Shrimp is the calling card of Matane, a small port city of about 14,000 on the south shore of the St. Lawrence, where the road up the Gaspe coast begins. The Matane River is also famous for Atlantic salmon. In summer you can watch the fish climb the ladder in the middle of town, and a ferry crosses the river to Baie-Comeau and Godbout on the North Shore.
It is a working town more than a tourist one. The shrimp festival in June is the main event. Living here is very cheap, among the lowest costs in Quebec. The tradeoffs are cold, windy winters with heavy snow that can close Route 132 and Route 195, and moose on the highway. Crime is low. Everything runs in French, and English is limited outside tourism, so basic French is worth learning.
Trip planning at a glance
Peak season
July to August with the Festival de la Crevette
Quieter season
Winter
Highlights
Matane River salmon ladder (Passe migratoire, viewing in summer)
Matane Lighthouse and Phare de Matane
Matane Wildlife Reserve (Reserve faunique de Matane) for moose and hiking
Chemin du Phare and seaside promenade
Ferry crossing to Baie-Comeau or Godbout (Traverse Matane-Baie-Comeau-Godbout, STQ)
Matane shrimp tasting and fish markets
Parc des Iles
nearby Gaspesie gateway on Route 132
Pointe-a-la-Renommee Lighthouse (Gaspesie, about 110 km)
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
5.7/10Good
Connector Score6.7
6 worthwhile cities within three hours; reachable by road, intercity bus, air, and ferry; lodging and sights for an overnight stop. Hey! En Route estimate
Safety8.4
Crime Severity Index around 53; the Canadian figure is about 80. Data-based
Affordability7.7
Cost of living index about 88, where the national average is 100. Data-based
Transportation7.0
Reachable by: road, intercity bus, air, and ferry. Hey! En Route estimate
Car-free friendliness3.5
Intercity train or bus, plus local transit and walkability. Hey! En Route estimate
Walkability3.1
Estimated from city size and transit; no walkable downtown noted. Hey! En Route estimate
Things to do4.0
Known for 3 kinds of attraction, with 7 annual events listed. Hey! En Route estimate
Food & dining3.2
Estimated from city size and dining listings. Hey! En Route estimate
Places to stay4.9
Estimated from city size and lodging listings. Hey! En Route estimate
Nature & outdoors6.0
Known for mountains & hiking, lakes & rivers. Hey! En Route estimate
Scenic value7.0
From its landscape: coast, mountains, lakes and parks. Hey! En Route estimate
Family friendliness4.7
Zoos, aquariums, theme parks and museums, weighted by safety. Hey! En Route estimate
Solo-traveler friendliness5.3
Safety, getting around without a car, hostels, and things to do. Hey! En Route estimate
Nightlife2.1
Estimated from city size and live music. Hey! En Route estimate
Remote-work friendliness5.2
City size, affordability, cafés and connections. Hey! En Route estimate
Road-trip convenience7.0
6 worthwhile cities within three hours’ drive, plus parking, EV charging and RV options. Hey! En Route estimate
Train-trip convenience1.0
No intercity train service noted. Hey! En Route estimate
Bus-trip convenience6.5
Intercity buses, with 7 nearby cities reachable by bus. Hey! En Route estimate
Capitale de la crevette (Shrimp capital); Gateway to the Gaspesie; Matane River salmon capital; Ferry town to Baie-Comeau and Godbout on the North Shore; Matane wildlife reserve gateway
Founded
1845 Municipality of Matane incorporated; 1855 town charter (approximate); 2001 amalgamation of Matane, Petit-Matane and Saint-Luc-de-Matane to form the presen…
Languages
French (sole provincial official language under Quebec's Charter of the French Language, so French is expected on signage, commerce and public services); English is limited outside tourism operations, ferry terminal and a few hotels, so basic French is helpful; homogeneous francophone region
Airports
Matane Airport (CYME), small general aviation with no scheduled service; Mont-Joli Airport (YYY), about 70 km southwest (Pascan and Air Canada regional flights); Rimouski Airport (YXK), about 100 km southwest; Quebec City Jean Lesage International (YQB), about 400 km southwest
Tipping
Restaurants 15-20% of the pre-tax bill (GST and QST are added on top of listed prices, and tipping is on the pre-tax amount); bars $1-2 per drink or 15-20% of tab; taxis and rideshare 10-15%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 CAD per night; bellhops $2-5 CAD per bag; tour guides 10-15%; counter service optional (all amounts CAD; Quebec adds GST 5% plus QST 9.975%, so about 15% total tax on top of listed prices)
Community signals
Not enough responses yet to show a trend.
