Parc Nature de Pointe-aux-Outardes≈ 20 kmSalt marsh, dunes and boardwalk trails. One of Québec's best birdwatching sites, more than 200 species recorded.
Manicouagan · Côte-Nord
A beach village, at the end of a road that follows the sea
Pointe-Lebel sits on a sand spit between the St. Lawrence and the Manicouagan River. The rest of the Côte-Nord starts here.
The village
Pointe-Lebel: 2,000 residents and 8 km of beach
The Pointe-Lebel beach is one of the longest on the Côte-Nord. At low tide the sand uncovers for hundreds of metres, and you can walk until the chalet is just a dot.
The village has a grocery store, a gas station and a snack bar. For everything else (restaurants, pharmacy, liquor store, hardware), Baie-Comeau is twenty minutes away.
It's a quiet place. That's usually why people come.
Low tidethe flats can stretch past 300 m of sand
Things to do
What's nearby
Distances are from the chalet, by car.
Parc Nature de Pointe-aux-Outardes≈ 20 km
Baie-Comeau≈ 18 kmGroceries, pharmacy, liquor store, restaurants, a microbrewery. The Vieux-Poste and the Amélie district are worth a late-afternoon visit.
Whale watching≈ 2 h 30Cruises leave from Les Escoumins and Tadoussac, southwest along Route 138. A long day out, but it's the trip guests regret least.
Barrage Daniel-Johnson (Manic-5)≈ 210 kmThe largest multiple-arch-and-buttress dam in the world. Guided tours in summer, by reservation. Plan a full day.
Baie-Comeau to Matane ferry≈ 20 kmThe crossing to the Gaspé Peninsula. Handy if you're continuing your road trip rather than driving back the way you came.
A small family ski hill in Baie-Comeau, open in winter. Downhill, snowboarding, and cross-country trails at the base.
When to come
Four seasons, four different stays
June to AugustThe beach
Long evenings, the water at its warmest (which stays relative), fires outside. The busiest period : book early.
September to OctoberThe colours
Fewer people, the best light of the year, and rates come down. Many regulars' favourite season.
November to MarchThe ice
The river freezes in sheets, the shore turns white. A heated chalet, the fireplace, fast internet : remote-work season by the water.
April to MayThe thaw
The birds return to Pointe-aux-Outardes. Snow can linger into May, it surprises visitors from the south.
Official resources
The official websites to plan your stay in the region.
Parc Nature de Pointe-aux-OutardesThe park's website: trails, fees, eventsTourisme Côte-NordWhat to do in the region, by the regionLe Québec maritimeItineraries and inspiration for Québec's whole EastSociété des traversiers du QuébecSchedules and bookings for the Baie-Comeau to Matane ferryHydro-Québec : Manic-5 toursBooking for the guided tours of the damVille de Baie-ComeauServices, events and attractions in the neighbouring town
Pointe-Lebel, Côte-NordGoogle Maps ↗
Getting here
Via Route 138
- Québec City4 h 30
- Montréal7 h 00
- Tadoussac2 h 15
- Baie-Comeau airport9 km
You'll need a car. There is no public transit to the chalet.
Photo credits
The photos of the chalet and its beach are Catherine's. Those of the surrounding places come from Wikimedia Commons, under an open licence.
- Parc Nature de Pointe-aux-OutardesAnne Dieu-Le-Veut · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Baie-ComeauQuintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
- Whale watchingMaksim Sokolov · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Barrage Daniel-Johnson (Manic-5)Hayden Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
- Baie-Comeau to Matane ferryWiki.cullin · CC BY-SA 4.0
The beach is waiting.
Book direct. Cheaper than the platforms, and confirmed by Catherine within 3 hours.
See availability