Major city · Canada
La Tuque
Go for 2 nights if you want river falls, forest trails and a canoe race; skip if you need city nightlife or a car-free base.
La Tuque is a pulp-and-paper town of about 11,000 on the Saint-Maurice River, and the service base for Haute-Mauricie: 28,294 km² of forest, lakes and outfitters, the second-largest municipality in Quebec by area. The town itself is small — a falls park, a riverside trail network, a 1930 church and a cultural centre — so most visitors come for the surrounding hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and canoe country rather than for the streets. Two nights covers the town and one forest day; a car or a booked outfitter transfer is close to essential.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- CAD
- Best months
- Jun–Sep for trails and water; Feb–Mar for snowmobiling
- avoid Apr–May (mud season, many forest roads soft or closed)
- Airport
- YLQ
- Nights
- 2
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.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Official sites
Emergency numbers for La Tuque911 ▾
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about La Tuque, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $).Canada-wide
- SIM or eSIMRogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores.Canada-wide
- Tap waterTap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).Canada-wide
- TippingRestaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.Canada-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 120 V: UK and AU 230 V-only devices need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Canada-wide
- SafetyThe town is quiet and low-risk; the real hazards are forest roads, logging trucks, weather swings and insects.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsFree in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.Canada-wide
- Emergency numbers911 police, fire, ambulance
- Sundays & holidaysStatutory holidays close shops and offices, varying by province; many park facilities are seasonal (about mid-May to mid-October).Canada-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportYLQ La Tuque Airport (No commercial flights; private and charter aircraft only, 1,524 m asphalt runway, south of the centre on Route 155.).
- Getting aroundThe town centre is walkable in about 20 minutes end to end.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeC$2–4 (≈ US$2–3)
- Beerdraught in a bar / can at the storeC$7–10 (≈ US$6–8)C$2–4 (≈ US$2–3)
- Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi, about 3 mi (5 km)5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxicheckC$12–18 (≈ US$9–14)
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekC$20–40 (≈ US$15–30)
- Museum or sight ticketFalls park entryFree to low fee (check)
- Budget bedHostel or bunk bed, a night, per personC$45 (≈ US$35)
- Mid-range bedMotel or hotel double room, a night, per roomC$170 (≈ US$130)
- High-end bedMotel or hotel double room, a night, per roomC$280 (≈ US$250)
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 →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
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.
- Airports
- YLQ La Tuque Airport (No commercial flights; private and charter aircraft only, 1,524 m asphalt runway, south of the centre on Route 155.)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
not flagged
−9°C (16°F)16°F (−9°C)
Feb
Best
−7°C (19°F)19°F (−7°C)
Mar
Best
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
Apr
Avoid
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
May
Avoid
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
Jun
Best
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
Jul
Best
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
Aug
Best
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
Sep
Best
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
Oct
not flagged
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
Nov
not flagged
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
Dec
not flagged
−6°C (21°F)21°F (−6°C)
Best: Feb–Mar, Jun–Sep. Avoid: Apr–May. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)), coolest Jan (−21°C (−6°F)−6°F (−21°C) low), wettest Jun (13 rain days), driest Feb (10). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
La Tuque: 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
−9°C (16°F)16°F (−9°C)
−21°C (−6°F)−6°F (−21°C)
12 rd
Feb
−7°C (19°F)19°F (−7°C)
−19°C (−2°F)−2°F (−19°C)
10 rd
Mar
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
−11°C (12°F)12°F (−11°C)
10 rd
Apr
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
−3°C (27°F)27°F (−3°C)
11 rd
May
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
12 rd
Jun
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
13 rd
Jul
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
13 rd
Aug
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
13 rd
Sep
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
13 rd
Oct
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
13 rd
Nov
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
−6°C (21°F)21°F (−6°C)
13 rd
Dec
−6°C (21°F)21°F (−6°C)
−16°C (3°F)3°F (−16°C)
13 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The town centre is walkable in about 20 minutes end to end. Everything else — the falls park, Parc des Trois Soeurs, Lac-Édouard, Parent, the Gouin dam — needs a car or a booked transfer. Taxi La Tuque covers the town. Forest roads (R-O 461, R-O 450) are gravel, unsigned in places and used by logging trucks.
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Parc des Chutes de la Petite Rivière Bostonnais
goDoor to door: About 1.5–2 h
Drive 10 min south on boul. Ducharme (Route 155) to 3701, Blvd Ducharme
30 m waterfall and an observation tower over the Saint-Maurice; open May to October.
