Parc des Grands Jardins (Canada)

If you take a trip to Canada and pass through St Paul Bay, I recommend that you travel the extra 35 km that take you directly into the park. The taiga and the lakes make up the stunning landscape of the Grands Jardins National Park.

We chose to cover the four-hour loop from the Mont du Lac des Cygnes ("Swan Lake Mountain"). During the climb, we stopped on the shores of Lake Pioui where a dozen or so squirrels and chipmunks spontaneously came to watch us. Some, who were curious and cheeky, came close to our bags and our hands, hoping to find a little snack. Watch out though, as it is forbidden to feed them!

The trail is thickly grown with vegetation and lichen, but it's very easy to get around. It continues into the boreal forest before reaching the peak at an altitude of 1,000 metres.

Once we reached the plateau, which is dotted with enormous granite blocks, the 360-degree panorama over the lush, green hills and mirror-smooth lakes is magnificent. On the way down from the mountain, we encountered a partridge and its three chicks.