GOING TO THE LAURENTIANS WITH YOUR DOG – TWO PLACES TO DISCOVER ON A BUDGET

THE LAURENTIANS WITH YOUR DOG – OUR TWO FAVORITE PLACES

A short getaway in the Laurentians with your dog will almost make you want to buy your secondary home in the region.

I say almost, because it’s not cheap to settle there, especially if you’re looking for something with a minimum of style and on the waterfront.

However, it’s possible to go there from time to time and enjoy it with or without your dog.

I admit the Laurentians in summer are not the best place to go because of the mosquitoes. But out of season, like between August and the end of May, it’s livable. If you like the challenge, nothing prevents you from going there in summer. However, beware of swampy places. It’s the favorite place of these blood-sucking bugs that love to suck you dry and leave big prints on our skin and that we hate.

Before telling you about our two favorite places in the Laurentians to enjoy with your dog (or not), here is some useful information.

Going to the Laurentians with your dog

There aren’t 30,000 ways to get to the Laurentians, especially if you have a dog. A car will be necessary. If you need one, rent one with Discount, it’s on the Plateau.

A 4×4 in winter will be much more practical, especially if you are going to a more isolated area. The Laurentians are like going to the Poconos, it’s all uphill.

The Laurentians is the Quebec countryside!

Just like when Parisians go to spend the weekend in Normandy, you can expect traffic jams. Between 4:30 and 6:00 pm, it’s crowded on the 15 to get to the Laurentians. This will add at least 30 minutes to 1 hour to your trip, especially if it rains or if there is an accident.

What to bring for a trip to the Laurentians

Apart from gas that costs less than in Montreal, food is generally limited and more expensive.

In Mont-Tremblant, there are several large supermarkets and therefore more choices. For the rest, they are really mini-supermarkets. So bring your own food!

Mosquitoes

I can’t recommend enough that you bring mosquito repellent AND after mosquito repellent.

You can use lemons or garlic if you want to try something more natural. I talk about this HERE in a comprehensive guide to using lemons on a daily basis. The after mosquito treatment here is called after-bite. It provides serious relief.

Otherwise, there are natural remedies:

• Put one to two drops of lavender or eucalyptus essential oil on a tissue, then apply to the mosquito bite;
• Use a hot tea bag as a compress. The heat has a soothing effect on inflammation and pain.

Clothing

Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts when going into the woods or swampy areas. Ideally, light colors.

Good hiking boots will come in handy. After all, if you’re going to the Laurentians with your dog, it’s to walk!

Also, be careful with poison ivy. It’s usually indicated, but it’s better to be protected. Poison ivy is similar to nettles. By the way, MEC, an outdoor gear company, has a very interesting article on the harmful plants we can encounter while hiking. You can read it HERE.

Protecting your dog

Don’t forget to go to the vet to get the anti-ticks for your dog. It is not like in France. There is no special collar for that.

Now that you know all about the logistics, you may know that it’s hard to find places to walk your dog in Quebec. No worries, we’ve discovered tons of places around Montreal to go on walks with our dogs.

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Also, we’ve found and tested two places not with a dog but two in the Laurentians. However, because of the distance of these places, we suggest you stay there overnight. Nonetheless, it’s doable as a roundtrip in a day.

L’Ascension

Located at about 2h15 from Montreal, when it’s going well, is l’Ascension. It’s a village and there is not much to do. According to the 2011 census, the population is 844.

The area, referred to as La Rivière Rouge, and its surroundings are magnificent.

The small roads that crisscross the Red River, lined with pine forests, will make you forget your daily stress.

Don’t drive too fast. You might miss seeing a herd of deers or wild turkeys.

At l’Ascension you’ll find a mini-supermarket with a built-in SAQ. There isn’t a lot of choice, but enough to satisfy your basic needs that you might have forgotten at home.

Sleeping at L’Ascension with a dog

The Station des Mélèzes is located at approximately 2h15 from Montreal on the edge of a lake and 40km from Labelle which I speak about below.

On site, there are three cottages to rent and a tent ready-to-camp. We stayed in the tent. A weekend costs 250$ in the tent. Dogs are allowed everywhere on the site and at no extra cost.

The ready-to-camp tent is located on a remote lot with its own access to the lake. It is fully equipped. You just need to bring your own food and water. Everything else is provided.

Don’t worry about mosquitoes either. The outdoor kitchen with BBQ has screens as well as the mini patio by the lake.

Our dogs loved their stay!

Also, the tent is located directly in front of the access to the trail which will take you through a small pine forest. It’s easy, not very long, and very pleasant.

It’s possible to canoe on site, but as we went in April, it was still a bit cold for that.

Hike to do at L’Ascension

We discovered Les Sentiers du Parc de la Source in L’Ascension. It is magnificent!

There are many trails to do from beginner to intermediate level. You can’t get lost as the trails are extremely well indicated.

Unfortunately, we only had time for one. We chose the Belvedere trail which offers a panoramic view of the Red River area.

This trail is considered intermediate. In all honesty, it was not very difficult. On the first climb, you have to use a rope to go up the hill. Easy enough. Then, towards the end, there is a big climb with little shade. Apart from that, it’s easy. Don’t forget the water bottle, especially for your dog.

You will cross different landscapes which will make your walk even more pleasant and unique.

