Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre (CIMM)
To learn all there is to know about the whales that visit the St. Lawrence, visit the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre. The CIMM reveals the characteristics of various whale species, how they live and their behaviours. The Centre also houses a skeleton collection, including a 13-metre sperm whale, exclusive films, videos and whale song.
Naturalists share knowledge acquired through research carried out by the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM) that manages the centre. They are also available to answer questions; naturalists are in daily contact with the research teams that work on the water.
Free activities outside the centre in the Jardin de la Grève include classes in whale song, theatrical activities and encounters with naturalists. The rocks along the Saguenay Fjord offer up a great view where it is sometimes possible to observe beluga and minke whales. Consult the regional map at the reception that charts recent whale sightings.
The Website Whales online publishes a map and a detailed chronicle of weekly observations. It is a pre-eminent site for the whales of the St. Lawrence and for news about scientific research and discoveries.
Information:
Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre
Tel: 418 235-4701
Chauvin Trading Post
Visit this reconstruction of the first establishment erected in New France, built by Pierre Chauvin de Tonnetuit in 1600 as a fur-trading post. The replica was built in 1942 by William H. Coverdale, then owner of the Hôtel Tadoussac, as a place to exhibit a part of his collection of Amerindian artefacts and New France objects.
The Trading Post presents a playful interactive exhibit about the first contact between Europeans and First Nations peoples and the fur trade. The person at the reception desk is there to answer questions and will provide you with an introduction to the exhibit.
Touch the hides of animals that played an important role in the fur trade, including beaver, marten, raccoon, lynx, otter, wolf, coyote and black bear. Animated films and a game section for younger visitors. A crafts store showcases local furs and fur hats. A thematic bookshop features books about the fur trade, the origins of New France and the Innu culture.
Information:
Tel: 418 235-4446, ext. 229 (municipality)
The Little Chapel
This is the oldest wooden church in North America. It was built in 1747. It is also known as the “Indian Chapel”. Jesuit priests celebrated the first mass on June 24, 1750. The chapel contains numerous period religious objects and a new multimedia exhibit on the lives of New France missionaries.
Information:
Tel: 418 235-4324
For group reservations (May and early June):
Tel. 418 235-4446, ext. 229 (municipality)