This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
Between mountains with snow-capped peaks, little-known islands and those trampled by the hordes of Sunday photographers who display them like trophies on social networks, Western Canada gives rise to a host of images that sometimes make you dream, sometimes raise your eyes. to the sky. As part of our Summer Vacation series, we took part in a small-group trip organized by Discover Canada Tours to rediscover the classics of British Columbia and Alberta and hit some trails less travelled.
There are two ways of approaching clichés: by rejecting them altogether and depriving oneself, in the same breath, of the exceptional character that led to their production, or by embracing them while remaining aware of their fragility (and, incidentally , our tolerance threshold). What seduced us in the itinerary concocted by the Vancouver company is this desire to present unknown places without neglecting the great classics. The Rockies remain the Rockies. Hard to ignore them!
From downtown to the middle of nowhere
The journey begins in the metropolis of British Columbia, in front of Canada Place. Meghan, our guide-driver for the next 10 days, is used to swallowing the miles in her home province and its neighbors. What she doesn’t know yet is that a rutting elk can unsettle even the most experienced GO.
Some 390 kilometers separate Vancouver from Kelowna. Short stops in the Fraser Valley, in the southwest of the province, allow you to stretch your legs. One mile walk to see the falls from Bridal Veil Falls Park, cafe in Hope — you knew Rambo was filmed there? — and a quick bite later, the Okanagan Valley spreads its vines and promises. This is a region where it is absolutely necessary to return to take the time to taste its wines, to eat at its best restaurants and to contemplate its lake until more thirsty. Much less frequented, its neighbour, the Similkameen Valley, is also worth the detour. But for now, elk are waiting for us (or not).
At dawn the next day, the small group of Canadians, Americans and Australians boarded the minibus. Head to Alberta! Impossible not to stop to contemplate the cyan-colored waters of Lake Kalamalka, south of Vernon. Also in British Columbia, the historic site of the last spike, planted by the Canadian Pacific Railway at Craigellachie on November 7, 1885, recalls the importance of the railway in the country’s history.
Traveling through Glacier National Park, a mountaineer’s delight, it’s easy to see why the search for a passage through the Selkirk Range proved so arduous when the transcontinental link was being built. It was thanks to Major AB Rogers, an engineer who specialized in locating railways, that the Connaught Tunnel was dug in 1916. A national historic site allows to learn more about the pass named in honor its discoverer.
Welcome to Alberta
Crossing the Alberta border means having to add an hour to your watch. Just long enough to climb in search of the most beautiful viewpoints, the stops at lakes Louise and Moraine confirm that all the photos in the world will never be worth the spectacle of reality. From below and above, Banff is just as charming despite the crowds.
In Jasper National Park, the Athabasca Falls do not leave you indifferent, as does Maligne Canyon, bordered by a trail. If, like us, you visit the area at the end of the summer, be warned: the elk know nothing about the concept of consent and do not hesitate to loudly demonstrate their intentions. No passenger – or guide-driver – was injured, fleeing having proven to be the best option in the event of insistent flirting.
Going up towards British Columbia, after a brief stopover at the popular Mount Robson, the Chun T’oh Whudjut Provincial Park, an ancient forest located east of Prince George, appears as a haven of peace.
The highlight of this tour is crossing the Inside Passage aboard a BC Ferries ferry. From Prince Rupert, where the surprising Museum of Northern British Columbia showcases the riches of the Northwest Coast through art and archaeology, it takes around 16 hours to reach Port Hardy. The cruise is very gentle between the fjord and (rare) villages. Without wifi or cell phone network, we imagine the Russian, British, French and Spanish explorers who traveled there in the 18th century.e century.
From Port Hardy, another ferry takes us the next day to Alert Bay, a village on small Cormorant Island, territory of the Namgis First Nation. A stone’s throw from the site of the former St. Michael’s boarding school, the U’mista Center preserves the memory and heritage of the Kwakwa̱ka̱wakw. The visit gives an insight into their struggles to find regalia, traditional ceremonial garments scattered in museums and private collections around the world after the banishment of the “potlatch” – “to give” in French – in 1885 and to reclaim culture. and traditions after its lifting in 1951.
After exploring Victoria and taking a ferry back to Vancouver, the minibus odometer reads nearly 3,200 additional kilometres. The passengers, they wipe their tears by promising to meet again. Luckily, an elk story is never far away to bring smiles to life.
Our journalist was the guest of Discover Canada Tours, Air Transat and Destination BC, which had no right to inspect this text.
In our notebook
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, pertaining to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.