Val-d’Or

Val d’Or

Val-d’Or, established in 1934, in the Abitibi-Temiscamingue region, owes its birth to the gold rush. Five historic quarters form Val-d’Or, namely: Dubuisson, Louvicourt, Sullivan, Val-Senneville and Vassan.

A monument to a miner is located at the Lapointe square, on the 3rd Avenue at the heart of downtown. These miners succeeded in transforming this rocky region into an unequalled land, Nearby, the park of Marais with interesting sculptures is located.

A slight detour to the Vassan and Val-Senneville quarters allows visitors to appreciate a cultural heritage covered bridge: the Champagne bridge.

In the Belvedere park, situated at the intersection of the boulevard des Pins and boulevard Sabourin, a tour Rotary can be visited. Atop its 18 metres, guests get an all-encompassing view of the vastness of the territory. A long trail for hiking is available.

You can visit the Pavillon de Tourisme, where the Expo-Art boutique displays the artwork of local artists and artisans. A soapstone sculpture, symbolizing the bonds of friendship between the Native peoples and the colonists welcomes guests. Another art center is the Centre d’exposition de Val-d’Or.

This centre exhibits the work of regional artists and other contributors, as well as travelling exhibitions of photography, videography, sculpture, painting and more. A whole array of activities are offered at the center, such as workshops, lectures ou conferences. The City of Gold (Cité de l’Or) invites guests to become a miner for a day.

Visitors experience an underground descent, to a depth of over 90 metres (300 ft) into Lamaque Mine’s old mine drifts. This is the deepest gold mine in Canada open to tourists. Underground, guests discover methods of gold ore extraction and at the surface they can see an ore transformation process with a visit of the assay laboratory.

Industries Norbord, one of the most important manufacturers, offers guides tours. The Russian Orthodox church of Val-d’Or, bought back by the town, is a very interesting example of traditional Russian architecture.

Garden of Jardins a fleur de peau, situated 5 kilometres from downtown, on the shores of Blouin lake, is another a very particular attraction, as well as the nature interpretation path of Dubuisson, with its 3 kilometres of trails for hiking and its enchanting setting of the Piche-Lemoyne forest. Nearby, the Park of Explorers (parc des Explorateurs) is a chance for a picnic stop.

Guests can enjoy the panorama of the Piche River. Val-d’Or is a a departing point for those tourists who’d like to take the Prospectors’ and Clearers’ Tour.