A stay on the territory was an opportunity for endless discoveries. Family members of all ages were guaranteed a good time.
In Haute-Mauricie, forests represent a powerful economic driver. Nowadays, the La Tuque region is considered an important tourist destination by hunting and fishing enthusiasts and those who enjoy holiday resorts. Did you know that the region’s 75 outfitters generate over 500 direct jobs each year and attract over 150,000 visitors, almost half of whom are from outside Canada? Their economic impact on Mauricie is evaluated at over $26 million.
Laurentide House private club near Lac Édouard station, circa 1887–1890.
Over the years, the outfitters across Mauricie have become preferred haunts for both experienced fishers seeking a big catch and those who want to learn modern techniques or benefit from the ancestral know-how of Indigenous communities, the proud original inhabitants of this fertile territory. Several outfitters have expanded their range beyond fishing and become family-friendly holiday destinations that are open year-round. Want to know how all this happened?
The Quebec and Lake St. John Railway Company paved the way for the establishment of select hunting and fishing clubs in Haute-Mauricie by acquiring Lac des Grandes-Iles, an exclusive domain that has since been renamed Lac Édouard. Starting in 1886, the station began seeing an influx of rich American sports enthusiasts who were lured by an abundance of brook trout weighing up to 10 pounds.
It wasn’t long before private clubs like Laurentide House and the Paradise Fin and Feather Club, which was renamed the Lake Edward Fish and Game Club, built cottages equipped with generators, coolers, motorboats and high-end furnishings. Between 1915 and 1945, Indigenous guides were in high demand to help clients locate the best fishing spots.
In the 1960s, governments began issuing leases to better control land use and preserve certain species. Starting in 1977, with the elimination of exclusive rights, private clubs were replaced by ZECs (controlled harvesting zones) and outfitters. One such ZEC, the Seigneurie du Triton, has been a veritable institution since 1893. You can still feel the presence of Churchill, Roosevelt and Truman in the lodge, all of whom stayed there during the last century.
Since the 1970s, the territory has been increasingly accessible to all.
