L'anse-Saint-Jean: Bridge, hiking trails and fjord views

A bridge featured on Canadian banknotes, a landscape on their reverse and trails for hiking, cycling and enduro: L'anse-Saint-Jean offers several reasons to visit. Its distinctive banknote connections give the village an unusual cultural theme; its trails offer different ways to explore the surrounding area actively.

A bridge and landscape with banknote connections

The Pont du Faubourg in L'anse-Saint-Jean was built in 1929. From 1954 to 1992, the bridge appeared on Canadian $1,000 banknotes. For visitors interested in structures and imagery, this is a striking connection between local history and Canadian culture. The year it was built and the period when it was depicted are two different dates: 1929 refers to its construction, while 1954 to 1992 is when the bridge motif appeared on the banknotes.

The Belvédère du Mille offers another banknote connection: from there, you can see the landscape depicted on the reverse of a Canadian $1,000 banknote. Here, the focus is not the structure itself, but the landscape motif. Those interested in the history of the imagery will find two distinct themes: the Pont du Faubourg as the bridge depicted on the banknotes, and the landscape visible from the lookout as the image on their reverse.

Hiking and enduro at Mont-Édouard

At Mont-Édouard, there is a 25-kilometre network of marked hiking trails with varying levels of difficulty. The trails let you explore the ski area and the Haute-Route. The 25 kilometres refers to the trail network, not the length of a single trail. The range of difficulty levels is also useful when planning your day: it describes a network with routes of varying demands, rather than characterizing any one trail.

Enduro descents are also among the activities described at the same mountain. Eight descents range from beginner to expert level. When choosing your preferred activity, you can distinguish between the marked hiking trails and enduro; the difficulty levels given apply to the corresponding activity. Mont-Édouard thus offers both a hiking trail network and a clearly specified selection of descents.

Cycling and hiking on two routes

The multi-purpose cycling route in L'anse-Saint-Jean has been in place since the summer of 2009. It runs from the municipal wharf to the highway rest area and is intended for cycling enthusiasts of all kinds. Its two named endpoints give you a specific idea of what the route offers. If cycling is your main interest, this route is a separate part of your trip, alongside the hiking and enduro options at Mont-Édouard.

Another hiking option is the 10-kilometre trail between L'anse-Saint-Jean and Petit-Saguenay. It connects the two villages and offers views of the Saguenay Fjord. Unlike the 25-kilometre network at Mont-Édouard, a single trail length is specified here. The connection between the two villages and the fjord views define this trail; you can take its length into account when planning your day.

A culinary festival in the village

Since 2019, L'anse-Saint-Jean has hosted a festival celebrating bread ovens. The program includes preparing various dishes, workshops, activities and tastings. There is also a rally as part of a culinary trail. The festival combines food with several different formats: you can focus on the dishes being prepared, take in the workshops and activities, or enjoy the tastings and rally as separate parts of the program. For a trip that includes culinary interests as well as outdoor activities, this festival is a distinct opportunity to explore.

More destinations

For more ideas of places to visit, see the overview: Saint-Fulgence, Bégin, Larouche, Chicoutimi, Petit-Saguenay, Saguenay, Sainte-Rose-Du-Nord and Saint-Honoré.

For the broader travel overview: Le Fjord-Du-Saguenay.