This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
The Auberge de montagne des Chic-Chocs is the ideal outpost to immerse yourself in the enchanting mountains of Haute-Gaspésie. And to fraternize with total strangers.
“An impassable barrier”: this is how the members of the Micmac nation defined the Chic-Chocs chain, the most imposing in Quebec after the Torngat mountains, whose origins date back nearly 500 million years. Grandiose and intimate, this mountainous territory, where the Matane wildlife reserve is notably located, is part of the Appalachian chain, 3000 kilometers which unfold, in the province, between Gaspésie and Eastern Townships. Admiring it from the Parc national de la Gaspésie is pure bliss; within the perimeter of the Auberge de montagne des Chic-Chocs, perched at an altitude of 615 meters in the heart of the wildlife reserve, it is an exceptional privilege.
A balcony on the mountains
“The mountain lodge is a mix of European-style refuge and North American lodge, with an architecture inspired by the chalets of Western Canada,” explains its director, Guy Laroche, as we travel by shuttle from Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. Getting to this imposing chalet with 18 comfortable rooms, and its 60 km2 of territory dedicated to hiking — including several peaks that crown the 1000 meters — gives the full measure of the adventure that awaits visitors. Altitude requires, the climate is resolutely northern. From its three outdoor terraces and the high bay windows of the common room, a sea of mountains stretches as far as the eye can see. In front: the wooded slopes of Le Garrot in the shade of Mount Coleman, whose 600 meters of drop you climb, if only to admire its alpine lakes. To the west, the summit of Nicol-Albert, one of the most demanding in Quebec, which you reach after sustained effort. The crest of the Matawees, Fortin and Collins mountains are revealed, and the St. Lawrence River in the distance, which can be seen in good weather. On the Button viewing platform in the bare East, we will see through our binoculars, as soon as we arrive, a female moose and her calf. Straight ahead looms the Bascon Valley fed by the spectacular Hélène waterfall, one of the highest in Quebec at 70 meters high, and its little sister: the Clovis waterfall. They are joined by a section of the International Appalachian Trail (SIA), Canada’s very first long-distance hiking trail (GR), approved by the French Hiking Federation in 2018, which starts at Forillon National Park.
Off-road exploration…
Direction the Mem canyon, about 3 kilometers from the Auberge, where a geological treasure is nestled consisting of a succession of waterfalls and basins of crystal clear water. In about four hours, you take a narrow path lined with tall ferns before following the bed of the Bascon stream in the heart of a plantation of mature yellow birches. Like many other unofficial trails, this one was traced by the repeated passage of moose, then discovered by guides exploring the territory. Like Dereck Blouin-Perry, chief guide at the Auberge for six years: “For this type of off-trail trail, you absolutely have to be guided, explains the young enthusiast, who hops cheerfully from rock to rock above the water in “cat mode”. The idea is to exploit this territory without transforming it. » The well-marked official trails can be taken independently, subject to registering before departure and carrying a walkie-talkie connected to the Inn. You are guaranteed not to meet anyone in this wild territory accessible only to residents of the Inn. With a little luck, we will see a moose (there are three per 4 km2) lying on the ferns to find a little coolness in the heat.
… and on marked trails
About twenty marked circuits of all levels – including extreme, as far as Mount Logan is concerned – are accessible in summer. Like the loop of Mont 780 (or Mont Jean-Yves Bérubé) and the Shoulder (8.3 km) which can be done in four hours from the Auberge. The path weaves and climbs gradually between tall ferns in a morning mist which, on this day, gives the landscape a magical atmosphere. The viewpoints follow one another throughout the hike, especially on the Nicol-Albert and Coleman mountains, as well as in the valley of the Cap-Chat river below. The trail leads to the Polatouche refuge, from where you can see Mont du Frère-de-Nicol-Albert before returning to the starting point. Each meal taken in the common room, in the evening, gives the residents of the Auberge multiple opportunities to meet and discuss their past or future experiences. A newcomer arrives at the Inn and brings the latest news from around the world, particularly on the fires that are engulfing northern Quebec. During a few days spent without a phone or Internet connection, surrounded by these imposing mountains, we end up forming a small community woven by the collective feeling of being damned privileged.
Practical information
Departure for the Chic-Chocs mountain lodge is by shuttle from Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. The stay of two to seven nights includes transportation, all meals, guide service, equipment loan and access to the spa. Price: $267.50 per day and per person.
This content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, relating to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.