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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Saint-Joachim
Come for one full day, not a base: Cap Tourmente snow geese in Apr and Oct, Canyon Sainte-Anne any season. Sleep in Beaupré or Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.
Saint-Joachim is a small parish municipality on the Côte-de-Beaupré, 50 km east of Québec City, with a population of about 1,460. It holds two of the region's headline sights: the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Reserve, a marsh where tens of thousands of greater snow geese stop in spring and autumn, and Canyon Sainte-Anne, a 74 m waterfall crossed by three suspension bridges. The village itself is quiet, with a heritage church and a 10 km archaeology circuit. Most travellers visit as a day trip from Québec City or sleep in neighbouring Beaupré and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, where the beds and restaurants are.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Apr–Oct; mid-Oct for the snow goose festival
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (cold, many sites closed or reduced)
- 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$150–230 excl. bed · High C$250+ 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
- 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 | C$2.50–5 |
| Cassecroûte meal (fries, burger, poutine) | C$12–22 |
| Restaurant main course | C$20–35 |
| Beer, draught in a pub / can at a dépanneur | C$8–10 / C$3–4 |
| Canyon Sainte-Anne entry, adult | C$25–30 (check) |
| Cap Tourmente reserve entry, adult | C$8–12 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | C$15–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YQB · Québec City Jean Lesage International
- About 50 km west; rent a car or take a taxi or shuttle to the Côte-de-Beaupré.About 31 mi west; rent a car or take a taxi or shuttle to the Côte-de-Beaupré.
Typical fares
- Intercar Québec City → Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré
- about C$10–15, about 40 min (check)
- Taxi Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré → Saint-Joachim village
- about C$25–35 (check)
- Car hire, one day, compact
- from about C$70 plus fuel (check)
Get around
A car is the practical choice: sights sit 5–10 km apart along Route 138 and chemin du Cap Tourmente, and there is no local bus. Intercar stops at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, about 10 km from the village centre, so you still need a taxi or a lift from there. Cycling Route 138 is possible but the shoulder is narrow in places.A car is the practical choice: sights sit 3.1–6.2 mi apart along Route 138 and chemin du Cap Tourmente, and there is no local bus. Intercar stops at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, about 6.2 mi from the village centre, so you still need a taxi or a lift from there. Cycling Route 138 is possible but the shoulder is narrow in places.
See and do
Known for
- Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Reserve
- Snow goose migration
- Canyon Sainte-Anne
- Route de la Nouvelle-France
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Canyon Sainte-Anne | Drive Route 138 east, then Chemin des Chutes Ste-Anne | About 15 min from the village |
| Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Reserve | Drive chemin du Cap Tourmente north from Route 138 | About 10 min from the village |
| Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré | Drive Route 138 west | About 15 min |
| Québec City | Drive Route 138 west, then Autoroute 440 or 40 | About 45–60 min |
| Saint-Tite-des-Caps | Drive Route 138 east, then climb into the hills | About 20 min |
Sleep
- Saint-Joachim village
- A handful of gîtes and cabins along chemin du Cap Tourmente; quiet, car needed for everything.
- Beaupré
- About 10 km west; more beds, restaurants and shops, and Mont-Sainte-Anne nearby.About 6.2 mi west; more beds, restaurants and shops, and Mont-Sainte-Anne nearby.
- Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré
- About 12 km west; the regional service centre with the basilica, motels and the Intercar stop.About 7.5 mi west; the regional service centre with the basilica, motels and the Intercar stop.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-BYEN sa KOOT |
| Where is the trailhead? | Où est le départ du sentier ?oo ay luh day-PAR doo sahn-TYAY |
| Can I pay by card? | Puis-je payer par carte ?pweezh pay-YAY par KART |
| Where is the toilet? | Où sont les toilettes ?oo son lay twa-LET |
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 local public transport: without a car you are dependent on taxis, which are few.
- Cap Tourmente trails and the Canyon have seasonal hours; check before you drive out.
- Route 138 climbs the Côte de la Miche steeply east of the village; watch for cyclists and slow vehicles.
- Cell coverage is patchy in the reserve and along the shore flats.
Very safe. The real risks are driving Route 138 in winter, cold water and tides on the Pointe aux Prêtres flats, and walking the reserve without checking trail hours.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Saint-Joachim yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Reserve
- Snow goose migration
- Canyon Sainte-Anne
- Route de la Nouvelle-France
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Reserve: www.canada.ca/fr/environnement-changement-climatique/services/reserves-nationales-faune/existantes/cap-tourmente.html
- Canyon Sainte-Anne: canyonsa.qc.ca/
- Festival de l'Oie des Neiges de Saint-Joachim: www.festivaldeloiedesneiges.com/
- Intercar: intercar.ca/
- Wikivoyage: Saint-Joachim, revision 5239661 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5239661
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Saint-Joachim
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
No embassies here; the US consulate general and most embassies are in Québec City or Montréal. For a lost passport, contact your embassy in Ottawa or the nearest consulate.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/saint-joachim). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.