Québec : De Montréal aux Vastes Étendues - Décors naturels unique - Documentaire - AMP

As the greatest Canadian province in size, Quebec is a French-speaking enclave on an Anglo-Saxon continent. With French as its official language and a specific culture, this federated state is a nation in itself, totaling 8 million inhabitants and a density of less than 15 people per square mile. Needless to say that virgin spaces abound in this land where conviviality and human warmth contrast with the vast and deserted frozen areas. In 1604, French explorer Samuel de Champlain accosted on the shores of the St. Lawrence River before officially founding a town in 1608 that would become a state and country 400 years later. The name of Quebec still evokes the promise of a new world. Champlain is also responsible for founding Montreal, even though Jacques Cartier was the first to drop anchor there in 1535. Samuel de Champlain developed an important center for the fur trade and was joined about 30 years later by a Catholic mission from France, gradually turning Montreal into North America's premier French metropolis. The city is an archipelago connected to the north and south banks of the river by 22 bridges. It stretches over an island of about 25 miles long and nine miles wide, nestled in a loop of the St. Lawrence River. The architecture of its city hall reflects all the influences of its turbulent history. The pioneers helped shape the lifestyle of the metropolis. On Boulevard Saint-Laurent, as it's called in French, lunchtime is crunch time at Schwartz, known for its famous smoked meat sandwich. As the city's oldest park dating back to 1875, Mount Royal is an emblematic location. The Belvedere is the highest vantage point overlooking the city. People come here to stroll, roller skate in the summer, or cross-country ski in the winter. This cosmopolitan city accounts for half of the population of Quebec. While the French speakers are in the majority, the Anglophones represent another significant part of the population, where roughly 100 languages are spoken. Montreal bustles with creativity in areas as diverse as music, the circus, multimedia, or even culinary arts. Downtown, the skyscrapers dominate an urban landscape interspersed with historic blocks. Built in 1857 and Quebec's third largest church, Mary Queen of the World Cathedral is a replica of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. In this district, the early headquarters of major Canadian banks stand alongside some more modern buildings. History is ever-present on these street corners, as evidenced by the New York Life Insurance Building erected in 1888. Even though it's only eight stories high, it is considered as the city's first skyscraper. I like spreading happiness. It's amazing how children like the bubbles, grown-up like the bubbles. Everybody likes them, no one. Sometimes you'll get really muscular men who try and kick the bubbles, and children who like to pop them, children who don't like to pop them. From 1760 on, the Old Harbor District became home to the trading activities of the initial Collins. The old warehouses managed to keep their character and were transformed into art galleries, restaurants, or luxury apartments. A constant flow of visitors walk down the streets that converge towards Place Jacques Cartier. Between the street, painters, galleries, exhibits, and museums, art is of great importance in the heart of the city. With its 15 miles of unloading docks receiving 2,200 ships annually, Montreal is the world's biggest interior harbor. Even though the hangars and silos have been moving east since 1992, the harbor is under constant metamorphosis, and a boat ride on the St. Lawrence remains the best way to discover the city. Further south between the Jacques Cartier and Victoria Bridges, Parc Jean Drapeau hosts a number of major events. On Ile Notre Dame, Gilles Villeneuve's Formula One circuit is being used by cyclists a few days before the actual race. Over the other side on St. Helens Island, the former American pavilion of the 1967 World Fair has been transformed into the Biosphere, North America's only museum dedicated to the environment. Composed of metal triangles welded to one another, this structure was designed by famed architect Richard Buckminster Fuller. In June and July, the rising tides sometimes causes a phenomenon called a tidal bore, where a wave unfurls the entire time that the water rises, a treat for all urban surfers. At 190 miles from Montreal, and still alongside the St. Lawrence River, is Quebec, one of the rare fortified cities in North America. It is the seat of the provincial government and the center of the region's identity. Built in 1892, the Chateau Frontenac overlooks the river. It was originally a hotel erected by the