Rimouski

Rimouski and the two ships that changed Canadian history

Rimouski is the regional capital of the Bas-Saint-Laurent and the most substantial town between Québec City and the start of the Gaspésie. For most travellers it is a fuel stop and a place to sleep. That is a mistake — the town’s main attraction is one of the most underrated heritage sites in eastern Québec.

At Pointe-au-Père, 10 km east of the town centre, two separate stories converge on the same piece of Saint-Laurent shoreline: the wreck of the Empress of Ireland (1914, 1,012 dead — Canada’s deadliest peacetime maritime disaster) and the HMCS Onondaga, a Cold War-era submarine open for public tours. Taken together, the Site historique maritime de la Pointe-au-Père is one of the most genuine and undervisited heritage sites in Québec.

GetYourGuide has a location page for Rimouski (l157049) but it carries essentially no active tours. Book all activities directly with local operators or through the Pointe-au-Père site directly.

Pointe-au-Père: what you are visiting

The Empress of Ireland museum

On the night of 29 May 1914, the Canadian Pacific ocean liner RMS Empress of Ireland collided with the Norwegian collier SS Storstad in thick fog near Rimouski, sinking in 14 minutes. Of the 1,477 people aboard, 1,012 died. It is the deadliest peacetime maritime disaster in Canadian history — more deadly than the Titanic proportionally, and almost entirely forgotten outside Canada.

The museum holds recovered artefacts from the wreck (lying in 40 metres of water, accessible to technical divers), personal effects of passengers, and extensive interpretation about the social history of early 20th-century ocean travel. The exhibition is thoughtful and not sensationalised — it takes the disaster seriously as a human event.

The wreck itself is a designated protected site and a war grave. The museum interprets the underwater archaeology well.

HMCS Onondaga

The Onondaga is an Oberon-class diesel-electric submarine that served with the Royal Canadian Navy from 1967 to 2000. It is the only submarine open to the public in Canada. The 65-minute guided tour takes visitors through the actual interior of the vessel — the torpedo room, the engine compartment, the command centre, the crew quarters where 65 men lived and worked for months at a time.

The physical experience of being inside the submarine is the point. The spaces are genuinely cramped, and the tour does not sanitise the realities of Cold War submarine service. Guides are knowledgeable and the commentary covers both the technical and human dimensions.

Book the Onondaga tour in advance in July and August — capacity is limited and the morning slots sell out.

The Pointe-au-Père lighthouse

The 1909 lighthouse at Pointe-au-Père is the second-tallest masonry lighthouse in Canada. Climbing to the top provides views over the Saint-Laurent estuary in both directions. The lighthouse is included in the Pointe-au-Père site admission.

Admission and hours: The full site (museum + Onondaga + lighthouse) runs approximately 30–35 CAD for adults (2025 pricing). Children have reduced rates. Open late May through mid-October; July and August hours are extended.

The town centre

Rimouski’s town centre is a functional mid-size Quebec city. It is not picturesque in the way that Kamouraska or the Vieux-Québec are picturesque, but it has a real restaurant scene and a few cultural institutions worth noting.

Musée régional de Rimouski: housed in a deconsecrated 1829 church, the museum covers regional art and natural history. The building itself is the draw — the interior stonework is impressive. Free on Tuesdays.

Phare du Rocher Blanc: a short drive or cycle from the town centre, this lighthouse on a small rocky island is a good sunset viewpoint.

Rue Saint-Germain: the main commercial street. A handful of good restaurants and an independent bookshop (Librairie L’Option) make it a pleasant 30-minute walk.

Eating and drinking

Rimouski has the best concentration of restaurants in the Bas-Saint-Laurent. A few honest recommendations:

Bistro L’Alchimiste (rue de l’Évêché): consistently well-regarded for modern Québec cuisine using local produce. Dinner for two with wine around 110–140 CAD. Reserve on weekends.

Restaurant Aviateur: more casual, good burgers and Québec craft beer selection. A reliable option if L’Alchimiste is full.

Microbrasserie Tête d’Allumette: local craft brewery with a tap room. Try the saison and the dark ale.

Poulette Grillée: if you just need a reliable quick meal, this rotisserie chicken spot is an institution in Rimouski.

Getting to Rimouski

By car: From Québec City, take Autoroute 20 east to Rivière-du-Loup, then Route 132 along the south shore. Total 310 km, approximately 3h15 under normal traffic.

By train: VIA Rail’s Le Océan (Montréal–Halifax) stops at Rimouski station. The journey from Montréal takes about 7h. The train runs three times per week in each direction — check VIA Rail for current schedule and booking.

By bus: Orléans Express operates daily service from Québec City. Journey time around 3h30–4h. The bus stop is central and convenient for the town.

Day-tripping from Rimouski

If you base yourself in Rimouski for a night, the following are within 35–60 km:

Parc national du Bic: 35 km west on Route 132. Sea kayaking, harbor seals, hiking. Easily combined with Rimouski for a full day.

Kamouraska: 115 km west. Doable as a return drive but better as a stop en route from Québec City.

Matane (90 km east): the start of Gaspésie, known for shrimp and the ferry to Godbout on the Côte-Nord. A half-day at most unless you are heading into the Gaspé Peninsula.

Practical notes

Rimouski is well-equipped for overnight stops — several chain hotels and a few smaller auberges. The Hotel Rimouski (Holiday Inn branded) is centrally located and reliable. Cheaper options exist on the strip near the Autoroute 20 interchange.

Parking at Pointe-au-Père is free and ample. Allow a minimum of 3h for the full site; 4h is more comfortable if you take the Onondaga tour.

The site closes mid-October. If travelling in late October or November, verify opening dates on the Pointe-au-Père website before making it a priority.

Honest assessment

Rimouski as a town is pleasant but not compelling on its own terms. The Pointe-au-Père site is the reason to come, and it is a legitimately excellent reason. If maritime history interests you — or if you have children who are fascinated by submarines — it is one of the best-value half-days in eastern Québec.

Combined with a night in Kamouraska and an afternoon at Parc national du Bic, a two-day Bas-Saint-Laurent stop balances history, landscape, and food culture in a way that the straight-through drive to Gaspésie never does.

See also: Bas-Saint-Laurent region overview and planning your Gaspésie road trip.