The trail is dotted with picnic tables. There is one at the lookout, but it’s in the sun. Don’t forget your sandwiches and to leave with your trash. There are no garbage cans along the trail! There are also occasional dry toilets to accommodate you throughout the park.

The access is free as well as the parking. It’s only 20 minutes from the Station des Mélèzes.

A little stop after the walk at the mini-supermarket at L’Ascension to eat an ice cream will not be too much. Afterward, you can relax on the pontoon of the lake at the Station des Mélèzes if you have decided to spend the weekend there.

Labelle

Labelle is located about 1 hour and 45 minutes drive from Montreal when there’s no traffic. It’s not very big, but it does have a diner, a pharmacy, a mini-supermarket, and an SAQ.

Sleeping in Labelle with a dog

Labelle is one of our favorite places to camp near Montreal. There is only one campground, the Chutes aux Iroquois.

As the name suggests, it has mini waterfalls and is located on the banks of the Red River. Yes, there is a beach!

You can pitch your tent for $35 + $3 for your dog. There are mini-cabins or tents ready-to-camp ($109-$139), but unfortunately, dogs are not allowed there anymore.

Nonetheless, it’s a nice place to stay with your family. There are all the amenities on-site to make your stay enjoyable. A swimming pool, a ping-pong table, showers, a soccer field, and a bocce field. For the Saint-Jean, there is a bonfire and musicians.

Existential question: Is there a television? Well, yes, there is. It’s convenient to watch the European Cup, World Football Cup, or the Olympic Games, especially if there is a time difference. That way, you can enjoy the outdoors during the day and not miss anything in the evening!

Where to hike in Labelle with your dog

A 5-minute walk from the campground will take you to the Petit Train du Nord. There is even the old train station that serves as a bistro. It’s perfect to quench your thirst. I recommend their homemade lemonade.

You can park for FREE in front of the train station if you are only coming for the day. Also, a little bike station to pump air back in your tires is set up for FREE.

You can bike or rollerblade on the Petit Train du Nord path. I admit that it’s impossible for me to do it with one of my dogs, but if you are used to it, why not?

For the others, there is a FREE trail that leads to Mont-Tremblant Park. We’ve never made it all the way to the end. The furthest was a 9km round trip.

The trail is easy except at the beginning. It’s a big climb, but you’ll get a great view of Labelle.

You don’t see many people after the viewpoint. The hike is thus very peaceful and pleasant. The trail is not very wide, which makes the expedition very intimate. If you have kids, they will love it. It feel like an adventure!

However, don’t go there in June, at least not further than the viewpoint. It’s infested with mosquitoes! The worst thing is that they buzz in herds around your ears. It’s really awful. We abandoned our hike after 20 minutes. I must admit that we were stupid. This was to be expected since it had rained the day before! We learned our lesson!

Other activities to do with your dog in Labelle

If long walks aren’t your thing, why not take a canoe ride with your pooch?

Renting a canoe for the day with transportation costs $70. You’ll have to paddle on a 12km stretch. You can rent one directly from the office of the campgrounds. You don’t have to stay there to have access to it.

It’s a very peaceful trip. You can stop wherever you want on one of the many wild beaches. The perfect place for a picnic or for a nap. Usually, you’ll be able to walk in the water as it’s not very deep, but it depends on the water flow and the season.

Otherwise, as a FREE activity, there is the beach. It’s more or less large and long. Again, this will depend on the season. However, you’ll have to cross the river on foot to get there. The sandbank is smack in the middle of the river.

It’s quite feasible on foot, but I advise you to wear shoes to do so. There are often branches, tree trunks, or rocks at the bottom of the water.

Of course, there are other places to walk with your dog in the Laurentians, but they usually have a fee.

We enjoy the Parc de la Rivière Doncaster. It’s very nice in the summer, especially if your dog likes water. You’ll have access to a river and big boulders that sometimes create a little kiddy pool.

It’s located in Sainte-Adèle, a 1-hour drive from Montreal. However, the entrance fee is 7$ per person.

Brébeuf

We just discovered the community of Brebeuf not far from Mont-Tremblant and 30 minutes from Labelle.

There is a huge municipal beach, but I don’t know if you have to pay or if dogs are allowed. However, in the same place is the Camping du Domaine des Cèdres. You can go there to spend the day or sleep on site and yes, with dogs.

A part of the beach is accessible to dogs at all times AND you can even pitch your tent on the same spot on the sand. A night in a tent, without services, including the dog supplement (2) and taxes costs $60. Otherwise, spending the day there costs about $10.

We didn’t look into hiking in the area because we were very comfortable there. The river is shallow in some places, but we went there for Labor Day (early September). Don’t worry, the beach is big enough to accommodate all the dogs. There were no conflicts during our stay.

Good to know

• Bring an umbrella or tent to create shade and a ground sheet to protect dogs from the heat of the sun and sand.
• Drinking water is available next to the sanitary blocks.
• You can bring your paddle board, canoe, kayak and let yourself be transported along the red river with or without your dog. It’s possible to rent equipment on site.
• Near the parking lot there is a place to rinse your dog before you leave.
• On weekends there is a baked pizza truck. It’s practical and very good, we recommend it!

Do you know of any other free places in the Laurentians to walk your dog? Leave us a comment below.