Saint-Gabriel-De-Valcartier Between Ice and Water

Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier offers activities for very different kinds of vacation days, including a water park with 102,000 square feet of indoor space, winter snow slides, a structure made from ice and snow and rebuilt each year, and municipal recreational facilities. Cycling on a former railway line is another option. Families can choose between indoor experiences, outdoor activities and unusual architecture.

Snow and Ice for Unique Experiences

The Hôtel de Glace is rebuilt each year as a temporary structure made from snow and ice. You can visit during the day or in the evening; overnight stays in an ice room are also possible. This is a different experience from a visit focused solely on winter activities: the Hôtel de Glace is a unique attraction in its own right, with a new design each year. Visiting and staying overnight are two different ways to experience it.

The winter play centre at Village Vacances Valcartier offers snow slides such as Tornade, Rafting sur neige and Himalaya. A 1 km skating trail winds through the various attractions. If you’re planning an active winter day, you can choose between the named snow slides and skating along the trail. The trail’s length also gives you a concrete reference point for planning your day.

Water Park and Municipal Recreational Areas

Bora Parc is a water park with 102,000 square feet of indoor space. As an indoor attraction, it offers a different experience from the snow activities and outdoor municipal facilities. This distinction may be useful if you want to consider water activities and winter experiences as separate interests during your trip.

The Parc municipal offers water games and a splash pool, both of which open according to their respective schedules. There is also a skatepark, basketball court, beach volleyball court, baseball field and pickleball courts. A range of sports is available, rather than the recreational area being limited to a single activity. The play structures may also be of interest when planning with children. A multipurpose shelter, picnic tables and washrooms round out the Parc municipal’s facilities.

The Parc des Plateaux has a distinct focus: it features a play structure for children aged five and up, as well as an interactive game. The age recommendation applies to the play structure; the interactive game is also part of what’s on offer. If you’re travelling with children, you can consider these two specific play options when choosing activities.

Cycling Trail, Walking Path and Cultural Diversity

The Vélopiste Jacques-Cartier / Portneuf is a 68 km cycling trail along a former railway line. It connects Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier with Rivière-à-Pierre. Its length and route along the former railway line give the trail a clear identity for anyone planning a cycling trip. When choosing a vacation rental or house, you may also want to consider whether you’d like to focus your stay on winter activities, water, municipal recreational areas or a cycling trip.

The municipal walking path is open year-round. Streetlights illuminate it every day at dusk. It offers a different kind of route from the 68 km cycling trail and can be included in your travel plans as a separate way to get some exercise in town.

The churches also offer a glimpse into Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier’s cultural diversity. Four churches along Avenue Valcartier and Boulevard Valcartier bear witness to this: a Presbyterian church, an Anglican church, a Catholic church and a United Church. These different traditions add to the picture of a place whose recreational options include both winter activities and municipal facilities.

If you’d like to discover more destinations, you can also include Stoneham, Shannon, Sainte-Brigitte-De-Laval and Sainte-Catherine-De-La-Jacques-Cartier in your plans.

For the broader travel overview: La Jacques-Cartier.