Matane Wildlife Reserve and Salmon Watching

The Matane Wildlife Reserve, which shares management of the mountainous Gaspésie massif territory with Gaspésie National Park and the Chic-Chocs Wildlife Reserve under SEPAQ's oversight, owes its particular renown to the Matane River, whose waters are home to one of Quebec's most important and best-documented Atlantic salmon populations. Each summer, thousands of salmon migrate upstream to reach their spawning grounds located further inland—a spectacular migratory phenomenon that visitors can observe directly from observation decks and platforms strategically positioned near the main rapids and salmon pools, where these silvery fish sometimes leap out of the water to overcome the natural obstacles in their path. Beyond this emblematic wildlife attraction, the reserve offers a vast territory for hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation, including the Chic-Chocs Mountain Lodge, a prestigious establishment perched at 615 meters altitude in the heart of the massif, accessible only by snowmobile or helicopter in winter, offering an experience of isolation and contact with wild nature rarely matched elsewhere in Quebec's network of protected wildlife territories.