Val-D'or

Val-d'Or combines the history of gold mining with art and many ways to spend time outdoors. At the Cité de l'Or, a 91-meter descent leads into the tunnels of the former Lamaque Mine. If you prefer to be outdoors, the Forêt récréative de Val-d'Or, Rotary Beach, and Parc Belvédère offer a variety of activities. When planning your trip, the first question is whether you mainly want to discover mining history, visit cultural attractions, or plan active days.

Gold Mining and Local History

The Cité de l'Or includes the former Lamaque Mine and the mining village of Bourlamaque. The village is a designated historic village, still inhabited today, and a testament to the gold rush in northwestern Québec beginning in the 1920s. In 1979, Québec's Ministry of Culture designated Bourlamaque a historic site. Visitors can walk through the village for free at any time of year; information panels in the streets explain its history. This makes Bourlamaque a way to explore historic buildings and the development of the mining village at your own pace, without limiting your walk to a single building.

The Cité de l'Or also offers “Chasse Alors,” a geocaching activity about gold and mining prospecting. Participants are introduced to using a GPS device. The activity thus combines technical orientation with the themes that shape Val-d'Or's mining history. The Cité de l'Or also displays a collection of rare semi-precious and precious minerals.

Another way to discover the city's history is the Héritage Val-d'Or walking tour: explore the stories behind 27 sites and buildings independently. Bilingual information panels and a free map accompany the tour. The Centre VOART also offers the digital tour Val-d'Or Moderne, which explores the city's architectural history, shaped by innovation and boldness.

Art and Other Cultural Experiences

At the Centre VOART, visual art exhibitions range from painting, sculpture, and photography to installations and videography. There are also scientific, ethnological, and historical exhibitions. Workshops, conferences, guided tours, and discussion sessions round out the program. Depending on your interests, you can focus your visit on artworks, different fields of knowledge, or opportunities for discussion.

In partnership with the City of Val-d'Or, the Centre VOART displays temporary works by local and visiting artists on large panels in front of the cultural center and along Boulevard Jean-Jacques Cossette. When exploring Val-d'Or's cultural attractions, you can take in works in public spaces as well as exhibitions.

Forest, Trails, and Activity

The Forêt récréative de Val-d'Or covers 50 km². Activities offered there include mountain biking and cycling, walking, inline skating, and berry picking. In winter, activities include cross-country skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, and fat biking. The Sentier Agnico-Eagle and illuminated cross-country ski trails are also part of the Forêt récréative. Two reception buildings offer several services, including equipment rentals. If you like to spend your days outdoors, you can choose activities based on the season and what you enjoy most.

The city also has more than 50 kilometers of bike paths. These include forest paths with stone-dust surfaces, paved paths, and sections on shared roads. The different surfaces and routes are a practical consideration when choosing your cycling routes. In Parc Belvédère, a developed nature trail runs for one kilometer. The 18-meter-high Tour Rotary offers views of several headframes and of waterways that feed the Harricana, Canada's longest river. A free disc golf course is also accessible near Parc Belvédère.

At Rotary Beach, bicycles, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, single and double kayaks, and pedal boats are available to rent for $15 per hour. This offers a different way to spend active time in Val-d'Or than on bike paths and hiking trails. The equipment that interests you depends on whether you want to get out on the water or prefer to explore paths and trails.

Winter Activities and Choosing Accommodation

Val-d'Or's alpine ski hill offers another winter option: it has three runs suitable for beginners, a total vertical drop of 104 feet, and a ski lift. The Chalet Optimiste at the ski hill offers various services, including equipment rentals. Winter activities in the Forêt récréative include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and fat biking. These activities offer different ways to get moving, so when planning, you can first decide which best suits your stay.

When choosing a vacation rental in Val-d'Or, your preferred focus is a useful starting point: mining history and walking tours, exhibitions, or outdoor activities lead to different kinds of itineraries.

For the broader travel overview: Vallée-De-L'or.