A certified translator and avid outdoorsman, Jean-Pascal Côté works as a freelance writer and translator in Bas-Saint-Laurent, the region where he was born. He regularly escapes his daily life by going road biking, cycle touring or cyclocross racing, skiing in the mountains of Bas-Saint-Laurent or Western Canada, or sea kayaking on the St. Lawrence River. He is constantly dreaming up new travel plans. He also blogs (on an admittedly irregular basis) about his cycle touring adventures.

Anne Pélouas, a native of France, has been a journalist in Québec for over three decades. She was the Canadian correspondent for the prestigious French daily newspaper Le Monde for 20 years, while also working as a freelance journalist specializing in tourism, the outdoors and the art of living for Québec publications, a niche she maintains with passion. She has travelled throughout the maritime regions of Québec and continues to be enchanted by the landscapes found here as well as by her memorable encounters and the unusual activities on offer, all of which provide rich fodder for her stories.

During the summer of 2011, Meredith Bailey took part in a blogger project that was the starting point for this blog. For five weeks, she travelled the four maritime regions of Québec and shared her experiences here.

Marie-Ève Blanchard and Marie-Julie Gagnon leapt at the chance to make two trips to the maritime regions of Québec. First, accompanied by their daughters, they road-tripped through the regions of Côte-Nord, Gaspésie and Bas-Saint-Laurent, enjoying the breathtaking scenery during their many adventures. The two of them then headed to the Îles de la Madeleine, where they enjoyed the slower pace of the Islands and were charmed by the exotic beauty of this archipelago.

Marie-Ève Muller is the Communication Officer for the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM), a non-profit organization dedicated to scientific research on the whales of the St. Lawrence and education for the sake of marine conservation.

As editor of Whales Online, she devours the latest research on whales as well as the stories of scientists and observers.

Nathalie Le Coz has been hiking and canoeing throughout Québec with boundless curiosity and enthusiasm for over 20 years. Her training in anthropology has shaped her view of the world, her reading of old texts and her interest in people and their ways of life. She has worked in museums as well as in the fields of arts and crafts, history and archeology. Since 2007, she has published three books about Québec’s rich natural and cultural heritage.

Based in Montréal, Jennifer Doré Dallas is a freelance writer and travel blogger at Moi, mes souliers who has her fingers in many pies. An inveterate photographer and true digital enthusiast, she has been travelling regularly since she turned 18. On the road in Québec or abroad, she loves meeting people who are passionate about what they do and tell their stories with a sparkle in their eyes.

Blog: moimessouliers.org (in French only)
Facebook: Facebook.com/moimessouliersvoyage
Twitter: twitter.com/moimessouliers
Instagram: instagram.com/moimessouliers
Pinterest: pinterest.com/moimessouliers

Originally from Gaspésie, Marie-Eve Lagacé loves both writing and her corner of the world, so she’s delighted to be able to combine these passions as a writer for this blog! Her favourite subjects are people, local culture and our regions’ unexpected (and sometimes unusual) treasures. Although she loves relaxing with a coffee and a good book, she also enjoys exploring new vistas and swimming with the salmon in the Matapédia River!

Born in Bas-Saint-Laurent, Anne-Josée Pineau loves this region and is delighted to introduce others to it. Never far from the sea, she’s fascinated by lighthouses and could live on seafood alone! On this blog, she likes to write about our regions’ unusual attractions, make your mouth water by describing local delicacies, and pique your interest by revealing some of the hidden beauty found in Québec by the Sea. In other words, she wants to provide you with lots of ideas for an unforgettable vacation!

A foodie traveller based in the Montréal region, Nathalie Katinakis regularly writes about her adventures in North America and Europe on her blog, Une Porte Sur Deux Continents. A fan of slow travel, she loves discovering new spots to recommend to others and revisiting old favourites on both sides of the Atlantic. The maritime regions of Québec are high on her list: she never tires of visiting them to admire their beauty!

Blog: uneportesurdeuxcontinents.com (in French only)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/uneportesurdeuxcontinents
Instagram: www.instagram.com/uneportesurdeuxcontinents

A nutritionist, writer and lecturer, Julie Aubé has an insatiable curiosity and great enthusiasm for everything related to food. Over the years, she has developed a keen interest in agritourism and food tourism, because for her, eating well is not limited to the flavours and nutritional qualities of food—it also means taking an interest in the origins of food as well as in food producers and artisans. She visits and savours the maritime regions of Québec every year, if not every season!

