WHAT TO DO WITH YOUNG CHILDREN THIS SUMMER?
HERE ARE OUR MUST-DO’S TO ENJOY YOUR FAMILY VACATION AT LAC-SAINT-JEAN
Family vacations are the perfect time to fill your memory box and spend some quality time without the hassle of everyday life. Whether it’s through authentic encounters, the richness of our landscapes, the quality of our attractions, or the diversity of our activities, you will never forget your time spent in Lac-Saint-Jean with your family. The Domaine-du-Roy territory is full of activities and attractions that will please your little ones as well as older ones, but also the child in you.
WHAT TO DO WITH YOUNG CHILDREN IN LAC-SAINT-JEAN?
Your children need activities that awaken their senses and spark their imagination. Animals, playing in the sand, developing their general knowledge in a playful way, or even recharging their batteries with a good ice cream after a bike ride... in Lac-Saint-Jean, the possibilities are endless! Here are our suggestions for wonderful places to visit and activities to do with your young children.
FOR YOUR ADVENTURERS, YOUNG AND OLD: DISCOVER OUR ANIMAL UNIVERSE
Thirsty for adventure and discovery, why not spend your day at the Zoo sauvage de Saint-Félicien? Whether in the family area or in the wire mesh train of the Nature Trails Park, your children will be amazed, no matter what their age. The entire site is accessible to strollers, so you can stroll through the pedestrian area with your little ones without fuss. The family area will allow you to take a little break and enjoy the water games or the creamery.
The farm Les Alpagas du Lac, in Sainte-Hedwidge, opens its doors for you to discover the world of this zany-looking animal. During the interpretive tour of the farm, which lasts about an hour, children can feed the alpacas and learn a thousand and one things about this camelid. You can even take selfies with them! For your mini fashionistas, the site has a boutique selling handmade products made from alpaca fibre.
FOR YOUR LITTLE ONES: COMBINE KNOWLEDGE AND FUN!
The Moulin des Pionniers tourist site, in La Doré, offers a variety of activities that will please the whole family. Come and experience the past, in the present! Stroll inside a sawmill as if you were in the early 1900’s and learn about the tools and customs of the time through the permanent exhibits along your route.
Do you have a curious child in the family? A visit to the Mashteuiatsh Amerindian Museum is a great way to have fun while doing something useful. Through permanent and temporary exhibitions, both indoors and outdoors, your children will discover Indigenous art and the culture of the Pekuakamiulnuatsh (Ilnuatsh of Lac Saint-Jean) as well as other First Nations of North America.
The Amerindian Museum of Mashteuiatsh also offers an introductory archeology activity where you can find buried treasures from the past and a family rally. The whole family will find something to enjoy there, even the little ones with the children's park and craft creation activities.
Delight your apprentice cooks with a visit to the Musée de la vielle Fromagerie Perron (Cheddar Museum), in Saint-Prime. A true institution in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, this old cheese factory is classified as a historical monument and is a major part of our national industrial heritage. The museum offers two permanent exhibitions and an introductory workshop on making cheese. Pimp up your lunch by purchasing “squeaky” cheese at the boutique and take advantage of the picnic areas.
The legendary Val-Jalbert Historical Village, located along the Ouiatchouan River in Chambord, is a true open-air museum. The whole family will have fun while learning about the history and culture of an authentic company village of the 1920s, and above all, will live a unique experience that will impress everyone, from the youngest to the oldest!
The “Trou de la fée" cave park in Desbiens will amaze the whole family. This cave is the ideal place for a first caving experience. Easy to visit, it offers a safe environment. It is composed of three chambers of different sizes. The first is round, the second looks more like a corridor, and the last is elongated and much larger. Bring good shoes and a jacket, as the temperature of the cave is 4.5 degrees Celsius. Brrrrrrr….
Located in the Métabetchouane River canyon, the park also offers hiking trails, a walkway along the water system, footbridges hanging from rock capes, and even zip lines (for ages 8 and up). Experience the evolution of the territory and its occupation with the immersive show "Echo, the memory of stones". This 360-degree production is projected directly onto the rock in a 7-metre high by 16-metre diameter amphitheatre carved into the granite of the Canadian Shield. Please note! It is recommended to use a baby backpack or a baby carrier, as the site is not accessible by stroller.
