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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Rivière-au-Tonnerre
Go for one night on a Route 138 run: two short waterfall walks, a wooden church, no cell signal. Skip as a base — it is a stop, not a hub.
Rivière-au-Tonnerre is a village of about 300 people on Quebec's North Shore, made up of Rivière-au-Tonnerre and Sheldrake, 100 km east of Sept-Îles and 2.75 h by bus from Havre-Saint-Pierre. It is the closest mainland point to Anticosti Island. There is no cellular network, so plan offline. One night covers the church, the Maison du Tonnerre and one or two easy trails.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (cold, snow, many services closed)
- 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$140–220 excl. bed · High C$220+ 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, ambulance 911 · CLSC clinic +1-418-465-2146
- 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 or snack at the general store | C$3–7 |
| Prepared meal from the general store | C$10–18 |
| Restaurant lunch or dinner | C$18–35 |
| Motel double room, summer | C$95–230 |
| Camping or RV pitch per night | C$20–45 |
| Fuel, per litre | C$1.60–1.90 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YZV · Sept-Îles
- About 100 km west by Route 138; the practical air gateway for the region.About 62 mi west by Route 138; the practical air gateway for the region.
- YGV · Havre-Saint-Pierre
- About 2.75 h east by bus or car; small regional airport.
Typical fares
- Intercar bus, Sept-Îles → Rivière-au-Tonnerre
- about C$45, roughly 1.5–2 h (check)
- Intercar bus, Havre-Saint-Pierre → Sept-Îles
- about 2.75 h (check)
- Anticosti crossing, Voyages Coste
- seasonal, a few sailings; price on request (check)
Get around
You need a car or the Intercar bus. Route 138 runs through both villages; the church, general store and most lodgings are within a short walk of each other. Trails start from the highway. Fuel and groceries are limited — fill up in Sept-Îles or Havre-Saint-Pierre.
See and do
Known for
- Saint-Hippolyte wooden church
- Manitou and Sault Blanc falls
- Anticosti ferry link
- Route des Baleines
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Anticosti Island (Port-Menier) | Boat from the Rivière-au-Tonnerre area, run by Coopérative Voyages Coste | Crossing plus transfer; a few sailings per summer season |
| Havre-Saint-Pierre and the Mingan Archipelago | Route 138 east by car, or Intercar bus | About 2.75 h by bus |
| Rivière-Saint-Jean | Route 138 east | About 30–40 min |
| Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan | Route 138 east | About 1.5 h |
| Baie-Johan-Beetz | Route 138 east | About 2 h |
| Sept-Îles | Route 138 west | About 1.5 h by car |
Sleep
- Route Jacques-Cartier strip
- Motels, cottages and the auberge sit along the main road through the village; walkable to the church and general store.
- Sheldrake
- The second village of the municipality, a few km away; quieter, fewer services, one Wi-Fi zone.
- Rue de l'Église RV parking
- No services, maximum 3 days; dump station on Rue du Ruisseau.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| Do you have a room? | Avez-vous une chambre ?ah-vay VOO ewn SHAHM-bruh |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-BYEN sah KOOT |
| Where is the trail? | Où est le sentier ?oo ay luh sahn-TYAY |
| I have no phone signal | Je n'ai pas de réseauzhuh nay pah duh ray-ZOH |
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
- No cellular network in the municipality; three public Wi-Fi zones (Sheldrake, near the church, at the seaport) and a phone booth by the general store.
- Many lodgings, restaurants and the Maison du Tonnerre are seasonal: confirm before you drive.
- Distances are long and wildlife crosses Route 138; avoid driving at dusk and after dark.
- Summer blackflies and mosquitoes are heavy near the falls and the shore.
Very low crime; the real risks are the 100 km of highway to the nearest hospital, no cell coverage, wildlife on Route 138 and cold water. Tell someone your trail plan before you leave.Very low crime; the real risks are the 62 mi of highway to the nearest hospital, no cell coverage, wildlife on Route 138 and cold water. Tell someone your trail plan before you leave.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Rivière-au-Tonnerre yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Saint-Hippolyte wooden church
- Manitou and Sault Blanc falls
- Anticosti ferry link
- Route des Baleines
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Tourisme Côte-Nord: www.tourismecote-nord.com/en/
- Wikivoyage: Rivière-au-Tonnerre, revision 5258447 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5258447
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Rivière-au-Tonnerre
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- CLSC clinic+1-418-465-2146
No consulate on the North Shore; US, UK, Canadian and other missions are in Québec City or Montréal (check).
No cell coverage: download offline maps and save the CLSC number before you arrive.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/riviere-au-tonnerre). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.