The ZEC Tawachiche is a controlled harvesting zone, entirely included in the municipality of Lac-aux-Sables, in the regional county municipality (MRC) of Mékinac.

This ZEC was incorporated in 1978, following the abolition of private hunting & fishing clubs on public land. This ZEC is administered by the "Association de chasse, pêche et villégiature Tawachiche inc" (Tawachiche Hunting, Fishing and Resort Association inc). The toponym "ZEC Tawachiche" derives from the toponym of the "Tawachiche River" which crosses its territory.

The main recreational and tourist activities on the territory of the ZEC are: hiking (including the observation of flora, fauna and landscapes), climbing, berry picking, hunting, fishing, nautical activities (swimming, canoeing, kayaking , boating), mountain biking, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.

ZEC Tawachiche has the advantage of being one of the southernmost ZECs in the administrative region of Mauricie; which accommodates visitors by facilitating their transport, supply and access to services.

Understand

ZEC Tawachiche covers an area of 318 km² (123 sq mi). In the ZEC, there are 128 lakes. The ZEC has four rivers: Awachiche River, West Tawachiche River, rivière du Milieu and rivière à l'eau morte. The waters of the northern part of the ZEC flow through the slope of the valley of the Saint-Maurice River (via the Mékinac river); while the southern part of the ZEC, by the slope of the Batiscan River. ZEC Tawachiche borders with ZEC de la Besonne to the north.

Zec Tawachiche administers two reception posts. The main reception post is in Audy (often referred to as "Veillet"), or 9.1 km north of the intersection of route 153 in the village of Hervey-Jonction. The second reception station is north of the Rivière aux Eaux Mortes (in the past, it was located near the Rivière du Milieu). This second reception post is 25 km (by road) from the hamlet of Carignan, which is on route 155, 12 km south of La Tuque. From the hamlet of Carignan, visitors take the Carignan road south-east, passing the village of Lac-à-Beauce, then follow the road which is more or less parallel to the Canadian National Railway line heading towards the Rivière du Milieu.

Travellers can also access the ZEC by seaplane by landing on the Masketsi, Roberge, à l'Ours or Hackett lakes.

• 1 ZEC administration office, 202, chemin Tawachiche, Lac-aux-Sables (Hervey-Jonction sector), ☏ + 1 418-289-2059, accueil_zectawachiche@hotmail.com. 

Go

The ZEC Tawachiche territory is accessible by road vehicle, ATV, snowmobile, by train (with VIA Rail Canada) and even by air (Lac-aux-Sables airport and seaplanes).

By car

• From Montreal (217 km (135 mi). Time: 2 hr 49 min. Take highway 40 (north shore) eastbound, to Trois-Rivières; take Highway 55 (northbound) to Grand-Mère, which becomes Highway 155 and cross the Saint-Maurice River bridge; take route 153 (eastbound) through the villages of Hérouxville, Saint-Tite and Sainte-Thècle, to the village of Hervey-Jonction; from there, take the chemin du lac en Coeur (northbound) which becomes the chemin Tawachiche, until the Audy reception.
• From Quebec City (132 km (82 mi). Time: 1 hr 50 min. Take highway 40 (direction West), to Grondines; take the Chemin de St-Casimir (or Route Guilbault) to the village of Saint-Casimir; take route 363 (northbound) passing through the village of Saint-Ubalde, Lac-aux-Sables and Hervey-Jonction; from there, take the chemin du lac en Coeur (northbound) which becomes the chemin Tawachiche, until the Audy reception.

Get around

Tracel (railway bridge) of the Rivière-du-Milieu, in the northwest part of the ZEC Tawachiche, in Mauricie

See

• 1 Rivière aux Eaux Mortes (Mékinac) (48 km from the village of Hervey-Jonction, crossing the ZEC to the north by Chemin Tawachiche). Rivière aux Eaux Mortes has a concentration area for aquatic birds; involving the presence of many moose. This area is popular with lovers of flora and fauna (especially ornithologists). Free. (updated Oct 2021)
• 2 Rivière du Milieu railway bridge (50.3 km from the village of Hervey-Jonction, crossing the ZEC to the north by Chemin Tawachiche). This bridge is the highest railway bridge in Quebec. It looks like a half-bridge since on one side the railway arrives from the top of a mountain. Free. (updated Oct 2021)

