What to do in Gatineau: Restaurants and Activities in winter/summer

Updated May 31, 2024
Fact checked by
Marie-Ève Leclerc
Marie-Ève Leclerc Marie-Ève Leclerc
Marie-Ève, Web Director at Milesopedia, is an expert in budget travel and a slow travel enthusiast. Specializing in Aeroplan, Scene+, and Marriott Bonvoy programs, she spends nearly six months a year abroad, making travel her way of life. Constantly seeking the best waves to surf, excellent coffee, and strategies to extend her travels, she is often found in coworking spaces with fellow digital nomads or by the sea, watching the sunset.
All posts by Marie-Ève Leclerc
Pont Alexandra qui relie Ottawa a Gatineau
To the point This article includes suggestions for good restaurants and activities around the city of Gatineau.

On both sides of the Ottawa River

The cities of Gatineau and Ottawa share the Ottawa River. They face each other, one in Quebec, the other in Ontario.

It’s easy to visit both cities on the same trip, because they’re only a bridge away. But while Ottawa, Canada’s capital, is well known, Gatineau deserves some introduction.

Let’s see what you can discover in Gatineau and its surroundings . For a weekend, during spring break or the summer vacations, or during the much appreciated Bal des Neiges, which takes place in both cities. As you wish.

Our selection of restaurants in Gatineau

Within walking distance of the Sheraton Gatineau-Ottawa if you are staying there, locals recommend the following restaurants:

Le Clandestin cuisine creative
Crédit photo: Zook-le
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Earning Rate
  • Groceries5Membership Rewards
  • Dining and Food delivery5Membership Rewards
  • Convenience Stores5Membership Rewards
Value
  • Year 1 $1,054
  • Year 2+ $799
Best For
Transfer Partners
  • AeroplanAsia MilesBritish Airways ClubEtihad GuestFlying BlueHilton HonorsMarriott BonvoyAmerican Express Membership Rewards

Advantages

  • Annual Credit
  • VIP Lounges
  • Concierge
  • Wifi
  • Travel credit

Travel Insurance

Insurance Name
Included
Amount
Duration
Travel Medical Insurance
Travel medical insurance up to 54 years old
$5,000,000
15 day(s)
Travel medical insurance up to 64 years old
$5,000,000
15 day(s)
Travel medical insurance 65+
Trip Cancellation Insurance
Trip Interruption Insurance
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
$250,000
Flight Delay Insurance
$500
Delayed Baggage Insurance
$500
Lost/Stolen Baggage Insurance
$500
Auto Rental Loss/Insurance
$85,000
48 day(s)
Hotel/Motel Burglary Insurance
$500

A little further from the Sheraton Gatineau-Ottawa, by car, we recommend these:

La Maison Oddo
La Maison Oddo

Activities in Gatineau

First, there is an unmissable visit to the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, where you can spend hours. Check out its collection of First Nations works. Oh! These totems. We also go there for its architecture, for its interactive activities at the Canadian Children’s Museum, for its 3D cinema and so much more.

The outdoor centre and beach at Lac-Leamy in Gatineau has a canoe and kayak rental center in the summer. In winter, snowshoes and cross-country skis are available.

Feux dartifice Gatineau
Feux dartifice Gatineau

Parc de la Gatineau offers various activities that will delight young and old alike:

Ruines dans le parc Gatineau
Ruines dans le parc Gatineau

Take the Rogers Interzip with its interprovincial zipline that picks up in Gatineau and connects to Ottawa. An original way to get to the other side of the river! (Available in summer).

The activity has generated a lot of interest in 2021, the year of its inauguration.

zipline Rogers
Crédit photo : Interzip Rogers

Other activities in the Outaouais

  • For skating fans, Eco Odyssée offers to ler you skate in its labyrinth. Also available on the water in the summer (can be done in the dark too).
  • Another one to try, the Lac des Loups skating rink.
  • Camp Fortune, Edelweiss (skiing, tubing and in summer, its new zipline and its famous mountain coaster).
  • Monts Cascade. In winter, jump on your skis or go for a snowshoeing trip. In summer, go slide in the water park.
  • Laflèche Caves. Besides skiing, we try ziplining and other activities.
  • Mount Sainte-Marie
  • Then in Chelsea, the extraordinary Nordik Spa-Nature!

And that’s it for the ten or so activities to do in Gatineau and the surrounding area.

Spa Nordik
Crédit photo : Nordik Spa nature | Chelsea

Our reports in the region

We have done many photo reports in the Gatineau-Ottawa region:

Bottom line

We thought we’d write this article because Gatineau is a city that offers a wide range of opportunities for visitors.

Also, with a very affordable category 2 Marriott hotel, the Four Points Sheraton Gatineau-Ottawa, it became interesting to highlight what there was to do in the area. And this, before crossing the bridge.

We would like to thank Ms. Josée Madore, an expert member of our Facebook group and a local resident. She was able to direct us to the most interesting places to discover from her list of experiences.

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By clicking on the Apply Now, you will be redirected directly to the National Bank credit card application form. Make sure you have the following information on hand: contact details, employment status, income and valid ID.