Parc des Trois Soeurs
goDoor to door: Half a day
Cross the Saint-Maurice bridge, then follow Bourassa Street and Canton Vallières Road to the trailhead
11 km (6.8 mi) of trails with 280 m of climb; free. A seasonal river shuttle crosses to the trailhead by reservation.6.8 mi (11 km) of trails with 280 m of climb; free. A seasonal river shuttle crosses to the trailhead by reservation.
Barrage Gouin
overnightDoor to door: About 3 h each way
Forest road R-O 461 then R-O 450 past Wemotaci, about 190 km (118 mi)Forest road R-O 461 then R-O 450 past Wemotaci, about 118 mi (190 km)
Too far for a return day on gravel; sleep at an outfitter near the reservoir.
Wemotaci
cautionDoor to door: 2–3 h by road
Forest road R-O 461 northwest, or floatplane from the La Tuque hydrobase
Atikamekw community with a small airfield; check access and services before setting out.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Town centre (rue St-Louis / boul. Ducharme)
Shops, restaurants, the train station and the tourist information centre within walking distance; best if you arrive by bus or train.
Route 155 south (Deveriche / Lac-à-Beauce)
Motels and the Lac-à-Beauce hydrobase on the way in from Trois-Rivières; needs a car.
Outfitters and Zec camps
Cabins and camps 1–4 h out on forest roads; book ahead, most are drive-in or floatplane-access only.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- 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
| Motel or hotel double room1 × 2 nights × C$170 | C$340 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × C$160 | C$640 |
| Bus Trois-Rivières → La Tuque, one way2 × C$40 · check | C$80 |
| VIA Rail Montréal → La Tuque, one way2 × C$70 · check; one round trip per week | C$140 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × C$25 | C$50 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | C$125 |
| Trip total≈ C$344 per person per day, bed included | C$1,375≈ US$1,000 |
2026 estimate in Canadian dollars; sales tax is added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee | C$2–4 (≈ US$2–3) |
| Diner main (poutine, burger, fish) | C$15–28 (≈ US$11–25) |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at the store | C$7–10 (≈ US$6–8) / C$2–4 (≈ US$2–3) |
| 5 km taxicheck | C$12–18 (≈ US$9–14) |
| Falls park entry | Free to low fee (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | C$20–40 (≈ US$15–30) |
| Outfitter day rate with guide and boat | C$150–350 (≈ US$110–300) (check) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Forest roads are gravel and shared with logging trucks: drive with lights on, keep right on crests and expect no phone signal for long stretches.
- Fuel and food gaps: fill up in La Tuque before heading to Parent, Clova or the Gouin reservoir.
- Black flies and mosquitoes are heavy from late May to July; bring repellent and long sleeves.
- Winter travel means snow tires and checking trail and road conditions before you leave.
- VIA Rail serves La Tuque once a week in each direction: miss the train and you wait a week.
Emergency numbers
- Police, fire, ambulance
- 911
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
La TuqueLa Tuque
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaîtTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Embassy
No consulates in La Tuque; US and most other countries: consulates in Montréal or Québec City, embassies in Ottawa.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Bus Trois-Rivières → La Tuque: about 2.5 h (check)
- Bus Shawinigan → La Tuque: about 2 h (check)
- VIA Rail Montréal → La Tuque: about 5 h, one round trip per week (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 sont les toilettes ? — Where is the toilet? (oo son lay twa-LET)
- 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; English is usually understood in town services but not always at outfitters.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
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 La Tuque. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Jun–Sep for trails and water; Feb–Mar for snowmobiling · avoid Apr–May (mud season, many forest roads soft or closed) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for YLQ: confirm no commercial service, taxi fallback, charter and floatplane rungs.
- Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: rue St-Louis and the station, boul. Ducharme, Parc Saint-Louis, the falls park.
- Place pages with verified cutoffs (falls park, Parc des Trois Soeurs, Complexe culturel Félix-Leclerc, St-Zéphirin church) and eat pages with last orders.
- Forest-road fixtures for R-O 461 and R-O 450 so gate checks can go green.
Sources
- officialVille de La Tuque
- officialLa Tuque Airport
- officialVIA Rail — La Tuque station
- officialTransport collectif Haut St-Maurice
- officialTourisme Haut-Mauricie
- officialClassique internationale de canots de la Mauricie
- secondaryWikivoyage: La Tuque, revision 5259578 (CC BY-SA 4.0)