Do

• Hiking. (updated Oct 2021)
• Canoeing and boating. (updated Oct 2021)
• Big game hunting. Bow, crossbow and firearm hunting according to the authorized periods for moose, white-tailed deer and bears. (updated Oct 2021)
• Small game hunting. Ruffed grouse and hare hunting (hunting or snaring). (updated Oct 2021)
• Sport fishing. Fishermen are required to respect fishing quotas according to species. (updated Oct 2021)
• Climbing at Lac Terrien. Since 2009, stopover enthusiasts have been practicing on the granite cliff overlooking a bog and the west shore of Lake Terrien in the ZEC Tawachiche. In places, the cliff has a sustained verticality of about 50 m, with a few sequences of nearly 100 m. A boat is required to reach the foot of the cliff. (updated Oct 2021)

Sleep

Camping

• 1 Camping De La Rivière Tawachiche, 70, chemin des Cèdres Sud, ☏ +1 418-289-2404. The ZEC offers three short-stay campsites with a total of 21 sites. (updated Oct 2021)
• 2 Camping rustique (Rustic camping), 70, chemin des Cèdres Sud, ☏ +1 418-289-2404. The ZEC offers several rustic camping sites as well as two canoe camping sites. (updated Oct 2021)

Chalet, gîte, inn

• Chalets dans la zec Tawachiche (Chalets in the ZEC Tawachiche), Lac-aux-Sables, ☏ +1 418-289-2404. Three chalets are offered for rent by the ZEC. (updated Oct 2021)

Go next

• 2 ZEC de la Bessonne. Controlled harvesting zone (ZEC) 10 km east of downtown La Tuque. Six rivers cross its territory. (updated Oct 2021)
• 3 ZEC Jeannotte. Controlled harvesting zone (ZEC) about 30 km east of the town of La Tuque. Its territory, which turns out to be an island, is more or less framed by Lake Édouard, the Jeannotte River and the Batiscan River. (updated Oct 2021)
• 4 La Tuque. It offers recreational tourism (vacationing, hunting & fishing, snowmobiling, mountain biking, nautical activities, observation of flora and fauna, boating, etc.) (updated Oct 2021)
• 5 Trois-Rives (from the village of Hervey-Jonction, take route 153 (south-west) to Saint-Tite; take route 159 (north-west) to Saint-Roch-de-Mékinac; take route 155 (northbound); take Chemin Saint-Joseph (northbound) to the village of Saint-Joseph-de-Mékinac). It offers recreational tourism activities (vacationing, hunting & fishing, swimming, snowmobiling, mountain biking, etc.). The bridge erected at Matawin (over the Saint-Maurice river) gives privileged access to the Zec du Chapeau- de-Paille and the Saint-Maurice wildlife reserve. (updated Oct 2021)
• 6 Notre-Dame-de-Montauban (from the village of Hervey-Jonction, take route 153 (eastbound) to the village of Lac-aux-Sables which you have to get through; to get to the village of Notre-Dame, take the route de la Traverse, then cross the bridge spanning the Batiscan river; to get to the village of Montauban-les-Mines from Lac-aux-Sables, take rang 1 Price (route 363); turn left at rue Principale leading to the village of Montauban-les-Mines). From Lac-aux-Sables, to get to the village of Notre-Dame, take the route de la Traverse; then cross the bridge spanning the Batiscan river. To get to the village of Montauban-les-Mines, take rang 1 Price (route 363); turn left at rue Principale leading to the village of Montauban-les-Mines. (updated Oct 2021)
• 7 Lac-aux-Sables. Lac-aux-Sables is an internationally renowned recreational tourism centre. Its beach, stretching for nearly 0.6 km, is one of the most beautiful in the Mauricie. The resort and camping increase the population to nearly 3,500 people in the summer season. (updated Oct 2021)
• 8 Sainte-Thècle (from the village of Hervey-Jonction, take chemin St-Pierre Nord (southbound) to the village of Sainte-Thècle). A picturesque village established at the end of the 19th century. Saint-Jean Park on the shore of Lac Croche in the heart of the village of Sainte-Thècle is a center of recreational and tourist activities for vacationers, residents and vacationers. It has a beach, a playground and a kiosk on the peninsula. The Laurent Naud promenade on the shores of Lac Croche, along rue Lacordaire, presents an enchanting setting with magnificent floral arrangements and trees. The cemetery above with a magnificent Calvary and a Stations of the Cross carved in stone are worth a visit. (updated Oct 2021)
• 9 Rivière aux Eaux Mortes (Mékinac) (48 km from the village of Hervey-Jonction, crossing the ZEC to the north by Chemin Tawachiche). The Rivière aux Eaux Mortes has a concentration area for aquatic birds; involving the presence of many moose. This area is popular with lovers of flora and fauna (especially ornithologists). (updated Oct 2021)