Canadian railway companies in need of a stopover on the line between Halifax and Vancouver. Sheltered by the ramparts, old Quebec has retained all of its charm and character. Considered as the founding place of Quebec, Place Royale was the cradle of the French presence in America when Champlain founded the city in July, 1608. The bust of Louis XIV showcases this eventful past. At the end of a journey that was fraught with difficulty, Samuel de Champlain was hoping to land in India. Following the order of Henry IV, he founded a French colony in the middle of the peat lands. Jacques Dupuy is a street musician and has been perpetuating the tradition of the music of Quebec for 25 years. The old streets often comprise steep rises that allow access to the top of Cap Diamant. It's a spectacular sight occupied by the Citadel, a fortress of typical Vauban style. This is where the soldiers of the 22nd Royal Regiment train. They've been providing the changing of the guards since 1928. It's the only French-speaking regiment in the Canadian Army. Quebec has a storied past. In 2008, the city and region celebrated 400 years of a history often troubled by the tug of war between the French and English sides. Quebecois have long become Americans who speak French, after having briefly been just French people based in America. After the British conquest and the Treaty of Paris that formally transferred Canada to Britain in 1763, the city went through a rapid expansion, notably thanks to the lucrative lumber trade. At the heart of the Limoilieu borough, the Church of the Holy Ghost now has a different function. It houses one of Quebec's numerous circuses. Yves Niveau, the co-founder of Cirque du Soleil, has created a school in this unusual setting where he trains artists from all over the world. I thought this location was quite adequate because to have a proper circus, you need volume, and volume happens to be a key feature of churches. The Quebec Circus School carries an artistic vocation. The professionals from the city of Quebec, and notably those who work in the circus, come to train and create new things. Before Cirque du Soleil, the circus practically didn't exist in Quebec, but over the years, others were born and new circus companies followed. In Quebec, conviviality is a staple. The bars have adopted the good-natured entertainment style of the North American continent, while adding a warm side that's typical of Quebec. You only need to talk to the person next to you to make a new friend. In the eastern proximity of Quebec, the spectacle of the Montmorency Falls is somewhat unexpected. Located at the mouth of the river of the same name, they represent Quebec's highest at 275 feet. That's over 100 feet taller than Niagara Falls. A staircase built on the very rock allows one to get extremely close before the water rushes into the St. Lawrence River. Still east of Quebec, on the island of Orléans, the Mona family grows blackcurrant, once imported by the Collins for its medicinal virtues. Bernard Mona, who's French, has been living here since he was 12. He runs his plantation with his two daughters to produce syrup, wine, and jam. The first wine colonies established a tradition in Quebec. They grew berries and notably made blackcurrant wine, which was called black gooseberry at the time. What we make is creme de cassis, which is really a flagship French product, along with blackcurrant wines that aren't necessarily produced in France or other European countries, but with our well-established local tradition. So we actually combine the best of both worlds. In winter, the St. Lawrence takes on a completely different look. Often brutal, the cold partially freezes the river and transforms the appearance of the city. Oise are used to abundant snowfalls, even in the heart of the city in the old town. Everyone has to clear the snow in front of their stores, much like here in front of the city's oldest grocery shop. Appropriately equipped, the locals don't mind moving about on foot. One of the highlights of the winter is the construction of the Ice Palace on the heights of the city on the occasion of Carnival. The outside temperature of minus four degrees Fahrenheit considerably facilitates its edification. As a global hub for the maritime trade between Africa, Europe, and America, the Great River carries along 100 million tons of freight every year, ranging from oil to wine. The river is rarely completely paralyzed by the ice. Quebec doesn't feature great, spectacular mountains, but it does have substantial cliffs overlooking the river. For example, here in the Charlevoix Mountain region up north. In Bailly-Saint-Paul, a former farm recycled into a modern hotel welcomes the return of brave skiers. At the bottom of the Massif de Charlevoix resort, it's