Quebec self drive vacation, Canada

Planet

Any activities undertaken are strictly controlled within the park or region that they take place. ie. hikes and mountain bikes stick to trails so that they don’t disturb the naturally environment that they go through, Quebec has some incredible national parks, including Saguenay Fjord National Park, the Parc National des Grands Jardins and also the trails around Pointe De l’Islet - which are brilliant for spotting whales from the shore.

Any motorised boat trips stay away from environmentally sensitive areas, and we encourage families to enjoy kayaking and stand-up paddle where possible, which are less harmful to the environment, but allow them to enjoy the fabulous landscape without noise. This includes on the St Laurence River and in and around Baie St Paul, with opportunities to kayak and sail.

With our self-drive trips, we always suggest routings and attraction and accommodation ideas that are off the beaten track. This means clients avoid main roads and heavy traffic – and it encourages visitation to less well-known places, away from the crowds, where the tourism dollar is more needed and appreciated. Parts of Quebec are roads that are less travelled, including Tadoussac and La Malbaie.

Wherever possible, we also actively support attractions, accommodation and service providers accommodations that have their own environmental policies in place and encourage our clients to ensure their own environmental footprint is minimised wherever possible.

People

We have taken time to work with our Canadian partners to ensure our clients are encouraged to use accommodation and support products that are authentic and support local businesses and communities. Our partners are Canadian based and comply with all relevant laws that protect the rights of their employees.

Prior to departure, we let our clients know about local customs, specially relating to indigenous communities and their traditions.

Wherever possible, we use locally owned accommodation that supports the communities in the area and provides employment to the local population. We also try to ensure that local produce is used and we suggest restaurants that are unique and used locally sourced ingredients. Some fantastic examples in Quebec, include the Bistro la Chasse-Pinte and the outstanding Fromagerie Saint-Fidele, which has some incredible local cheeses.

In order to promote the overall health of their workforce, one of our first nation accommodation providers has also established the Employee Wellness Programme, which aims to address the holistic health needs of not only their staff, but also of the communities that surround their lodge. In essence, the programme is devoted to reducing the incidence of accident and illness in the workplace, promoting healthy lifestyles, maximizing potential and promoting optimum quality of life.