug or you may not get a seat.
  • Cell coverage is fine in the village but patchy on the trails and the fjord.
  • Route 138 is a two-lane highway with moose and deer at dusk: drive slowly after dark.

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.

Baie-Sainte-CatherineBaie-Sainte-Catherine

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

A cette adresse, s'il vous plaitTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies here; the US consulate general is in Quebec City, and most countries keep embassies in Ottawa or Montreal.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Tadoussac-Baie-Sainte-Catherine ferry: free, about 10 min crossing (check)
  • Whale-watching cruise from the wharf: C$75-150 (≈ US$55–110) per person (check)
  • Intercar Quebec City to Baie-Sainte-Catherine: about C$45-75 (≈ US$35–55) one way (check)

Say or show

  • Bonjour — Hello (bon-ZHOOR)
  • Merci — Thank you (mair-SEE)
  • Combien ca coute ? — How much is it? (kom-BYEN sa koot)
  • Ou est le traversier ? — Where is the ferry? (oo ay luh tra-vair-SYAY)
  • Puis-je payer par carte ? — Can I pay by card? (pweezh pay-YAY par kart)
  • Ou sont les toilettes ? — Where is the toilet? (oo son lay twa-LET)

French is the everyday language; a bonjour before a question goes 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 Baie-Sainte-Catherine. 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 for whales and open services; Feb-Mar for snowmobile trails · avoid Nov-Apr (most services and cruises closed, ice and snow) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Ferry and cruise contract: crossing times, last departure, whale-cruise cutoffs.
  2. Walking clusters: route 138 strip, Saint-Firmin, the wharf and Pointe-Noire.
  3. Place pages for Pointe-Noire, the wharf and the Saint-Firmin church with verified seasonal hours.
  4. Winter fixtures for snowmobile and closed-service days.

Meanwhile

Back to Canada

Sources