  • Earn up to 5 points per dollar spent on eligible grocery and restaurant purchases.*
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  • Earn 1 point per dollar spent on other purchases.
  • Up to a $150 refund per year on travel expenses, including seat selection, airport parking, baggage fees, access to airport lounges worldwide, and ticket upgrades.
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*Grocery and restaurant: Points earned on grocery and restaurant purchases depend on the total gross monthly amount charged to the credit card account, regardless of category. Earn 5 points per dollar spent on eligible grocery and restaurant purchases. Earn 5 points per dollar on the first $2,500 in gross monthly purchases charged to the account. Beyond that amount, eligible grocery and restaurant expenses earn 2 points per dollar spent. The total gross monthly amount is calculated based on your monthly billing period. Grocery purchases include any purchase made at a store that primarily sells food, i.e., grocery store, delicatessen, supermarket, greengrocer or specialty food store. Subscriptions to ready-to-cook services and meal delivery services are eligible. Excluded from this definition are retail stores and big-box stores whose main activity is the sale of non-food products. Some merchants may sell the same or similar products or services as eligible merchants, or are separate merchants located on the same premises as eligible merchants, but are classified by Mastercard in different categories. Purchases made at other merchants only qualify for basic rewards points. An in-restaurant purchase refers to a purchase made in a restaurant, including fast-food restaurants, bars, discotheques, nightclubs and taverns.

Gas and Electric Vehicle Charging: To earn 2 points per dollar in purchases, you will need to purchase gas or an electrical vehicle charge from a service station or from certain big-box stores. Some merchants may sell the same or similar products or services as eligible merchants, or are separate merchants located on the same premises as eligible merchants, but are classified by Mastercard in different categories. Purchases made at other merchants are eligible for basic rewards points only.

Recurring bill: Recurring bill payments are defined as payments made monthly or regularly that are automatically deducted by the merchant from your National Bank World Elite Mastercard. Not all merchants offer recurring bill payments, and not all recurring payments are considered recurring bill payments. As a result, some payments may not qualify for Accelerated Rewards points.

À la Carte Travel: To earn 2 points per dollar in purchases, you must make your eligible purchases via the À la carte TravelTM Agency section of our À la carte RewardsTM site.

Other purchases: For example, if you spend $400 monthly on groceries, $200 on gas, $100 on recurring bills and $150 on other purchases, the $850 you spend will generate 2,750 points, broken down as follows: 2,000 points on groceries (since the total gross monthly amount is $850, or less than $2,500), 400 points on gas, 200 points on recurring bills and 150 points on other purchases.

Reimbursement of travel expenses

Clients must submit required documents within the given deadline. Certain conditions may apply. Only the primary cardholder (“Cardholder”) of National Bank World Elite Mastercard whose account is in good standing can request a refund of travel expenses.

Account in good standing” means a credit card account that does not contravene the Credit Card Agreement in any way and on which no restrictions apply.

For example, the annual fees related to the credit card must have been paid in full. The maximum reimbursement of $150 can be claimed from January 1 to December 31 of each year.

Eligible expenses include:

      • airport parking
      • baggage fees
      • seat selection fees
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      • airline ticket upgrades

The claim must be submitted within 60 days of the purchase date and accompanied by proof of purchase. Travel expenses must be charged to the National Bank World Elite Mastercard credit card account. The maximum reimbursement amount is $150 per account. The refund will be issued within 7 business days following the request approval date and after receiving all required information.

National Bank reserves the right to request additional supporting documents for validation purposes (e.g. invoices). You must keep all receipts and supporting documents for a period of 12 months from the date of your claim. An amount not claimed in a year cannot be carried over to the following year. You can apply online at rewards.nbc.ca or by calling 1-800-341-8083 (toll-free) and an agent will assist you with your travel claim.

Credit terms

Grace period: No interest will be charged on purchases made during the month, provided the client pays the balance in full within twenty-one (21) days of the statement date. This grace period does not apply to cash advances or balance transfers.

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If you reside in the province of Quebec, your minimum payment is the greater of 5% of your account balance, plus any overdue amounts, or $10.

If you live outside Quebec, your minimum payment is 2.5% of your credit card balance, plus any past-due amount or $10, whichever is greater.

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Example of credit charges over a 30-day period

Annual interest rate Average balance
$500 $3,000
22.49% (regular card) $9.24 $55.45
20.99% (regular card) $8.63 $51.76
12.95% (Syncro card) $5.32 $31.93
8.95% (Syncro card) $3.68 $22.07

*Variable interest rate in effect on September 1, 2021.

Balance transfer and cash advance are subject to credit approval by National Bank. Each amount transferred cannot be less than $250.

Annual Fee
  • Primary card $150
  • Additional card $50
Annual Income Required
  • Individual $80,000
  • Household $150,000
Conversion fees
  • 2.5 %
Interest Rates
  • Purchase Rates 20.99 %
  • Cash Advance Rates 22.49 %
  • Balance Transfer Rates 22.49 %
Earning Rate
  • Groceries5Points
  • Dining and Food delivery5Points
  • Gas2Points
Value
  • Year 1 $923
  • Year 2+ $923
Best For
Transfer Partners
  • NBC Rewards

Advantages

  • Annual Credit
  • VIP Lounges
  • Concierge
  • Wifi
  • Travel credit

Travel Insurance

Insurance Name
Included
Amount
Duration
Travel Medical Insurance
Travel medical insurance up to 54 years old
$5,000,000
60 day(s)
Travel medical insurance up to 64 years old
$5,000,000
31 day(s)
Travel medical insurance 65+
$5,000,000
15 day(s)
Trip Cancellation Insurance
$2,500
Trip Interruption Insurance
$5,000
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
Flight Delay Insurance
$500
Delayed Baggage Insurance
$500
Lost/Stolen Baggage Insurance
$1,000
Auto Rental Loss/Insurance
$65,000
48 day(s)
Hotel/Motel Burglary Insurance
Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
Brigitte
Brigitte
Brigitte, a retired healthcare professional and a devoted slow traveler, dedicates her free time to exploration and writing. With a love for unhurried journeys, she shares her expertise on points and miles, providing valuable insights for those looking to travel longer and immerse themselves deeply in every destination.
All posts by Brigitte
Region
Canada, Gatineau

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