Canada: unusual accommodations in Quebec

Enjoy nature in Quebec

There’s so much to see and do in Quebec and the other Canadian provinces, you’ll never get bored! Especially when you love nature or are rediscovering it.

In this article, you’ll find unusual or unusual accommodation, in environments that invite you to relax.

A word of advice: book in advance. These accommodations are going like hotcakes. Some places are open in both summer and winter.

What is unusual accommodation?

These little roofs under our heads stand out for their originality. Hello tree houses, teepees, bubbles and yurts.

They are found in nature with sights, sounds and smells that soothe the soul. In a spirit of eco-responsibility and sustainable development, the owners have given priority to local, renewable and ecological materials. This is how unusual accommodation, often rustic, is defined.

Parks Canada's accommodation offer in Quebec

The Parks Canada site offers the following accommodations in Quebec:

Ôasis A small gîte in the shape of a teardrop. Available :

• At Forillon National Park
• At Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve

MicrOcube small one-room cube-shaped gîte with panoramic window. Available :

• At Forillon National Park

Historical stay A stay in a period tent, fort, lodge or period house (lockmaster, lighthouse keeper, etc.). Available :

• La Mauricie National Park
• At Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve

oTENTik hybrid between a tent and a chalet. Available :

• At Forillon National Park
• La Mauricie National Park
• At Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve
• Saint-Ours Canal National Historic Site

An overview of the Parks Canada experience

Welcome to Quarry Island in the Mingan Archipelago. A nature reserve under the protection of Parks Canada, it is known for its large number of giant monoliths.

The only way to get there is by boat. We will leave our car at the Havre-St-Pierre terminal or at the Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan terminal.

oTENTiks are installed on the island. Each six-person tent is furnished, heated and lit.

In addition to our own bedding, we have to bring our own food and drinking water, which are non-existent on the island. In addition, you will need the « kitchen kit » which can be purchased inexpensively from the Parks Canada booth at the marina.

On Quarry Island, Parks Canada guides offer interpretive walks. Marked trails also allow us to discover the flora and fauna for ourselves.

Huts and spheres hanging from trees in Quebec

Whether on stilts or in the trees, ecotourism cabins can lull you to sleep for a few nights.

Among the sites to discover are :

• Chimo in the Laurentians
• Kabania in Lanaudière
• Canopée Lit on the edge of the Saguenay Fjord
• Au Diable Vert in the Eastern Townships
• Les Toits du Monde in the Upper Laurentians
• Laö Cabines in Eastern Townships

All of them promise an unforgettable immersion in nature. Parc Aventures Cap Jaseux in Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean also adds the concept of suspended spheres.

The experience definitely allows for intimacy in the cabin and a symbiosis with nature.

Depending on the site, kitchen equipment can be provided. In the case of the suspended sphere, we’ll need to bring our own cooler, if we can’t find a fridge. The drinking water point, ecological toilet and fire pit must be shared with other campers.

Several sites have opted for common areas with kitchen and toilet facilities. And of course, you bring your own food, bedding, towels and toiletries.

A glimpse of the experience at Les Refuges Perchés

I chose the Refuges Perchés in Mont-Tremblant.

The six-person Refuge de la falaise #18 is ideal for those who are not afraid of heights. The place lives up to its name: it’s on the side of a cliff. You can get there by water. The cabin is only a few meters from the lake.

For an additional fee, we are provided with a canoe for the duration of our stay, but the slope is steep for carrying luggage up. If you choose the footpath, it’s a 20-minute walk. Luggage carts are lent to us.

However, if you prefer, there are cabins closer to lake level and the Reception Pavilion. For a family with small children, this would be preferable.

The cabin is well equipped: mattresses, kitchenette with sink, wood stove, propane stove, BBQ, coolers, etc. However, we pay for wood, ice, propane and battery rental for lighting or charging our cell phones. A dry toilet is located near each cabin. And for showers, a small convenience store, washer-dryer and wi-fi, head for the Reception Pavilion.

You can swim, fish, and rent canoes, pedal boats, kayaks or rabaskas on Lac Du Cordon. You can also walk on the 36 kilometers of trails. Plus, aren’t we in the Mont-Tremblant region, that great playground? There’s no shortage of activities!

Unusual cottages in Quebec

Many sites exist to rent cottages in Quebec, including MonsieurChalets which offers cottages with atypical, modern or minimalist architecture.

In addition to the classic chalets that can be booked, the accommodations offered by this Quebec-based company are also elegant. The choice is there. You’ll find retreats suitable for romantic couples, as well as larger bubbles designed to accommodate families in unique settings.

Domes and bubbles in Quebec

Whether we are :

• At the Centre de l’Hêtre
• In the Village Windigo de Basketong
• At Canopée-lit
• Aux Dômes Charlevoix
• At Parc Aventures Cap Jaseux
• At the Desjardins Geodomes
• Or at Les pieds sur terre

These spaces know how to charm us. This is where you can enjoy the stars and the forest thanks to the transparency of the cabin. It can be suspended, on stilts or on a platform. Completely transparent or one third glazed. Heated and/or pressurized. With or without electricity.

We even install them on the ice near the St-Gédéon islands in the Saguenay-Lac St-Jean region. They then become Igloft. Exclusive to Équinox Aventures.

An overview of the experience at Canopée-lit

I opted for the Canopée-lit offer in its double bubble called La Reboule.

These are two glued spheres, completely transparent in the heart of the forest. And because they are elevated, you can see everything without being seen. Perfect for a small family of four to sleep under the Milky Way.

Bedding and towels are provided, as is 110V electricity and a space heater.