Website: julieaube.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AubeJulie
Instagram: www.instagram.com/julieaubedtp
Twitter: twitter.com/JulieAubeDtP

Responsible for content and social media for Authentik Canada, Sarah Mazière is a nomad at heart. She loves being outdoors as well as hiking and camping, but road-tripping is what lights her up the most. Travelling across Canada from east to west is one of her fondest memories. Now a mother, she is passionate about passing on her values and her taste for adventure to her little girl.

Website: www.authentikcanada.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthentikCanada
Instagram: www.instagram.com/authentikcanada

After 20 years of touring Canada as a theatre actress, Valérie Gasse became a tour guide and discovered a second vocation. Twenty years later, she’s still driven by the same passion, which is to share her part of the world, mainly with foreign visitors. Her greatest pride is helping people discover the splendours of the maritime regions of Québec. As someone who grew up at the foot of one of the most beautiful lighthouses on the Gaspésie coast, she comes by her enthusiasm honestly!

Canadian tour guide Jean-François Gratton has been accompanying groups of tourists who want to discover the wonders of the country for over a decade. Passionate about nature, hiking and all things maritime, he maintains a blog (in French only) on his website where he shares his most beautiful experiences, travel anecdotes and his passion for the history of various parts of Canada.

Website: www.jfguide.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jfguide
Instagram: www.instagram.com/jfguidecanada

A passionate journalist, occasional kinesiologist and abiding endurance sports enthusiast, Maxime Bilodeau loves to play outdoors. Lucky for him, the Québec City area, where he lives, is full of beautiful spots to swim, bike and run, his three favourite activities, preferably done in that order. He also rambles happily all over the province, which he has explored extensively for his work. He has a weakness for Eastern Québec, an area he returns to every year for new experiences and adventures.

For 36 years, Luc Montminy worked in the world of education as an English teacher, but also as the head of the language and student travel department in English-speaking environments. Since fall 2015, he’s had the opportunity to work as a travel guide. Having worked part-time in this field for 30 years, he’s very pleased to be able to devote more time to this exciting profession. His favourite tours are in Québec, Ontario, the East Coast of the United States, the Midwest, Western Canada and European cities such as Paris, London and Vienna. He also makes time to enjoy his other passions with his growing family, including sports and outdoor activities, volunteer work and travelling with his partner.

Ah, the invigorating air that awakens you to the beauty of the landscapes! That’s what Julie Soyez loves. Originally from France, she fell in love with La Belle Province during a study trip in 2013. Since then, she explores the beaches, forests, lakes and rivers of Québec in all seasons, whether on foot, by bike or by kayak. As an adventure tourism and ecotourism guide, she loves to share her passion for nature with others and always carries a pen in her big bag!

Originally from the French Alps, Ulrich Josserand is a nature lover and a big fan of outdoor expeditions. Passionate about the great outdoors, he’s proud to have chosen Eastern Québec as his new home. In fact, he’s constantly wowed by the regions of Gaspésie and Bas-Saint-Laurent, where he has lived in recent years. When he’s not seeking adventure in our magnificent mountains and forests or road-tripping along the St. Lawrence, you can find him writing or playing music while dreaming of his next expedition.

Originally from Le Bic, in Bas-Saint-Laurent, Anthony Lepage is passionate about extreme sports. In the summer, he spends all his free time on mountain bike trails, while in the winter, he can be found on ski slopes or in the glades in search of powder. Fascinated by the spectacular landscapes of Eastern Québec, he decided to return to his native region after a stint in the big city, to enjoy a lifestyle in harmony with nature. Through the posts he’s writing for this blog, he hopes to help you discover the amazing natural playgrounds hidden throughout this vast territory.

Pamela has been a freelance travel and food writer for the last 10 years, writing about travel, culture and food in Québec on her website, Urban Guide Québec. She has written for Québec City tourism and updates guidebooks on Montréal, Québec City and Canada for Michelin and DK Eyewitness. The maritime regions of Québec are her favourite getaway destinations, nearly always filled with nature explorations, delicious food, culture and friendly locals.