hard to imagine that the slopes actually dive towards the St. Lawrence and offer significant changes in altitude for the most experienced skiers. Going down a slope that ends on the shore of a river is an original and unique experience. The resort of the Massif was revived by Daniel Gautier, another co-founder of Cirque du Soleil, who brought it in 2002. Visitors can get there by train from Quebec. Everything is designed to preserve an exceptional nature. In the wintertime, the trappers are the only ones to venture into the forests in this extreme cold. Martin Thomasson prepares his equipment at the entrance of the Haute-Gorge National Park. Quebec comprises 20,000 miles of trails. The sole means of transportation is the snowmobile, and it is highly recommended to team up in pairs before wandering into the woods. In case of a breakdown, things can quickly turn tricky. Martin owns a well-equipped shack on the 18-square-mile hunting ground under his supervision. He's known every nook and cranny ever since he was a boy. He goes to pick up the traps he set earlier. Trapping is a passion that also plays an ecological role. Removing a beaver blocking a pathway or a nest-plundering Martin that hunts too many young rabbits are all part of the need to maintain the balance of the ecosystem. This is a Martin snare. You put a decoy here in the back, some beaver meat, if possible, that's always the best. The trick is to add a little bacon. I put a little bit of bacon that I prepare myself with beaver and muskrat meat. And now you get the animal. It's completely frozen because it's very cold. In these extreme temperatures, they automatically freeze like solid ice. It's also because I haven't been back in a week. We try to manage the whole territory to make sure everything goes smoothly. We catch a few animals, but not all of them. We have to leave enough so that the species can reproduce, especially in terms of Martins, which must be maintained at a regular number. Every year, I always catch roughly the same amount. It's all about balance. My territory is about 18 square miles and I remove 20 Martins each year. That's a little ermine. In winter, it's white, and in summer, it's brown. It changes. The hair switches color depending on the season. The snare, his favorite method, requires a lot of experience. There's a nice path in back. It's right over there. The diameter of the snare has to be about the size of my fist. That's typically the ideal size if you want to set up this kind of trap. So now we're going to place it at the proper height and secure it on the pathway. Hopefully that should work. We'll see the result tomorrow. Without any gloves and in minus 13 Fahrenheit weather, it's imperative that he knows the exact itineraries of the jackrabbits. The work requires great precision before a rabbit can slide its neck through the trap. We do it all, from cooking to mechanical maintenance. You need to do everything and be resourceful if you want to be a trapper. And above all, you need to work hard. If you're lazy, you won't have much success being a trapper. That's for sure. The next morning, he goes to pick up the snares. There you go, you see? This one got caught this morning. It's not frozen yet. That's a nice little jackrabbit. As mentioned, in summer, they get really brown and in winter, they turn white for protection. It's a camouflage. Here's another one, you see? We don't dig holes that scare them. We want to leave as little a trace as possible. I was pretty lucky, two out of four. That's 50%. We are now on the ferry that serves Tadoussac, still in the region of Charlevoix. It takes people and cargo across the river. Tadoussac is located on the north coast in front of a large bay of the St. Lawrence. This is where Gaetan Hovington resides. He's been involved with traditional wood sculpting for 51 years, an impressive artistic endeavor. These little characters I'm currently working on represent vagrants. That's because there were a lot of vagrants here in Tadoussac in the 1950s and 60s. Among my sculptures, you can also find fishermen, trappers, all the characters that are part of our folklore, if you will. I depict the life of our ancestors. Tadoussac is in the heart of the Saguenay Fjord National Park. The village comprises 850 inhabitants. The heritage is well-preserved, as evidenced by the Chauvin trading post established for the fur trade in 1600 and featuring one of Gaetan Hovington's sculptures in its front yard. These days, the presence of Cetaceans in the bay is the reason for Tadoussac's fame. The Saguenay River flows into the St. Lawrence, bringing cool, fresh water. The fact that the St. Lawrence is much deeper and contains saltwater causes turbulences that are ideal for the proliferation of unique fauna and flora. That's