Campgrounds and RV parks near Poularies, QC

Paddling is the main draw. Lac Matissard - Aiguebelle Provincial Park rents canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards on calm waters at the Abijévis sector. Guided canoe outings cross the watershed divide that gives Abitibi its Algonquin name, meaning the place where the waters separate. Hikers can tackle the park's suspension bridge over a faulted gorge and short loops through pillow-lava outcrops. Wildlife viewing is strong, with moose, beaver, black bear and many bird species present. At Esker Lakes Provincial Park, families canoe between connected lakes via short portages, swim at sandy beaches, and walk the Trapper's Trail. Fishing is productive on both sides of the border with a valid provincial licence, targeting walleye and northern pike at Lac Matissard and brook, lake and rainbow trout in Esker Lakes.

The camping season is short and clearly defined. Most serviced sites in the area open in mid-May and close in mid-September to mid-October once overnight temperatures drop. Camping Abijévis at Lac Matissard typically runs from mid-May to mid-October, with peak demand from late June through mid-August when school holidays and warm weather align. Esker Lakes Provincial Park operates from roughly mid-May to late September. Blackflies emerge in late May and peak through June, with mosquitoes carrying into July. Pack head nets and repellent for any early-summer trip. July and August bring the warmest, driest stretch and the best swimming. September delivers cooler nights, fewer bugs, and boreal-forest colour, but precipitation rises and some services scale back. Winter access to Aiguebelle continues for snowshoeing, ice fishing and cabin stays through the Mont-Brun south entrance, which is open year-round, though the RV campground itself is closed. Spring shoulder season is wet and muddy, with many secondary roads and trails staying soft into May.

Expect a remote, boreal-forest setting with limited cell coverage once off the main highways. The road into Aiguebelle from Mont-Brun is paved to the south entrance and accessible year-round; the Taschereau (north) entrance is summer-access only. Camping Abijévis at Lac Matissard offers a mix of serviced and unserviced sites, plus a nature shop, convenience store, watercraft rentals, a children's playground and a sandy shoreline. Dogs are not permitted at the Abijévis sector, while the Ojibway-Barlow sector on Lac Loïs is dog-friendly. At Esker Lakes, more than half of the front-country sites are electrical, with two comfort stations, a trailer sanitation station and beach access. Bring bug protection, layered clothing for cool nights, and bear-aware food storage.