PLAY IN THE WATER: DISCOVER OUR BEACHES AND MARINAS
Why not take the opportunity to relax on one of our endless sandy beaches?
For your budding engineers, this is the perfect place to build the most beautiful sand castles. Most of our beaches are located on the shores of Lac Saint-Jean and some of them are bordered by the Véloroute des Bleuets, or located near campgrounds and cottages. Bring your lunch and enjoy the picnic areas. Our beaches offer supervised or buoyed swimming as well as many amenities such as a volleyball court, restrooms, children’s playground, and much more!
There are also marinas and boat ramps for water sports enthusiasts. You can also rent watercraft. At the mouth of the Ashuapmushuan River, at Domaine des Trois-Îles in Saint-Félicien, play in the water with your family by renting a variety of watercraft: paddleboard, pedal boat, rabaska, and kayak.
Taste the richness of our land with your family
The territory of Domaine-du-Roy is rich in agri-food industry that offers you diversified and top quality products. For your little gourmets, a great way to discover them is to participate in our Blueberry Hunt, which offers a tour of 10 businesses that offer processed products made from our emblematic little fruit, the blueberry. This gourmet family expedition could even win you a very attractive prize!
There is no product fresher than the one you pick yourself! Depending on the time of the season, it is possible to pick several varieties of northern berries such as haskap, blueberry, raspberry, and the essential strawberry. Discover the producers who offer this activity with the picking calendar available online.
After a bike ride, why not stop at one of our creameries. La Vache Copine dairy bar, located at the Roberval marina and accessible by the Véloroute des Bleuets, is the perfect place to enjoy a frozen treat that you won't find anywhere else: panini gelato, frozen éclair, choco-pizz, blueberry voluptuousness, mollegourt, and more! The nearby amusement park will allow you to enjoy your cone in peace while admiring Lac Saint-Jean.
Looking for a little sweet treat? The Miss Gâteaux pastry shop has just what you need to indulge your sweet tooth. Among its specialties, you will find cupcakes, cream puffs, brownies, mille-feuilles, and all other pastries that will delight the taste buds of the whole family. In addition, all its products are homemade with quality local ingredients. We prefer to warn you that butter and cream are in the main ingredients!
If you are heading to Saint-Félicien, you must stop at La Maison du Bleuet. This institution in the region offers a homemade blueberry soft cream cone. It also offers a range of unique products made with wild blueberries (which are great to take home!) and luxurious chocolates made on site by talented chocolatiers.
Continue your journey and combine useful with pleasant by going to the Bouchard Artisan Bio farm. Also located in Saint-Félicien, you can discover the world of a 100% organic dairy farm, as well as cheese and yogurt making.
Get outside and get moving with your kids!
The Domaine-du-Roy territory is a huge open-air playground. One of our must-do's is without a doubt the Véloroute des Bleuets. Accessible to all types of cyclists, it is the perfect activity for the whole family to discover breathtaking landscapes and keep in shape (i.e. burn off the cupcakes from Miss Gâteaux from the day before).
You prefer to leave with your backpack and admire nature. The Saint-Antoine Hermitage in Lac-Bouchette offers 7 km of trails. The "Sentier du flâneur” (Stroller’s Trail) is laid out and divided into shorter loops, depending on your level. Bicycle, kayak, and paddle board rentals to enjoy the magnificent Lake Ouiatchouan, a 25 m observation tower, and the proximity of a beach are just a few examples of activities that will get the whole family moving.
Located a few kilometres from the Ermitage Saint-Antoine, the Auberge Éva Nature Vacation Center also offers several activities including a network of hiking and hebertism trails, bicycle rentals, and a host of other activities for the whole family.
COVID-19
To ensure a safe visit, specific measures have been put in place by the various tourist sites. However, it is possible that some of their activities or services have been suspended due to restrictive Public Health standards. Before making a reservation, contact the tourist site by phone or consult their website.