A cottage on a lake, a dock for the morning coffee, a wood stove for the evening and, in winter, a skating rink or ice fishing at the door: that is the quintessential Quebec weekend, one or two hours’ drive from the cities. This guide brings together Quebec cottages, apartments and tourist rentals located on a river, a lake or the St. Lawrence, with each one’s listing, capacity and prices.
Our favourites
Magie du Fleuve, Saint-Siméon, Charlevoix. A house whose grounds look out on the St. Lawrence, with a panoramic view and the sound of the waves to help you unwind.
Les Marelles, Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs, Bas-Saint-Laurent. A large apartment for four overlooking the bay of L’Isle-Verte, the marsh, the ebb and flow of the tides, the flocks of lambs and the shorebirds.
Chalet Presqu’île, Saint-Gédéon, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean. On a peninsula facing Lac Saint-Jean, with a private sandy beach, a dock, a hot tub and sunsets over the water.
Lac Azur, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Laurentians. Right on the lake, a cottage with a hot tub under the stars and a pool table, and walking and snowshoe trails to explore.
Chalet « le Mélissa », Magog, Eastern Townships. Direct access to Lac Lovering, with decks, a dock, a pedal boat and a canoe, and scenery that changes colour with the seasons.
Choosing
On the listing, look at what is included (boats, hot tub, fireplace, linens), the distance to a grocery store, winter access (plowed road, four-wheel drive required) and the access to the water: sandy beach, dock or rocky shore, which changes a vacation with kids or a dog. A motor-free lake guarantees quiet; a big lake, water sports.
Booking
July weekends, the construction holiday and the holiday season are booked three to six months ahead; weeknights and shoulder seasons (May, June, September, October) often cost a third less for the same lake in colour. A two-night stay is the usual weekend minimum; read the rules on pets, parties and number of guests before paying.
On site
Life jackets for everyone on the water, campfires only if the owner and the municipality allow them, and waste sorting according to local rules: in the regions, pickup is sometimes every two weeks. Each cottage’s listing says what to bring.
🏡 Cottages by region
MontrealQuebecLavalAbitibi-TémiscamingueBas-Saint-LaurentCentre-du-QuébecCharlevoixChaudière-AppalachesCôte-NordEastern TownshipsEeyou Istchee Baie-JamesGaspésieÎles-de-la-MadeleineLanaudièreLaurentidesMauricieMontérégieOutaouaisSaguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean
Montreal
1 place
Quebec
271 places
Laval
1 place
Abitibi-Témiscamingue
41 places
Bas-Saint-Laurent
280 places
Centre-du-Québec
83 places
Charlevoix
289 places
Chaudière-Appalaches
255 places
Côte-Nord
69 places
Eastern Townships
479 places
Eeyou Istchee Baie-James
7 places
Gaspésie
331 places
Îles-de-la-Madeleine
134 places
Lanaudière
663 places
Laurentides
903 places
Mauricie
285 places
Montérégie
55 places
Outaouais
346 places
Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean
271 places
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