For the second part of my stay in Forillon National Park, I try something new: a night in one of the new oTENTik tents. It’s an interesting new concept developed for Parks Canada, a blend of a tent and a cabin. I opt for the basic type, located in Des-Rosiers Campground.

I get there early in the afternoon and, being a curious person by nature, I proceed to look at every single detail. The design is flawless. The oTENTik tent is made of a very thick canvas that looks highly-resistant to me, laid on a wood structure. It offers enough space for a group of four adults and two children. Besides the sleeping platforms, the furniture consists of a table, four chairs and a bench. The battery lantern suspended to a large beam provides more than enough light. I’m concerned about sunlight coming in tomorrow morning, but I realize everything has been well-thought: there are blinds with Velcro closures on both windows and on the door. These can be put on and off in seconds. At one point, theres a moment where I would have liked to have been filmed (or maybe not, when I think about it). I wanted to get out of the tent and get some of my gear from the car. But how do I get out? I looked around for a few seconds (which seemed longer than that) before pulling on something that looked like a nail (yep, just besides the note that said “Pull to open” J). It’s actually the mechanism to raise the latch from inside... 

When I get back to my tent in the evening, I cook on the picnic table outside even if there have been a few showers during the afternoon. Another option would have been to take my cooking gear to the large common room equipped with a woodstove in the service building located some 100 metres away, because the use of a propane stove inside the tent is forbidden.

I spent a really good night, very comfortable, despite the coolness of the September night. Actually, if you’re afraid to be cold at night, the ready-to-camp oTENTik tents include a heater, electricity, dishes and utensils, a small fridge and a BBQ with a stove (This type of accommodation closes in early September, but the basic type closes in early October).

See for yourself and live a truly oTENTik experience!