Baie-Sainte-Catherine is a picturesque municipality of the regional county municipality (MRC) of Charlevoix-Est, in the administrative region of Capitale-Nationale, at Quebec, in Canada. It is located on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River and on the west shore of the Saguenay River.

The territory of Baie-Sainte-Catherine is suitable for recreational tourism activities focused on forestry (hunting, fishing, mountain biking, snowmobiling, hiking, picking wild fruits) and boating on the St. Lawrence River and the Saguenay River. In addition, Pointe Noire is a privileged observation center for the Saguenay Fjord and the Saguenay–Saint-Laurent Marine Park. The Baie-Sainte-Catherine wharf is a starting point for cetacean observation cruises. From Baie-Sainte-Catherine, water sports enthusiasts can go sea kayaking.

Understand

History

This toponym originates from the sinking of the ship La Catherine in 1686.

The site of the Saint-Firmin cemetery, built in 1865, named Saint-Firmin until 1908, and was restored from the originals in 1979. In 2008, this site was declared a heritage site. In 2017, the Government of Quebec acquired this site from the Séminaire de Chicoutimi for the purpose of enhancing it.

Geography

The territory of Baie-Sainte-Catherine is predominantly forest cover. The Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay occupies a strip of territory approximately 12.2 km (7.6 mi) and a width of 0.9 km (0.56 mi) at 2.3 km (1.4 mi). The inhabited part of the territory is located on the riparian strip at the maximum 0.5 km (0.31 mi) of the St. Lawrence River.

The municipal territory is crossed by the Basque River, the Grande Crique brook, the Flavien brook, the Sainte-Catherine brook and the Canards brook, which all flow onto the shore of the St. Lawrence River. The Petites Îles River and the David River flow into the Saguenay. The main lakes are Lac Buteux and Lac François. The main capes and points are:

• on the St. Lawrence River: Cap du Basque, Pointe au Bouleau, Pointe aux Alouettes and Pointe Noire;
• on the Saguenay River: Cap Blanc, Cap Noir and Pointe aux Petites Îles.

Get in

The village of Baie-Sainte-Catherine is accessible by road, boat (via the St. Lawrence River or the Saguenay River), snowmobile and all-terrain vehicles.

By car

• From Tadoussac (5.4 km (3.4 mi), 26 min.), take the Tadoussac-Baie Sainte-Catherine ferry; take route (westbound) to the village of Baie-Sainte-Catherine.
• From Quebec (city) (208 km (129 mi), 2:41 hours), take route eastbound up to village of Baie-Sainte-Catherine.

By bus

• Intercar, Stops at Restaurant Le Vacancier, 329, route 138, ☏ +1-418-547-2167, toll-free: +1-800-806-2167, serviceclient@intercar.ca. Operates bus routes within Quebec. (updated May 2022) Operates a daily route between Baie-Comeau and Montreal including stops in Forestville, Tadoussac, Baie-Sainte-Catherine, Saint-Siméon, La Malbaie, Clermont, Saint-Hilarion, Baie-Saint-Paul, Saint-Tite-des-Caps, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Boischatel, and Quebec City. Trips toward Baie-Comeau start from Quebec City and do not include a stop in Montreal.

By boat

Baie-Sainte-Catherine is at the confluence of the Saint-Laurent and Saguenay rivers and is accessible seasonally by pleasure boat.

• 1 Traversier Tadoussac-Baie-Sainte-Catherine (gare fluviale de Baie-Sainte-Catherine), 119, route 138 (The Baie-Sainte-Catherine river station is located in Anse du Portage, 1.1 km west of Pointe Noire (at the mouth of the Saguenay River).), ☏ +1 418-235-4395, stq-tadoussac@traversiers.gouv.qc.ca. The wharf used for the ferry was built at the foot of a mountain cliff. 
• 2 Quai de Baie-Sainte-Catherine, 151, route 138 (Wharf in the northern part of Sainte-Catherine Bay, on the shore of the St. Lawrence River), ☏ +1 888-773-8888. 

In a helicopter

• 3 Aviation du Fjord, 159, route de la Grande Alliance, ☏ +1 877-692-1771. Offer of helicopter flights over the Fjord, Tadoussac and Baie-Sainte-Catherine, or other excursions. 

Get around

• 4 Miraco Gas Station, 338, route de la Grande-Alliance, ☏ +1 418-237-4013. Service station for motor vehicles. (updated Dec 2021)

See

• 1 Centre d'interprétation et d'observation de Pointe-Noire (Pointe-Noire Interpretation and Observation Center), route 138, ☏ +1 418-237-4383, info.parcmarin@pc.gc.ca. Closed for the winter season. The belvedere at the top of the rock or the terrace of the interpretation center offer an exceptional panorama of the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park and the Saguenay Fjord. From the mainland, using binoculars, it is possible to observe whales, seals and seabirds. Several signs interpret the maritime environment made up of lighthouses and numerous islands. 
• 2 Église Saint-Firmin (Reception pavilion Views of Port-au-Persil), 294, rue Leclerc (Located on the point facing the Port au Persil cove.), ☏ +1 418-665-3935, fabriquestsimeon@gmail.com. Church forming part of the Saint-Laurent-de-Charlevoix parish of the Catholic Archdiocese of Quebec. 