A native of Ontario, Canada, Jean-Christophe Lemay grew up in a tiny village called L’Orignal, far from any salt water but still surrounded by nature. It was during numerous trips to the United States that he fell in love with the ocean and all it harbours. Then, in 2010, he moved to Rimouski, Québec, to pursue graduate studies in marine biology. That same year, he acquired his first waterproof camera to capture waves between surfing sessions and then developed an interest in nature and wildlife in general. In 2019, he decided to pursue full time his passion and mission to bring nature into people’s daily lives. Through his photos, he hopes to showcase the rich natural heritage of Québec and Canada and encourage people to conserve and protect natural environments.

Fascinated by the history of life on Earth from an early age, Olivier Matton discovered the fossils at Miguasha as a child during family vacations in Gaspésie. In the summer of 2000, a student job at Parc national de Miguasha introduced him to the unique scientific wealth and fascinating paleontological world of the Miguasha cliff with its many hidden treasures. After completing university studies in biology and earth sciences, he was fortunate enough to relocate to the Chaleur Bay area in 2008. Since then, he has been the Conservation and Education Director at Parc national de Miguasha and firmly believes in the importance of providing popular science information about this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Pascale G. Malenfant has a college diploma in natural environment interpretation, a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and a graduate degree in applied sustainable development. She has also taken several courses focused specifically on mycology, the scientific study of fungi.

After working as an environmental project manager, consultant and college professor, Pascale worked in applied research at Biopterre for seven years, specifically developing the potential of non-timber forest products and mushrooms for businesses and communities in Québec. She currently holds the position of Mushroom Tourism Development and Innovation Advisor at the Kamouraska Regional County Municipality.

Pascale is also the author of Sur le chemin des champignons : Le mycotourisme au Québec, published in 2022 by Les Éditions de l’Homme. This essential reference guide (available in French only) will introduce you to mushrooms and mushroom tourism as well as all the mushroom tourism businesses found throughout the regions of Québec.

A versatile communicator and freelance journalist for over 40 years, Yves Ouellet specializes in adventure tourism. Whether in an RV or kayak, on a bike or snowmobile, on foot, snowshoes or skis, he regularly criss-crosses Québec and the world in search of inspiration and in all seasons. He has penned 3500 stories published in Québec newspapers and magazines and has written or contributed to 35 books, mainly coffee-table books and travel guides, all while pursuing a career in regional radio at Radio-Canada from his home in the Saguenay area. Yves has also been a contributor to the Motoneige Québec magazine for three decades and was its editor-in-chief for nearly 20 years. He has a deep and abiding love for the St. Lawrence and the Saguenay Fjord.

A native of the Montérégie countryside, Annick Beauchemin grew up near the St. Lawrence River and has always felt very attached to this waterway. In addition to her love of water, she has a passion for all things having to do with Québec. In fact, she set herself the goal of visiting all the province’s regions, an achievement she will soon reach. Since 2020, she has been publishing Bouche à Oreille, an online magazine that promotes Québec culture. It features her favourite themes: local products to taste, places to explore and works of art to discover. As a freelance writer, she also loves collaborating with organizations that reflect her values and interests.

Having grown up in the Vosges Mountains in France and the jungles of French Guiana, Valère Brable eventually settled near the sea in Matane, in Gaspésie, in 2018. With a degree in tourism and a love of the great outdoors, he likes to take advantage of his free time to hit the road and explore the regions of Québec.

Located at the confluence of the fresh waters of the Saguenay Fjord and the salt waters of the St. Lawrence Estuary, the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park was created in 1998 at the request of the community to protect beluga whales and their habitat. It is the first marine protected area in the province of Québec and one of the first in Canada. Co-managed by the governments of Québec and Canada, the marine park has the mission to increase ecosystem protection levels for the benefit of present and future generations while encouraging educational, recreational and scientific activities in the park. Covering an area of 1245 km² (480 sq. mi.) in the St. Lawrence Estuary and Saguenay Fjord, the marine park is recognized as one of the best places in the world to observe marine mammals. In addition, over 2200 plant and animal species have been observed within the park’s borders since its creation. Every year, visitors from all over the world visit the park’s shores and waters during excursions in sightseeing boats, sea kayaks or even their own vessels. The area surrounding the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park also boasts a rich maritime history.

Mélanie Gagné writes even when she’s not writing. Whether on the beach, in the forest, on a mountaintop or at a farmers market, she records what inspires her, always attentive to the grain of things. She divides her time between her roles as a mother, French-language teacher and writer.