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Dominated by the majestic beauty of the 72-metre high Chute Ouiatchouan, the Village historique de Val-Jalbert takes you back to both the good times and the tragic closure of a model, working village created in 1901 around a pulp factory. Classified a historic monument, this vast, 182-hectare wooded domain on the banks of the Rivière Ouiatchouan, offers many points of interest. The historic village itself consists of many restored buildings, such as the convent, the general store, the post
office, the pulp mill, etc. Also on the domain are the famous rue Labreque, lined by the workers' abandoned houses, a walking trail and a cable car that climbs to the observation decks of the Ouiatchouan and Maligne Falls. Why not stay put for a while in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean tourist region and soak up the unique atmosphere of Val-Jalbert? The historic village also offers accommodations on the campground or in mini-cabins or semi-detached houses.
You can visit the village on foot or aboard the "Balade" (an old streetcar). In high season, you'll see many theatrical productions, spotlighting typical characters from the old village, complete with an authentic historical backdrop. Throughout the summer season, you can also observe many buildings of patrimonial interest, collections of antique objects, the reconstitution of a logger's camp and a herbarium. The Chute Ouiatchouan, which means "river of clear waters" in Innu, tops off the visit. No one can remain
indifferent to this rushing downpour, which seems to spurt out of the forest and roar down to the old pulp and paper mill, 72 metres (236 feet) below. People from the Lac-St-Jean region like to point out that the Chute Ouiatchouan is higher than Chute Niagara! Upstream, you can also observe another waterfall, also issuing from the tumultuous Rivière Ouiatchouan: the Chute Maligne. A cable car travels up to the first waterfalls. Apart from these beautiful cascades, you will also have a panoramic view of Lac Saint-Jean,
a real interior sea, whose far banks can be seen in very clear weather. A hiking trail leads you to the Chute Maligne.
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A Little History
In 1901, a forestry entrepreneur from Lac-Bouchette, Damase Jalbert, decided to build a pulp mill at the foot of the Chute Ouiatchouan along with the first houses of what would become the village of Val-Jalbert. More... |
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© 2008 La Sépaq, all rights reserved.
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