The private bathroom is close to the bubble, with a dry toilet, shower and sink. They even provide the organic shower gel and shampoo.

For cooking, everything is available, including a barbecue at the reception.

During the day, you can hike five kilometers of trails, one of which is reserved for interpretation of the boreal forest.

Yurts and teepees in Quebec

Yurts and teepees are well developed in almost every region of Quebec. It is sought after by campers for its comfort.

While the yurt is the traditional tent used by nomadic peoples living in Central Asia, the teepee is the aboriginal version of the traditional First Nations habitat. The first is round, the second is conical.

Yurts

Many places offer this experience, including the Société des établissements de plein air du Québec.

But also :

• Massif du Sud Regional Park

We’re in St-Philémon in the Chaudières-Appalaches region. The yurt, located on the banks of the Rivière du Milieu, is equipped with a fireplace and four single bunk beds with mattresses. A dry toilet is located nearby. The yurt is designed to accommodate four people (up to six).

• Cime Aventures : our favorite

Bordering the magnificent Bonaventure River on the Gaspé Peninsula, the yurts can accommodate up to four people.

• Aux 4 Vents

If you fancy being rocked by calm waves on the St. Lawrence in Gaspésie, there’s the floating version of a yurt. Not too shabby.

Teepees

• Tipis de la rivière sauvage

In the heart of the Saint-Romain forest in the Eastern Townships, four wood-sheathed (rather than canvas) teepees await us at an ancient aboriginal camp. Two people can sleep on a perched bed and two more downstairs on a sofa bed. Kayaks are also available for hire.

• Auberge du trappeur

In St-Mathieu-du-Parc, the « Mokotakan » aboriginal village features nine teepees in which you can build a « sacred fire ». We can also take advantage of activities at La Mauricie National Park and the nearby forestry park.

• Pourki Estate

Finally, I leave you with a Polynesian hybrid: the Bora-Bora hut on the Richelieu River.

A glimpse of the Toits du Monde experience

Les Toits du Monde is a favorite choice because of the sympathetic story of this engineering couple who left everything behind, almost a decade ago, to live their dream.

Little by little, they set up their unusual accommodations: Mongolian yurts, perched cabins, hobbit houses and native teepees in the Upper Laurentians, near Grand Lac Nominingue.

Great activities are possible: canoeing, paddle surfing, tubing in calm water on Rivière Rouge. Or if you prefer, white-water rafting.

The teepee includes the following items:

• Propane stove (propane supplied)
• A wood-burning stove
• Drinking water
• A LED lamp for lighting (no electricity)

Eco-Lodges and Pods in Quebec

Ecogîtes

I assure you, I never thought that Quebec had so many unusual lodging offers. Impossible to list them all.

Winner of the « oscar » for forest ecogîtes, Entre Cimes et Racines is a fabulous site in the Eastern Townships. This way:

• The Stone of Fire
• The Hobbit
• Le Septième ciel

Finally, take a look at the Nichoirs Géants at Pointe-aux-Outardes.

Pods

At Le Diable Vert, pods – small, half-moon-shaped cabins – are set up on the ground. They are part of the sustainable tourism movement, since they’re built with local wood, ecological insulation materials and recycled metal for the roof.

Located in Sutton, Le Diable Vert owns nine of them. Pods can accommodate one or two people. Dogs allowed. Among the activities that stand out is Vélo-Volant, a beautiful 45-minute bike ride in the treetops.

Houseboats, lighthouses and coolboxes in Quebec

Houseboats

Did I tell you about houseboats, like the ones on the Gouin reservoir? They are real floating cottages that allow us to move around on the water, to fish and to land on beautiful beaches. They are very well equipped with electricity, showers and toilets.

Headlights

Did you know that of Quebec’s 43 lighthouses, you can spend the night in five of them?

Who sleeps at the Phare de l’île du Pot à l’eau-de-vie, in the heart of the St. Lawrence? Or in Pointe-des-Monts on the North Shore? Would you prefer to spend the night watching puffins in the lighthouse keeper’s house on Parrot Island? Why not stay in one of the nine rooms at the Phare de l’île verte in the Lower St. Lawrence? All right, you’re opting for the Gaspé Peninsula, it’s this way: Cap-Chat lighthouse.

A final reference given by a group member: the Quebec platform Vaolo, which highlights eco-responsible, community-based, unusual and often off-the-beaten-track tourist accommodations around the globe.

Coolboxes

Coolboxes can also be found in the following locations:

• Domaine des trois îles
• Domaine du Radar
• Anse St-Jean
• At La Baie Mandevielle campground in Lanaudière
• At Safari Park, in Montérégie
• and a more luxurious version: a contemporary loft called Zoobox at Vertendre

Save with points

On gasoline

To reduce your gas bill, simply take advantage of certain credit cards offering rewards in the Gas Station category.

Top cards include the CIBC Dividend^® Visa Infinite* Card with 4% cash back per dollar, and the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card with 5 points per dollar (or around 3.35%).

All our tips can be found in our guide How to save on gas prices in Canada.

Accommodation

Various options are available to reduce your bill. For example, the generous welcome offer from the CIBC Aventura^® Visa Infinite* Card combined with their points redemption promotion is great for saving on your accommodation.

Our guide How to save on cottage rentals with points will also be of great help.

Take American Express Membership Rewards points, which are flexible. Each 1,000 Membership Rewards points deducts $10 from your credit card balance.

For example, you’ve found a rental for $600 and you have 50,000 Membership Rewards points, which equals $500. Your rental will cost you only $100.

Frequently Asked Questions