Page 44 - Dreamscapes Magazine | Spring/Summer 2025

SLOWING DOWN
IN BAS-SAINT-LAURENT
A journey along the shores
of the St. Lawrence
BY MARK STACHIEW
the Fleuve Saint-Laurent. There’s no English
In French, the St. Lawrence River is known as
equivalent, but the distinction is that a fleuve
is a river that flows into the sea, and that subtle
change between fresh and salt water is at the heart
of what makes Québec’s Bas-Saint-Laurent so
special.
I had driven through the region on my way to
the Maritimes many times, always noting its beauty
and vowing to return. Each time I marvelled at
the way the far shore of the river disappeared
beyond the hazy horizon, the tang of salt in the
air, and increasing cries of seabirds. It always felt
like the Maritimes had already begun, so why
was I always in such a rush?
I was finally able to fully explore that
transition from river to sea during a road trip
along La Route des Navigateurs, a scenic drive
following Route 132. This backroad hugs the
southern shore of the St. Lawrence through Bas-
Saint-Laurent and beyond. Here are some of the
highlights from that unforgettable trip as my
44
DREAMSCAPES SPRING/SUMMER 2025