The ZEC du Lac-au-Sable is a controlled harvesting zone located in the unorganized territory of Mont-Élie, in the regional county municipality (RCM) of Charlevoix-Est, in the administrative region of the Quebec Region of Quebec. The territory of the ZEC straddles the townships of Lacoste, Chauveau, Ducreux and Sagard.

Understand

This ZEC was created in 1978, following the abolition of private hunting & fishing clubs on public lands. This ZEC is administered by the Association loisirs et plein air des Marais inc.

The main recreational and tourist activities on the territory of the ZEC are hiking, berry and mushroom picking, hunting, fishing (white, fly and wading), water activities such as swimming, canoeing, kayaking, boating, mountain biking, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. The ZEC also offers a snowmobile and ATV storage service; the ZEC has 48 rental warehouses. For adventure lovers, the ZEC offers remote, inaccessible places for such adventures.

The elevation of the ZEC du Lac-au-Sable varies between 150 m to more than 1000 m; thus, it is similar to other mountainous and forest areas of Charlevoix. Thanks to its magnificent valleys, often well steepened between the mountains, the panorama is bucolic from various points of view. The territory of the ZEC has a hundred lakes; about ten of them are of significant size and are housed in the hollows of valleys. The territory is dotted with waterways including the rivers Jacob, Malbaie and Snigole; which contributes to a varied offer of recreational tourism activities.

History

Before its creation in 1978, the current territory of the ZEC was operated by the Club des Marais Inc. and the Club Rodrigue Inc.; the members of the latter club were all employees of the company Donohue, now Resolute. Following the provincial reform to democratize access to and exploitation of the territory of public lands, the members of these two clubs met on January 31, 1978 under the aegis of the Clermont paper workers union. The group agreed to apply for accreditation for the purpose of managing the ZEC Lac-au-Sable territory. Then the SACERF group of Charlevoix-Est, representing private clubs, opted to join the movement to form the Association loisirs et plein air des Marais.

• 1 Poste d'accueil de la zec (Zec reception desk), 105, chemin des Marais, Clermont (the reception centre is 10 km northwest of La Malbaie; the route is done by taking Chemin de la Vallée (on the east bank of the Rivière du Gouffre)), ☏ +1 418-439-1584, zeclacausable@xplornet.ca. Annually, from November to May, the reception desk is closed. (updated Jan 2022)

Geography

ZEC du Lac-au-Sable has a length of 51 km (32 mi) (in the north-south direction) by 32 km (20 mi) in width.

Lac au Sable (altitude: 445 m; length: 2.7 km; width: 1.3 km) is the main body of water in the ZEC territory. This lake collects the waters of the Petit Saguenay River (coming from the south) and the Ruisseau au Sable (coming from the west) which drains the "lac à l'Est". The Petit Saguenay River (length: 84.8 km (52.7 mi)), a tributary of the Saguenay River, has its source at Third Lake of the Marais; it first flows north for 9.2 km (5.7 mi), then crosses Lac au Sable for 2.7 km (1.7 mi), its full length.

Get in

The territory of the ZEC du Lac-au-Sable is accessible by road vehicle and ATV. Its main entrance is 10 km (6.2 mi) from La Malbaie. From the reception station in the south of the territory of the ZEC, take the chemin des Marais (northbound), which joins the chemin d'Auteuil. Its network of forest roads is very well maintained and is branched out enough to access the entire territory.

By car

• From Tadoussac (83 km (52 mi). Time: 1 hr 30 min. Take the Tadoussac-Baie-Sainte-Catherine ferry; take route 138 (eastbound) to the village of Clermont; take Chemin du Friche (northbound); take the road (eastbound); take rue Maisonneuve (northbound) which becomes chemin du Friche after crossing the Malbaie River, to the ZEC reception desk (intersection of chemin Snigole and chemin des Marais).
• From Quebec City (137 km (85 mi). Time: 1 hr 37 min. Take route 138 (eastbound) to the village of Clermont; take the Chemin du Friche (north direction)... and the following path according to the previous route.

Do

• Sentier du Mont Élie. The start of the marked trail is at the lake to the east. The course is 8 km (one way), with an intermediate/advanced level of difficulty. Possibility of wild camping at Lac Éclair (at km 6) where a shelter has been set up. Magnificent panorama at the top. (updated Jan 2022)
• Sentier Menaud. This trail shares the same mountain as the Mont Élie trail, but travels a different slope for a distance of 7.6 km round trip. (updated Jan 2022)
• Sentier de la Gamelle (La Gamelle path). Course of less than 2 km round trip. Easy access. It provides access to the fall of the Gamelle. The course of the trail runs along the river. Wading is also possible. (updated Jan 2022)
• Plage du lac au Sable (Lac au Sable beach). The Lac au Sable beach is relatively long and wild. It has fine sand. Swimming possible, unsupervised. On site, users can rent rowboats, paddle boards and kayaks. (updated Jan 2022)
• Canoeing and boating. The panorama is bucolic around the main forest and wild lakes. (updated Jan 2022)
• Chasse aux gros gibiers (Big game hunting). Bow, crossbow and firearm hunting according to authorized periods for moose, white-tailed deer and black bear. (updated Jan 2022)
• Chasse aux petits gibiers (Small game hunting). Grouse, pheasant and hare hunting. (updated Jan 2022)
• Sport fishing. Grouse, pheasant and hare hunting. (updated Jan 2022)

