Tucked away in the Charlevoix backcountry, St-Urbain offers lovers of the great outdoors unimaginable treasures. Mont du Lac-des-Cygnes – whose ascent culminates at 980 metres – offers stunning scenery from above, where forested cover once devastated by fire reveals terrain sculpted by glaciers.

Still in Saint-Urbain and a rare sight indeed here in southern Québec, Parc des Grands-Jardins National Park invites visitors to explore a surprising microclimate that is typical of Québec’s Great North. Parc national des Grands-Jardins’ magnificent and astonishing taiga counts over 200 recorded varieties of lichen, and is the preferred habitat of the caribou. The very first herd introduced in 1969 contributes today to the survival of its species, and benefits caribou observation in their natural habitat. Once the stomping grounds of politicians, diplomats and the well to do here on vacation – with Château-Beaumont Chalet being their preferred stopover in the La Roche sector – today the National Park is accessible to all hiking enthusiasts seeking exceptional scenery. 

Still in Saint-Urbain, hiking and snowshoe aficionados and Nordic skiers alike all find their nirvana when they set out to discover La Traversée de Charlevoix, a 106-kilometre trail cleared back in 1978 by Eudore Fortin and his crew. Deep in the heart of the loveliest of all Charlevoix winter landscapes, la Traversée de Charlevoix is the prime outdoor adventure for sports enthusiasts.