why the whales have made it their meeting point. The riverbed around Tadoussac has become the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park. Chantal Saint-Hilaire is a biologist and a tour guide for a cruise company. Her role is to explain to the visitors and raise awareness about the life of these large marine mammals. Belugas, also called white whales or porpoises, are a unique species. They can also be found elsewhere, but they're very popular in the waters of the St. Lawrence River. They're probably the main reason why the river became very popular. We use them to highlight all the organisms that are affected by pollution 24-7. They've sort of become the emblem of the region. The St. Lawrence also contains certain traps, such as this shoal signaled by a lighthouse that was once inhabited. Contrary to appearances, this is one of the most dangerous regions in the world with regard to navigation. There were nearly 700 shipwrecks between 1856 and 1866. Around Tadoussac, the cliffs become craggier. Ranging from three to five yards depending on the season, high-amplitude tides are common and modify the aspect of the landscape. Tadoussac also marks the entrance of Saguenay Fjord. It terrified sailors for ages, but provided the most courageous of them with access to over 38,000 square miles of virgin land that still remain greatly unpopulated. Before 1830 and nearly 300 years after the fjord was discovered, only a few trappers dared to wander about these territories. In Quebec, the roads are mythical. Used by gigantic trucks that notably ensure the transportation of lumber, they cut across hundreds of miles of forest. We take another ferry to leave the north bank and head towards Rimouski. This is where the Bic National Park starts. In the old days, a Native American people called the Mi'kmaq used to fish and hunt in this region. Archaeological excavations reveal traces of an indigenous presence dating back to over 6,000 years. The most astonishing is still the Marcel Gagnon Arts Center in St. Flavie. It is named after a sculptor and poet who created Le Grand Rassemblement in this natural open space in 1976. The 100-plus life-size sculptures are in constant interaction with the tides of the St. Lawrence and the sun, thus creating an ever-changing landscape throughout the day. As we progress towards the river's mouth in Gaspésia, the landscape changes again. In 1876, faced with the increasing maritime traffic, the government decided to build a first lighthouse in La Marche. In 1906, this octagonal lighthouse made of wood replaced the original. Yves Foucault was the one who saved it from destruction. He's dedicated 34 years of his life to it. This lighthouse is a true marvel, especially since it's a wood structure, which is rather unique at such height. It looks brand new. Honestly, all I have to do is clean the inside so that the wood can breathe. The rotation of the lighting module is still ensured by the incredible original clockwork system. It could very well continue to work for another 200 years with proper maintenance. The problem with all lighthouses is that the actual structure deteriorates. But in the long run, if it's well-maintained, it can go on for centuries. One has to imagine the building in high winds or even storms. Gaspésia is the peninsula that deviates away from the St. Lawrence and towards the sea. It's one of the rare territories at this latitude to be still quasi-unoccupied, the population density being less than 1.5 person per square mile. To follow the legendary Route 132 that circles it is to step into Mi'kmaq territory. They arrived some 2,500 years ago, long before Jacques Cartier. Gaspésia's surface area is equivalent to that of the state of Maryland. Its interior is dominated by the Appalachian Mountains, while the climate of its coastal areas is more humid and a little less cold. Tourism turned out to be an unexpected stroke of luck for the region after fishing became overexploited and the lumber industry faced market saturation. Recreational fishing and salmon fishing in particular attract numerous enthusiasts along the streams such as the Mississippi River. Gaspé marks the extremity of the peninsula as symbolized by the statue of Jacques Cartier, which signaled the end of a long and perilous journey and the vision of a new world for the migrants. The stele also reminds us of the presence of First Nations people like the Mi'kmaq in this region. Since then, maritime traffic has constantly intensified. This lighthouse, the tallest in all of Canada, marks the entrance to Forillon National Park, a real gem in the heart of a nature reserve. Over 220 different bird species live around Cap Bon Ami. A lot of them spend the summer in these cliffs. Certain seabirds, such as the double-crested