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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Saint-Siméon
Stay 1–2 nights as a Charlevoix stop with a ferry link to Rivière-du-Loup: whale-watch coast, forest trails, no big town.
Saint-Siméon is a village of about 1,200–1,300 people on the north shore of the St. Lawrence, on Route 138 in Charlevoix, roughly 2 hours by car from Québec City and 40 km from Tadoussac. It is the western terminus of a seasonal ferry to Rivière-du-Loup on the south shore, which makes it a useful crossing point rather than a destination in itself. Most travellers use it for one or two nights: a coastal walk, a lighthouse or two, a forest trail, and a ferry or a drive onward.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (cold, many services closed)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
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$90–150 excl. bed · Mid C$150–260 excl. bed · High C$260+ 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 and ambulance 911 · Info-Santé (health advice, 24 h) 811
- 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$3–5 |
| Casual meal, main dish | C$18–30 |
| Grocery basics for a picnic | C$15–25 |
| Campground site, one night | C$30–55 |
| Fuel, 1 L | C$1.60–1.90 |
| eSIM or data add-on, about a week | C$20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YQB · Québec City Jean Lesage International
- About 2 h by car via Route 138; the usual arrival airport for Charlevoix.
- YYY · Mont-Joli
- Small regional airport east of the region; check seasonal connections.
Typical fares
- Ferry Saint-Siméon → Rivière-du-Loup, adult
- about C$21 one way, about 1 h 5 min
- Ferry, car up to 6.4 m
- about C$49.90 one way
- Intercar bus, village stop
- fare varies by route; book ahead
Get around
A car is the practical way to move between the village, Port-au-Persil and Baie-des-Rochers; Route 138 is the main road and the hamlets sit off it on side roads. Intercar buses stop in the village on the Baie-Comeau–Montréal route. The Rivière-du-Loup ferry crosses in about 1 h 5 min. Fuel is available in the village; charging points exist but check they work before relying on them.
See and do
Known for
- St. Lawrence north shore views
- Cap-au-Saumon and Cap de la Tête au Chien lighthouses
- Port-au-Persil hamlet
- Rivière-du-Loup ferry
- Whale watching on the St. Lawrence
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| La Malbaie | Drive Route 138 west | About 45 min |
| Baie-Saint-Paul | Drive Route 138 west through La Malbaie | About 1 h 15 min |
| Tadoussac | Drive Route 138 east, then the Tadoussac–Baie-Sainte-Catherine ferry | About 1 h |
| Rivière-du-Loup | Rivière-du-Loup–Saint-Siméon ferry | About 1 h 5 min crossing plus port time |
| Les Éboulements | Drive Route 138 west | About 1 h |
| Saint-Hilarion | Drive Route 138 west, then inland | About 1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- Village centre (rue St-Laurent / rue du Quai)
- Motels, auberge, campground and the ferry dock within a few minutes' walk; best for one night with a car or a ferry.
- Port-au-Persil
- Hamlet about 8 km west with a quay, promenade and pottery; quieter, mostly gîtes and chalets.Hamlet about 5 mi west with a quay, promenade and pottery; quieter, mostly gîtes and chalets.
- Baie-des-Rochers
- Hamlet east of the village with a municipal park and wharf; good for trails, fewer beds.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimer-SEE |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-BYEN sa KOOT |
| Where is the ferry? | Où est le traversier ?oo ay luh tra-ver-SYAY |
| 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
- Services thin out outside summer; some restaurants and motels close or cut hours in the off-season.
- The ferry is seasonal and runs a limited number of crossings per day: check the timetable before you plan around it.
- Cell coverage can drop on the side roads and forest trails; download maps offline.
- Wildlife on Route 138, especially at dusk and dawn.
Low-crime rural area; the real risks are driving Route 138 at night, cold water along the shore, and trails with no cell signal. Tell someone your route before hiking.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Saint-Siméon yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- St. Lawrence north shore views
- Cap-au-Saumon and Cap de la Tête au Chien lighthouses
- Port-au-Persil hamlet
- Rivière-du-Loup ferry
- Whale watching on the St. Lawrence
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Municipality of Saint-Siméon — tourism: www.saintsimeon.ca/tourisme/
- Traverse Rivière-du-Loup–Saint-Siméon: traverserdl.com
- Intercar: intercar.ca/
- Tourisme Charlevoix: www.tourisme-charlevoix.com/
- Wikivoyage: Saint-Siméon, revision 5242782 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5242782
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Saint-Siméon
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in the village; the US consulate general is in Québec City or Montréal, and most other countries keep embassies in Ottawa. Check before you travel.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/saint-simeon). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.