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City in Quebec, Canada
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Adam the atom assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Gatineau is a city in the Outaouais region of Quebec, on the north shore of the Ottawa River, across from Canada's capital, Ottawa. It is part of the official National Capital Region which constitutes the fourth largest urban area in the country, after Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. With 291,041 inhabitants in 2021, it is the largest city in the administrative region of Outaouais. Gatineau straddles the Gatineau River, a tributary of the Ottawa River.
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Formerly known as the Canadian Museum of Civilization, Gatineau's star attraction and Canada's most-visited museum deserves at least half a day of your time. This museum presents the story of Canada's population beginning with Aboriginal migration across the Bering Strait through European settlement by the Vikings around 1000 CE, and the British and French in the 1500s. The museum has items ranging from full-size Salish totem poles to the recreation of a small prairie town complete with a grain elevator. The museum also includes an exhibit on Canada Post and a separate museum for children.
Santa's Parade
Annual Christmas parade at the end of November.
Moore Farm Estate
A historic working farm with a bistro, in the Hull sector of Gatineau near the Ottawa River.
The Gatineau Preservation Centre of Library and Archives Canada is a place you need to plan to visit: it's nowhere near downtown, the public can enter only in a guided tour, the tour needs to be booked in advance (you can book a tour at the link in this entry), and you need photo ID other than a health card to be admitted even if you have a reservation. But once you're in, you get to see many of Canada's treasures of original manuscripts and related memorabilia. No flash photography is permitted. No pens are permitted (pencils are allowed). The building itself is worth seeing; the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada included it in their 2000 list of the top 500 buildings built in Canada during the last millennium.
Experience championship quality junior hockey in an intimate arena. Go for the game but the ambiance is what makes this unique.
Gatineau Park has its own Wikivoyage page; the map pointer here marks the park's southern extension into Gatineau. The outdoor playground for Canada's National Capital Region (Ottawa and Gatineau). It offers amazing possibilities for outdoor recreation, within a 20-minute drive of either city. This includes: skiing (cross-country and downhill), mountain biking (cross-country and downhill), hiking, canoeing, camping, rock-climbing and bird-watching.
Run by the government of Quebec, the Casino du Lac-Leamy is the largest casino in the Ottawa-Gatineau area.
Held annually in February. A two-day cross-country ski marathon from Gatineau to Lachute.
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day
Quebec's biggest party of the year starts June 23. Saint-Jean-Baptiste is Québec's patron saint, his feast day is June 24. Events held at various locations. Some events have been used as demonstrations to promote Quebec sovereignty, so be cautious about expressing an opinion on the matter.
Canada Day
July 1, events held at various locations including Ottawa's Parliament Hill. Some events have been used as demonstrations to promote Canadian unity, so be cautious about expressing an opinion on the matter.
Gatineau Comedy Festival
Annual comedy festival, early July. Events held at various locations.
Early July. Sand-sculpting competition.
Annual country music festival held in the second week of August. Cost: $10 to $40.
Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival
Annual hot air balloon festival held in the September long weekend. Cost: $15 to $53.
Outaouais Food Festival
Annual food festival held in September. Events include cooking classes and wine tasting.
Great pizzas here. Thin crust, personal size pizzas are served for about $12, there is no option for a larger pizza. Tropical pizza is good, if a bit spicy. If pizza is not your thing the salads are also great. There is lots of parking space in the area and a few pubs within the same block.
Bistro
Sugar shack. Enjoy a traditional lumberjack meal in a communal setting. Educational programs available. Products sold on premises.
Sugar shack. Sale of maple products, entertainment and carriage rides. Educational programs available.
Maple sugar shack, seasonal.
A great little bar to get a drink at and hang out with the locals. Its low-key vibe attracts a steady crowd of regulars. The back room offers some privacy if you're partying VIP style. Quebec law prohibits smoking inside but it is still allowed on the terrace. Treat the bartenders right and they will take very good care of you.
42 rooms with queen-sized beds, including five with a whirlpool and 21 with two beds. Parking and continental breakfast are included.
Waterfront hotel, 133 non-smoking rooms and suites, free Wi-Fi, cardio fitness, indoor pool. Conference centre and on-site catering for 10 to 270 people. Parking $12/day.
Au Paradis Tourist Condo
Short-term apartment for up to 4 persons; large waterfront house with massage therapist office on-site.
Parking $18/day
On the Château Cartier Golf Course
Campground and maple sugar shack, seasonal.
Trap Cheese Outaouais (Gatineau)
Cheese and regional food products.
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