Sleep

• Yourte à Menaud, Lac à l'Est (32 km from the reception of the ZEC; access is possible with all types of vehicles). Yurt equipped with all amenities for a comfortable stay. Yurt located near several lakes and hiking trails. Accessible in winter by snowmobile. (updated Jan 2022)
• Chalet Donohue, 2e lac des Marais (14 km from the reception of the ZEC). The cottage has all the amenities: 3 bedrooms, 8 double beds, propane stove/fridge, indoor fireplace, a boat/dock. (updated Jan 2022)

Camping

The ZEC offers:

• 110 campgrounds on seven sites on its territory. Trailers are permitted to remain on a site permanently with an annual rental lease. A veranda and a shed are authorized, under certain conditions. Septic installation and connection to household water. Land is allocated by drawing lots;
• 40 rustic campsites on the six sites of the ZEC. Each site has a table and a dry toilet nearby. Stay on an authorized pitch for up to two weeks.
• Camping du lac au Sable, Plage du Lac au Sable. This campsite has 56 permanent pitches available by drawing lots when there is a receipt. Short stay camping grounds for tents or trailers are available. The ZEC offers 2 ready-to-camp tents with two double beds, a rowboat and solar lighting. Public toilet nearby. (updated Jan 2022)

Go next

• 1 Hautes-Gorges-de-la-rivière-Malbaie National Park This national park exposes magnificent cliffs, a setting of high mountains and a strongly boxed valley which was shaped during the great glacial eras. This park is distinguished by its bucolic landscapes, the Malbaie River where visitors can paddle (by canoe, kayak or paddle surf), its riverboat excursions, its panoramic hiking trails of various calibers in the valley and in the mountains, its bike trails, its shop and a campsite surrounded by incomparable nature. The Acropole-des-Draveurs trail is one of the most majestic in the province, with a drop of 800 m. This park offers bicycle/kayak rentals, a gift shop and a restaurant serving local Charlevoix products.
• 2 Laurentides Wildlife Reserve This 7,934-km² park straddles the Quebec Region and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean regions.
• 3 ZEC de L'Anse-Saint-Jean Created in 1978 following the abolition of private hunting & fishing clubs on public lands, this 200-km² has many small streams where brook trout abound. Almost all lakes are accessible by car or mountain bike. Some lakes have docks and rowboats for rent. The ZEC has superb trails and breathtaking viewpoints such as Mont Laure-Gaudreault and Lac Crésimont.
• 4 ZEC des Martres A ZEC that contains 219 lakes and is perfect for hiking, quad/snowmobile rides, camping, hunting, fishing, as well as observing landscapes, flora and fauna.
• 5 Mont-Élie An unorganized territory renowned for recreational tourism activities in the wilderness, including vacationing, hunting, fishing, as well as the observation of landscapes, flora and fauna.
• 6 Clermont Town enclosed between the mountains and bordering on the town of La Malbaie. Its territory is crossed by the Malbaie River and by Route 138 which runs along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. City of shops and services for travelers on Route 138, Clermont also offers a lively cultural life and several recreational and tourist attractions including the Malbaie River, its campgrounds, the Zec Lac au Sable, its municipal parks and the Montagne de la Croix site.
• 7 Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs A locality offering plenty of recreational and tourist activities (resorts, fishing, nautical activities, Trans-Canada hiking trails and local trails in the Grands Monts sector, observation of the nautre, flora and fauna). Several organizations offer many services: the zec des Martes, the Pic-bois outfitter and the Hautes-Gorges de la rivière Malbaie national park. Among the main events, there is the Charlevoix triathlon, the Charleboix rodeo (end of June).
• 8 Saint-Félix-d'Otis Saint-Félix-d'Otis is certified "Fleurons du Québec" (Jewels of Quebec). It is an important resort centre and is at the heart of a water sports village.
• 9 Rivière-Éternité Municipality located in the heart of the Saguenay Fjord where the entrance to the Saguenay National Park is located. Moving landscapes the valley of the Éternité river blends with the high mountains up to Baie Éternité, on the Saguenay River. The Auberge du Presbytère (ten rooms) occupies an ancestral building that has been in operation since 2013; it is the starting point of the Notre-Dame Kapatakan trail. This trail stretches over 215 kilometres, joining Notre-Dame-du-Saguenay in Rivière-Éternité to Notre-Dame-du-Saguenay in the Ermitage Saint-Antoine in Lac Bouchette, a national sanctuary.
• 10 L'Anse-Saint-Jean Nestled in a steep valley between the mountains, L'Anse-Saint-Jean offers the true nature of the Saguenay Fjord. The splendid landscape is recognized by the Association of the most beautiful villages of Quebec. Its territory includes part of the Saguenay Fjord National Park (Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay) and Saguenay–Saint-Laurent Marine Park (Parc marin du Saguenay–Saint-Laurent). Its ancestral built heritage includes a covered bridge, as well as many houses built in the 19th century and well renovated with the cachet of yesteryear. The locality has a large reception capacity (lodging), fine dining addresses and several shops.