Matane City Circle
For people considering Matane, visiting soon, living there for a while, or comparing it with somewhere else.
Population 13,987 and land area 195.49 sq km come from the English Wikipedia page for Matane (2021 Census, fetched); population_metro 18,474 is the figure Wikipedia gave for the census agglomeration and looks high versus the city figure, so treat it as low confidence and not cross-checked. StatCan pages were not retried (robots-blocked). visitor_website (Tourisme Matane) and event_calendar (Ville de Matane homepage) are recalled and NOT confirmed by a page fetch; if wrong, use the Bas-Saint-Laurent or Gaspesie regional tourism pages. Elevation, coordinates (rounded), 1855 charter date, event names (several are generic or approximate), hotel and rent ranges, prices, crime index and distances are approximate or from general knowledge and not verified. All money in CAD.
Last verified September 25, 2026 · Source: Research spreadsheet · Editorial ·
Neighborhoods
7 areas to know, and who each one suits.
Centre-ville Matane
Downtown
Petit-Matane
East waterfront, ferry terminal
Saint-Luc
Residential, former town
Matane-sur-Mer area
the Matane River district
Cap-Rouge sector
Sainte-Felicite area
Adjacent
No neighborhood matches that.
Where to base yourself
Downtown Matane and the waterfront along Route 132 for motels and hotels near restaurants and the ferry
near the Matane River for salmon anglers
B&Bs and inns in Petit-Matane
Matane Wildlife Reserve for camping and cabins. Tiers: budget motels
Per person per day, with a room shared by two. Change anything below to fit your trip.
Budget
$88/day
Lodging about CA$108 a night
Mid-range
$122/day
Lodging about CA$155 a night
Luxury
$110/day
Budget calculator
Vehicle
mpg
These are estimates from typical prices, not quotes. Real costs vary with season, events, booking time and your own habits; taxes and fees are approximate.
Cost of living
For longer stays and relocation.
Cost of living index
88 (national average = 100)
Typical 1-bedroom rent
CA$750a month
Median home price
CA$215,000
Research notes
Roughly 10-15% below the Canadian average and about 20-25% below large US metros (approximate); typical 1BR rent about $600-900 CAD per month on listing sites (approximate; among the cheapest in Quebec)
Real estate
Buying or renting long-term: prices, trends and the rules.
Median home
CA$215,000
Mortgage calculator
Average single-family home about $180,000-250,000 CAD (Bas-Saint-Laurent brokers, approximate); condos about $130,000-180,000 CAD; average 1BR rent about $600-900 CAD; market trend: gradual growth since 2020 from a low base (approximate, not verified)
Research notes on prices and seasons
Hotels per night (CAD, before about 15% GST and QST plus 3.5% lodging tax): budget $90-125; mid-range $125-185; luxury not common. Peak season is July to August with the Festival de la Crevette; ferry weekends fill in summer; winter is cheapest. Rough daily visitor budget excluding lodging: $70-120 CAD
Where to stay
Which part of town suits which kind of trip.
Downtown Matane and the waterfront along Route 132 for motels and hotels near restaurants and the ferry
near the Matane River for salmon anglers
B&Bs and inns in Petit-Matane
Matane Wildlife Reserve for camping and cabins. Tiers: budget motels
Safety information is a guide from public data and our research, not a guarantee. Conditions change; check local news and official advice before you go.
8.4
Very good · Data-based
Crime Severity Index around 53; the Canadian figure is about 80.
Safety overview
Crime is low; Statistics Canada Crime Severity Index is around or below the national average (roughly 40-65, approximate); main risks are property theft, impaired driving and winter driving. Health care: Quebec RAMQ does not cover visitors, so travel health insurance is advisable. Hospital: Hopital de Matane (CISSS du Bas-Saint-Laurent, with emergency room; French-first, English less certain). Hazards: very cold windy winters (-15 to -25 C, heavy snow, freezing rain), coastal storms and erosion, cold water in the St. Lawrence estuary, moose collisions on Route 195 and Route 132, summer fog. Emergency 911
Local notes
Specific places where extra care is worthwhile, especially at night. Most visits are trouble-free.
No areas widely flagged for visitors; use ordinary caution near the port and downtown late at night; the Matane River and coastline have strong currents and cold water year-round; winter storms and blowing snow on Route 132 and Route 195 can close roads
Times marked “est.” are estimates: drives use typical road distances at highway speeds, and train or bus times assume both cities have service. Always check a route planner and timetables before you travel.
Route ideas
Suggested by Hey! En Route from the best-connected next stops. Save one to your routes and make it your own.