cormorants, come here to nest. At this end of Gaspésia, we go from one natural park to the next. The Parc National de l'Ile Bonaventure et du Rocher Passé is emblematic. Originally the land of the First Nations people, it is now a port of call for the ships sailing up the St. Lawrence. May to July is the peak of lobster season. Georges Mamelonnet is a Frenchman who moved here 34 years ago. A former mayor of Percé and Gaspésia congressman, he founded a gourmet restaurant called La Maison du Pêcheur. In Quebec, lobsters are relatively particular because of their food and the seabed on which they live. The flesh of these lobsters is a little bit sweet and that makes it really fantastic. Here they serve it with Hollandaise sauce. The fishermen of the region have taken preservation measures by monitoring the fishing area and by drilling holes in every pot so that the smaller catch is automatically released. The Percé rock is a sandstone mass that was once tied to the continent. Samuel Champlain has described three different arches at the tip, but only one remains. Because of rock slides and erosion, the site loses 300 tonnes of rock every year. Just behind is Bonaventure Island with its smooth, dark wall that's 2,000 feet wide and 650 feet tall. It is home to a huge colony of gannets. The island houses the biggest population of the species in the world with over 120,000 individuals. The park managers have set up observation posts for the visitors, making the site accessible without disturbing the birds. In 1883, the island only comprised 3,000 individuals. To an extent, that was because the gannets were part of the fishermen's menu. Today, their growth continues at an annual rate of 3%. In the 19th century, cod fishermen, originally from Normandy, Brittany, the Charentes region, or the Basque country built these wooden houses with a distinctive style. A little further is Parc National de la Gaspésie where Philippe Henri has been living for 25 years. He's a wildlife photographer who has his own way of tracking bears. For now, only this porcupine is out for a walk while another is busy on top of a tree. These large rodents, which are rather solitary and short-sighted, spend most of their days eating. The hardest ones to catch are black bears. You never know when black bears are going to come out. The best time of year to photograph them is in the spring, right about now, between the end of May and early June, because that's when the bears come out to eat dandelions. In the last few years, the collapse of cod stocks has deeply affected the fishermen. Abandoned houses are scattered along the shores, but the promising development of tourism should allow some fishermen to get back on track. On the way back to Rimouski, Bic National Park and its mere 13 square miles seem tiny in comparison. Its village is nevertheless one of the most emblematic of the region. Originally called Pic because of a 1,100-foot-tall rocky ridge, a linguistic twist changed it to Bic, and the name stuck. Much like a lot of edifices of the city centre, Auberge du Mange Grenouille is entirely made of wood and skillfully cultivates a certain nostalgia. Above the river, an old watermill has been preserved. This is the estate of Daniel Saint-Pierre, a carpenter who makes and restores rowboats to save the marine heritage of the St. Lawrence. Here at the Bic, we had the Dion family that was really famous for building galleys for the captains who roamed on the river. There weren't any roads at the time, so all the cargo had to travel by sea. Obviously, this was a meeting point. As you can imagine, whenever boats arrived, everybody would swarm towards the wharf in order to pick up the goods they'd ordered from Quebec or Montreal. A little further down the Rimouski River, fishing enthusiasts revel, but they follow all of the regulations. Karen here uses fly fishing to catch salmon. We can only fish salmon using flies. We're not allowed to use other types of lures. It's strictly restricted to flies. We need to choose the correct fly depending on water level and clarity. We pick a type of fly to which we know the fish will be drawn. It's all about knowing how to reach the fish and read the bottom, how to attach the fly and where to throw the line. Fly fishing is an art form. You have to learn the proper technique to avoid tangling the line or getting it stuck in the branches, for example. In certain rivers, such as the Rimouski, we have to release the bigger salmons into the water because they're spawning fish. We can only keep the smaller ones called smolts, which are less than 24 inches long. These we can keep. Our journey ends at the heart of the Bic National Park. We leave these vast and silent stretches where the sea is omnipresent and seemingly echoing Quebec's motto, I remember.