Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! is a tiny village on the Trans-Canada Highway in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region of Quebec.

Winter view of Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!

Understand

Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!, an agricultural village of 1700 people, exists to rival Wawa (a population-3000 former mining town in northwestern Ontario named with an aboriginal word for "goose") as an example of a tiny place with a ridiculous-sounding name. This is the only town in the world with two exclamation marks in its name.

"Ha! Ha!" refers to nearby Lake Témiscouata, haha here being an archaic French word for an unexpected obstacle or abruptly ending path.

Most traffic from the Maritimes and Atlantic Canada must pass through the narrow Edmundston-Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!-Rivière-du-Loup highway to reach the other regions of Canada. There is one alternate route, an equally-narrow road from New Brunswick through Amqui to Rimouski, but the Trans-Canada mainline is the more direct route.

Get in

By lorry

Drivers of large commercial vehicles with a rig and two 53-foot trailers must stop in New Brunswick, split their load as two separate trucks, then reassemble as one LCV in Rivière-du-Loup as the Trans-Canada Highway 185 in these parts is the last un-bypassed two-lane piece of a "Route 2" which used to run as the main road from Windsor across Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to Halifax. Expansion of this road is proceeding at a snail's pace, with the last 40 km between Saint-Antonin and Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! expected to be completed in 2018-19.

By bicycle

There's this charming little two-lane road through town, if you can get past all the trucks.

See

ASTER observatory dome

356mm (14") automated Meade observatory telescope

• Aster scientific station, ☏ +1 418-854-2172, toll-free: +1-877-775-2172. By reservation only, M-F 12:00-16:00, Sa morning. An interactive exhibition and a telescope of 356 mm (14 inches) for all those, including children, who want to learn about the oldest science of humanity and discover the beauties of the world. Adult $15, students (12 and over) and senior citizens $13, children (5 to 11) $12, family $40. (updated Apr 2019)

Do

• Témiscouta Valley Golf Club (Club de golf de la Vallée du Témiscouata), 265, ch. du Golf, ☏ +1 418-854-0539, toll-free: +1-855-354-0539 (Qc), fax: +1 418-854-2759. Eighteen-hole course with restaurant and pro shop, advance reservations accepted. 
• [http:://www.petit-temis.ca Petit Témis bike path], ☏ +1 418-868-1869. 134 km of gravel tracks, entirely reserved for cyclists and pedestrians. This linear park is on an old railway line: the Northern section is more than 70 km long, bordering rivers and a bustling forest, with several stops, 3 rustic camping sites and a snack bar. Also, a section of the Trans Canada Trail for hiking. (updated Apr 2019)

Eat

• Cantine Choupi, 109, rue St Charles, ☏ +1 418-854-2767. 
• Mamie-Jo Resto, 176, rue Raymond, ☏ +1 418-854-6000. 

Drink

• Bar/Brasserie St-Louis, 219 Rue Commerciale, ☏ +1 418-854-6767. (updated Apr 2019)

Sleep

The primary hotel and motel district for Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! is 10 km to the east in Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac, a small lakeside suburb on the main highway. The provincial park (Parc national du Lac-Témiscouata) is on the opposite side of this lake.

• Auberge la Voute Étoilée, 158, rue Raymond, ☏ +1 418-854-6464. 

• Motel Francoeur, 179, route 185, ☏ +1 418-854-3431. 

• Motel le Rendez-Vous du Voyageur, 192, route 185, ☏ +1 418-854-2439. 
• Dole Lake Campground (Camping du Lac Dôle), ☏ +1 418-854-3563. The campsite has more than 65 sites including a wild camping area. Visitors can also rent a cottage in the summer season. (updated Apr 2019)

Go next

Routes through Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!

Lévis via ← Rivière-du-Loup ←

N  S

→ becomes → Edmundston → Woodstock