Kelledstyle

Summer is not over! Even if the temperature is progressively decreasing, this is still a good time to visit the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region. History, nature, and adventure, the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean area is diversified and has lot to offer.

Opened from May to October, the Historical village of Val-Jalbert was the first stop of our visit. Thanks to the guided tour on board of the old trolleybus, we enjoyed a unique and immersive time travel experience while we learned about the life of an authentic company town in the early Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean’s industrial age.

The Historical village of Val-Jalbert is an open sky museum and offers numerous attractions designed to capture the essence of life in 1927: street animations, projections, scales models, immersive sensory experiences, breathtaking panoramic views and much more. The highlight of our visit remains the impressive Ouiatchouan Falls located near the pulp mill.

What will be Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean without their blueberries? We went to Michel Rivard et Filles farm to experience blueberry picking. The harvest season usually runs from mid-July to mid-September. The farm’s shop offers fresh products derived from the harvest, such as blueberry pies, blueberry jelly, homemade chips and many others items.

Would you like to visit an unusual landscape? Jardin Scullion, three times regional prizewinner of Grands Prix du tourisme québécois, celebrates its 30th anniversary and invites you to discover more than 2,000 species of plants from all around the world. Among the new features, you will be able to visit the site by electric carts and discover the largest conifers garden ever created. Add to this the new 35-meter arched bridge inspired by the great gardens of England.

If you are looking for a quiet place to spend the afternoon, Plage le Rigolet located on the shores of Lac Saint-Jean will suit your needs. With direct access to the Véloroute des bleuets, this free public beach offers many services such as outdoor playgrounds, picnic area, observation sites, and a restaurant. In the evening, Plage le Rigolet is a great spot to admire the sunset with the reflections on the water.

During our visit in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, we stayed at 4-star Hotel Universel Alma ideally located in the heart of downtown Alma with 72 newly renovated rooms. We were warmly welcomed by the hotel staff and received Coffrets du Royaume package: gifts made of local products.

Amenities offered at Hotel Universel Alma include spacious indoor pool and a spa on the 1st floor where you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the river while sitting on the outdoor terrace. For those who are very active as we are, the well equipped fitness room will allow you to stay in shape. Foodies are not left behind with the Pacini d’Alma Italian restaurant located directly in the hotel. The menu features breakfast, Italian weekend brunch, as well as allergen free and gluten free options.

How to get there? If you are in a hurry, opt for the plane from Montreal to Bagotville. Many different airline companies operate regular and occasional flights out of the Saguenay-Bagotville airport located halfway between La Baie and Chicoutimi. For example, Air Canada operates approximately 3 flights per day and the duration is just 1 hour long. If you have plenty of time, you could choose among VIA Rail train, bus or car.

In partnership with Ford, we comfortably drove until Saguenay Lac-Saint-Jean on board of the 2017 Ford Escape Titanium. The new Escape takes confident style into fresh new territory with a rugged exterior design showing its strong SUV heritage. The range-topping Titanium model combines the Escape’s utility and fun driving feel with intuitive, clever technologies and premium finishes.

Here are 3 things we particularly like about the 2017 Ford Escape Titanium: the panoramic Vista Roof to let the outside in, the active park assist suitable for parallel and perpendicular  parking spaces, and the high-quality Sony audio system. Have a safe trip to Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean!