Our top 7 things to see in Tadoussac: whales, dunes and history

Tadoussac is one of those places that is a tourist hotspot during the day in summer and wonderfully quiet in the evening. Located at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord into the mighty St. Lawrence River, this village enchanted us from the very first moment. It is the oldest village in Canada and a true natural paradise. We took a look around and discovered the most beautiful sights in Tadoussac – from historical treasures to spectacular viewpoints.

Distinctive Landmarks: The Hôtel Tadoussac

During our stroll through Tadoussac, we naturally passed the legendary Hôtel Tadoussac. We couldn’t miss it, as it is immediately recognizable by its striking, bright red roof and radiant white facade. In front of the building, on a flawlessly manicured lawn, we discovered numerous small seating areas for the guests.

The historic Hotel Tadoussac features a white wooden facade with dark green shutters and a striking red mansard roof topped with a central white cupola. The grand building is surrounded by manicured green lawns and various shaped shrubs under a cloudy sky.

Today’s building was constructed in 1942 in the style of the grand Canadian railway hotels. It has already served as a filming location for several well-known movies, such as The Hotel New Hampshire starring Jodie Foster.

For us, this building is simply the absolute eye-catcher in town.

Tracing History: The Chauvin Trading Post

Tadoussac was the first place in North America where the French established a permanent trading post. In 1600, Pierre de Chauvin de Tonnetuit founded a post for the fur trade here. It was the foundation of the French presence in Canada.

A view of the historic Chauvin Trading Post (Tadoussac Handelsposten) in Quebec, featuring a wooden building with a steep red metal roof and a stone chimney, surrounded by a rustic log fence and a traditional teepee frame.

We visited the Poste de traite Chauvin, which is a faithful reconstruction. Today, it houses a small but very informatively designed museum. It documents the history of the fur trade and the early encounters between Europeans and the First Nations (Innu). A must-see for history buffs!

La Petite Chapelle

Officially, this beautiful church is called Chapelle Sainte-Anne. Built in 1747, it is considered the oldest wooden church in North America that is still preserved in its original condition. Right next to the church, we also discovered a small, idyllic cemetery.

The historic St. Anne's Chapel in Tadoussac is a small white wooden church with a bright red roof and steeple, situated on a grassy hill overlooking a cemetery.

Originally, it served the Jesuits as a mission station to convert the indigenous population, which is why it is often called the “Indian Chapel.” In 1615, Father Jean Dolbeau laid the foundation stone for the Sainte-Croix mission. After various predecessor buildings—including an early stone chapel from 1646—fell victim to the ravages of time, the current structure was built on the initiative of the Jesuit Claude-Godefroy Coquart. The chapel was dedicated to Saint Anne.

We visited this small church building. A guide sits right next to the door, passing on some information about the church to every visitor. We were truly speechless during our visit: there is no pomp and no massive domes here. Instead, we stood in a simple, wood-paneled room that almost looks like the hull of an overturned ship. Inside the church, we were able to view a small exhibition of religious artifacts from the colonial era.

The interior of the Tadoussac Chapel (St. Anne’s) features a rustic wooden altar adorned with gold accents and a large cross, set against warm wood-paneled walls and rows of simple pews.

Our tip: Make sure to walk around the altar once, where you can admire the church treasure.

The chapel has preserved a special heritage to this day: true to an old promise, a solemn mass is held every year on July 26th – the only annual mass that takes place at this location.

Whale Watching from Land: Sentier de la Pointe-de-l’Islet

The Sentier de la Pointe-de-l’Islet may be one of the shortest hiking trails (a 1.5 km loop) in Tadoussac, but it is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular. The trail starts right at the marina, behind the CIMM (Whale Museum). It circles the rocky peninsula that separates the Saguenay Fjord from the St. Lawrence River. The loop takes about 20 to 40 minutes – depending on how often you stop to look for whales.

A wooden boardwalk winds along the rocky, moss-covered shoreline of a hiking trail in Tadoussac, overlooking the calm waters of the sea and distant forested hills under a cloudy sky.

A wooden boardwalk along the Tadoussac Wanderweg trail follows the rugged coastline, featuring a weather-worn railing and an educational sign overlooking the calm waters of the St. Lawrence River under a cloudy sky.

Because that is exactly what makes this little trail so special. The first section led us through a small forest. The trees here are often bizarrely shaped. As the forest opened up, we continued walking on the region’s typical reddish granite rocks. There are numerous viewpoints with benches here. Especially when the sun shines on the rocks, it is a wonderful place to enjoy the view.

A wide-angle shot of the rocky coastline in Tadoussac, Quebec, featuring layered grey rock formations in the foreground and a calm body of water leading to forested hills under an overcast sky.

The highlight is the tip of the peninsula, which we reached next. Here, you can experience the “confluence” of the waters. The dark freshwater of the fjord meets the salty water of the river. This is the best spot in Tadoussac to see whales from land. Especially the white belugas and the small minke whales often come within a few meters of the rocks to feed in the nutrient-rich water.

A weathered wooden bench overlooks a scenic coastal view along a hiking trail in Tadoussac, framed by evergreen trees and the calm waters of the St. Lawrence River under a cloudy sky.

A Secret Glimpse: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church

Right across from our motel stood a small church that was mostly closed. One morning we got lucky: we saw someone go inside and cautiously followed. In a nice conversation, we learned more about this gem from the year 1882.

The interior of the historic Tadoussac Chapel (Kirche) features warm, wood-paneled walls and a vaulted ceiling, with rows of carved wooden chairs facing a small altar and stained-glass windows. The Quebec and Canadian flags hang on either side of the chancel, which is illuminated by soft light filtering through the colorful glass.

St. Andrew’s Church reflects the influence of Scottish and English settlers as well as wealthy 19th-century summer guests in Tadoussac. It was originally built for the growing community of Scottish Presbyterians, who often worked as merchants or administrators in the region.

Stepping through the door feels like being inside a ship. The entire church is made of wood. At the time of construction, this was not only cheap but also available in abundant quantities.

The altar of the church in Tadoussac features a gold-embroidered frontal with a cross, set against a backdrop of carved wood and three stained-glass windows dedicated to the memory of Jessie Margaret Whitley. A light blue cloth covers the top of the altar, where a small plaque inscribed with "IHS" rests in front of the decorative wooden reredos.

Today, the Presbyterian congregation is very small, so the church is often used for cultural purposes. In the summer, concerts are held there regularly, as the wooden interior produces a very warm sound.

Everything About the Giants of the Sea: The CIMM

After our whale-watching boat tour, visiting the CIMM (Centre d’Interprétation des Mammifères Marins) was an absolute must for us.

The exterior of the Tadoussac Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre features a grey, multi-gabled building and several large white whale sculptures displayed on a rocky outcrop. A paved path leads toward the museum, which is nestled against a backdrop of dense green forest under a cloudy sky.

The center is operated by the GREMM (Groupe de recherche et d’éducation sur les mammifères marins). This means the information comes firsthand from researchers who deal with the whales in the fjord every day. The staff on-site are often ready to answer current questions (e.g., which whales were sighted in the bay this morning).

Several whale skeletons of various sizes hang from the ceiling and are displayed on the floor of the Tadoussac Museum, while visitors walk through the dimly lit exhibit.

The museum isn’t particularly large. Since the explanations at the stations are in French, we received an English companion booklet. Right at the beginning, a museum employee showed us a film about the whales in the region. I found it very interesting and was happy that she gave us additional explanations in English.

A side-view of a whale skull (walschaedel) at the Tadoussac Museum, featuring long, dark baleen plates hanging from the upper jaw over a large, curved lower jawbone.

When we then entered the museum room, we stood before an impressive collection of whale skeletons. A huge 13-meter-long sperm whale skeleton takes up almost the entire room.

There are many multimedia stations where you can listen to whale songs or learn how to distinguish individual animals (like belugas) based on their features. The children especially were absolutely thrilled, and I have to admit – I was too.

A museum exhibit at the Tadoussac Museum features colorful cartoon panels of whales and illuminated information boards in French about whale mating and nursing.

Even though the entrance fee isn’t “cheap,” the visit was well worth it.

Natural Wonder: The Dunes of Tadoussac (Les Dunes)

The dunes are located about a 5 to 10-minute drive (or a longer hike) northeast of the village center. If you drive there, you’ll find free 60-minute parking right by the road. A few meters further down, there is an additional parking lot where a hiking trail begins.

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This area is geologically fascinating and one of the most impressive places in the region. They are actually two massive marine sand terraces that were formed at the end of the last ice age (about 10,000 years ago).

We initially parked right on the road. I particularly like that there are some picnic tables here, where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the St. Lawrence River. There is also a small viewing platform from which the view is even more impressive.

A man in a dark jacket and bright green shoes stands on the steep, sandy slope of the Tadoussac dunes, looking back toward the camera with a scenic view of the St. Lawrence River and forested hills in the background.

A person in a dark jacket and blue jeans climbs the steep, sandy slope of the Tadoussac dunes under a cloudy sky, with a line of green trees bordering the ridge.

If you feel up to it, you can walk down the dune to reach the riverbank. But beware! Please remember, going down is easy – getting back up in the soft sand is the difficult part. There are no paved paths, even if the beaten track looks like one. The sand constantly slides down, and the slope is very steep. Without physical fitness, this is hardly manageable.

A wide, sandy beach at Tadoussac curves along a calm bay, leading toward a massive sand dune nestled against a lush, green forested hillside.

A wide, sandy beach at Tadoussac stretches along the calm water's edge, bordered by a steep, forested dune under a cloudy sky.

However, those who brave the trek down to the beach can enjoy a beautiful walk along the water. We took a wonderful stroll before making our way back up.

A wide-angle landscape view from the top of the Tadoussac dunes in Quebec, showing a sandy slope leading down to lush green trees and the St. Lawrence River under a cloudy sky.

From the second parking lot, a signposted hiking trail leads through the forest and over rocks to a viewing platform situated high above the river. While we were walking there, the wind picked up so strongly that the trees around us cracked and groaned eerily. Even the roofed viewing platform, which stands right on a steep cliff, creaked so much that we only took a few “quick” photos and then preferred to head back to the car. The view was truly breathtakingly beautiful, and with a bit less wind, we definitely would have sat there for quite a while longer.