The great outdoors and cultural gems in Abitibi-Témiscamingue

With its vast wilderness, living museums and fascinating mining heritage, Abitibi-Témiscamingue offers a mosaic of authentic experiences that combine outdoor adventures and surprising discoveries.

Get lost in nature

Did you know that Abitibi-Témiscamingue is home to three prized parks that are part of Quebec’s Sépaq park network? A great way to explore them is the Get Lost Circuit, which takes you from Vallée-de-l’Or, in Témiscamingue, to the northern part of the region, in the heart of still-untouched nature. 

The journey starts in the Réserve faunique La Vérendrye wildlife reserve, a canoe camping and fishing paradise, then continues north to Parc national d'Aiguebelle, with its fault lakes, dizzyingly high suspended bridge and unique geological formations. Further south, Parc national d’Opémican reveals larger-than-life nature, where you can admire the breathtaking view of Témiscamingue Lake from the top of the cliffs. A perfect route to follow to experience the region in 100% outdoor mode!

Visit a new schoolhouse museum exhibition

The Musée École du Rang II d’Authier has a brand-new permanent exhibition, Re-vivre les écoles de rang (in French only) an immersive experience that will take you back to the fascinating time of the one-room schoolhouses that dotted Quebec’s landscape for decades. 

Through authentic artifacts, interpretation panels, detailed explanations and interactive activities, experience the schools of yesteryear, when students from grades 1 to 7 were all taught in the same classroom. Clearly, teaching methods and tools have changed a lot since this school opened in 1937!

Discover new things at La Cité de l’Or

Abitibi-Témiscamingue is also known for its rich mining past that continues to shape its identity today. 

La Cité de l’Or lets you be a miner for a day as you tour the infrastructure and underground tunnels of an old gold mine. This summer, the site is adding a new collection of nearly 200 precious or semi-precious minerals, some of which contain visible gold. The underground experience is also getting updated, with the terminals being replaced with more modern modules. Finally, a new tour of the mining village with video stops adds a playful and interactive touch to the experience.