Do

• 1 Croisière AML Baie-Sainte-Catherine, 159, route 138, ☏ +1 866-856-6668. Whale watching excursion by observation boat or zodiac. AML also offers cruises from Montreal and Quebec, including whale watching activity. 
• 2 Ranch Campground Chute Hiking Trail, route 138. Hiking trail from the ranch campground waterfall. 

Buy

Food/alcohol

• 1 Coop Alimentaire Baie-Sainte-Catherine, 338, route de la Grande Alliance, ☏ +1 418-237-4013. Friend Market. SAQ agency. (updated Dec 2021)

Eat

Restaurants

• 1 La Bête à Lunch, 358 , route de la Grande-Alliance, ☏ +1 581-309-5214. Sandwiches and chips. (updated Aug 2022)

Sleep

Inns, hotels and motels

• 1 Hôtel Motel Baie Ste Catherine, 294, route de la Grande Alliance, ☏ +1 877-444-7247. (updated Dec 2021)

Gîte

• 2 Gîte de la colline, 234, rue Leclerc, ☏ +1 514-231-0704. Check-out: 10:00 am. Bed and breakfast in the Saint-Firmin sector, facing Sainte-Catherine bay. (updated Dec 2021)
• 3 Gîte Le Portail du Fjord, 358, route de la Grande Alliance (Gîte on the edge of Route 138.), ☏ +1 581-985-3031. Leisure facilities available: canoeing, diving and horseback riding. (updated Dec 2021)
• 4 Au gîte de la chute, 389, route 138 (Gîte on the edge of Route 138.), ☏ +1 418-454-1045. Leisure facilities available: canoeing, diving and horseback riding. (updated Dec 2021)
• 5 Gîte la Maison Rochefort, 475, rue de la Grande Alliance (Cottage located near Pointe-aux-Alouettes where an alliance had been concluded between Samuel de Champlain and Anadabijou.), ☏ +1 418-237-4010. Almost two-hundred-year-old family house with antique furniture. Superb view of the river. Breakfast included. (updated Dec 2021)
• 6 À Fleur de Baie, 305, rue Leclerc, ☏ +1 418 638-2349. Gîte (updated Aug 2022)

Camping

• 7 Camping et Ranch du Fjord, 604, route de la Grande Alliance (Located 5 minutes by road from the Tadoussac-Baie-Sainte-Catherine ferry.), ☏ +1 418-237-4230, info@campingetranchdufjord.com. Campsite with 55 pitches: 12 with 3 services, 11 with 2 services and also pitches designed for wild camping. Laundry room and community center. Access to a footpath. (updated Dec 2021)

Outfitters

• 8 Pourvoirie Humanité, Baie-Sainte-Catherine, ☏ +1 418 638-5151, info@pourvoiriehumanite.com. Main adventures offered: kayak excursion, group paddleboarding, canoe trip, marked hikes and observation points, whale watching excursion on the river and in the summer, jumping to the island of a rock cape. Specialty: trout fishing. Five hiking trails (easy level). (updated Dec 2021)
• 9 Pourvoirie Baie-Sainte-Catherine, Baie-Sainte-Catherine, ☏ +1 418-633-0100, pourvoiriebsc@hotmail.com. Offer of fishing trips (native and stocked speckled trout, moulac trout), hunting (orgnal and bear) and resort stays. Chalets (4 stars) each with a private dock with boats. (updated Dec 2021)

Cope

• Bibliothèque municipal (Municipal Library). (updated Oct 2021)

Go next

Routes through Baie-Sainte-Catherine

Quebec City ← Baie-Saint-Paul ←

W  E

→ Baie-Comeau → Sept-Îles

• 1 Tadoussac Municipality bordering the north shore of the St. Lawrence River and the mouth of the Saguenay River. This locality has a good infrastructure for recreational and tourism activities (resorts, restaurants, accommodation, hiking trails, cycling, museums, interpretation centers, excursions on the river, providers of activities in nature ...) and for various passenger services.
• 2 Petit-Saguenay A riparian municipality on the south shore of the Saguenay River. Recreational tourism activities are favored by the Saguenay River, the Zec de l'Anse Saint-Jean and the Fjord-du-Saguenay National Park. This territory is crossed by road 170 connecting Saint-Siméon and the city of Saguenay.
• 3 Saint-Siméon (Charlevoix) A picturesque municipality on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River in the Charlevoix-Est RCM, renowned for its Saint-Siméon-Rivière-du-Loup ferry. Municipality with many recreational tourism activities and a developed tourist infrastructure (accommodation, camping, restaurants, artisans, hiking trails) and many attractions including the villages of Port-au-Persil and Saint-Siméon.
• 4 Saguenay–Saint-Laurent Marine Park A marine protected area of the St. Lawrence River and Saguenay rivers, covering 1,245 kilometres (773.61 mi). Its mission is to protect all species including the beluga and the blue whale. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Parks Canada, ROMM and GREMM teach boaters to navigate in whale habitat. Whale watching tours or cruises are offered to tourists.
• 5 Fjord-du-Saguenay National Park National park established in 1983 and covering 326.7 kilometres (203.00 mi) on each side of the Saguenay River. This national park is the terrestrial extension of the Saguenay–Saint-Laurent marine park.