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Jean-Philippe Caron CC BY-SA 4.0 Wikimedia Commons

Notre Dame Mountains

Mountains

A range of low mountains in Quebec that form part of the Appalachians. Tourists come for provincial parks, hiking trails, winter skiing and seasonal leaf-peeping across rolling ridges and forested valleys.

Notre Dame Mountains MontrealQuebec CityGatineauLaval, QuebecTrois-RivièresSherbrookeLongueuilSaguenay, QuebecNotre Dame Mountains
In this guide

Notre Dame Mountains essentials

Country: Canada
Driest months: Feb-Apr
Pay in: Dollar ($)
Language: French, English

Notre Dame Mountains at a Glance

When to Go

Best Time to Visit Notre Dame Mountains

Best visited late spring through fall for road access and views; winter is deep and quiet but requires snow-ready planning.

Late spring
May-June · 5-18°C (41-64°F)
Melting snow, swollen streams and a sudden green-wildflowers begin along the lower slopes; watch for muddy forest roads.
Summer
July-August · 12-25°C (54-77°F)
Warm days and long light; ideal for multi-day paddles on rivers that cut through the range, but expect bugs.
Fall (peak)
September-October · 0-12°C (32-54°F)
Arguably the best time: crisp air and dramatic foliage on mixed hardwoods that carpet the hills.

Weather & Climate near Notre Dame Mountains

Climate

Notre Dame Mountains's climate is classified as Warm-Summer Continental - Warm-Summer Continental climate with mild summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -20°C to 22°C. Abundant rainfall (1073 mm/year), wettest in July.

Air Quality: AQI 18 Good
Temperature & Rainfall
Temperature Range
22°
Warmest Month
-20°
Coldest Month
Monthly Conditions
Month Comfort Temp Feels Rain Sky Humidity Wind UV Daylight
January - -20° - -10° -23° 78 mm - - 4.3 m/s - -
February - -18° - -8° -21° 63 mm - - 4.3 m/s - -
March - -12° - -2° -13° 70 mm - - 4.4 m/s - -
April - -4° - 5° -4° 71 mm - - 4.1 m/s - -
May - 2° - 14° 6° 98 mm - - 3.7 m/s - -
June - 8° - 20° 14° 99 mm - - 3.4 m/s - -
July - 11° - 22° 17° 117 mm - - 3.1 m/s - -
August - 10° - 21° 16° 104 mm - - 3.0 m/s - -
September - 6° - 16° 11° 95 mm - - 3.4 m/s - -
October - 0° - 9° 1° 103 mm - - 3.7 m/s - -
November - -6° - 1° -7° 93 mm - - 4.0 m/s - -
December - -15° - -6° -18° 82 mm - - 4.3 m/s - -
Getting There & Around

How to Get to Notre Dame Mountains

The range stretches across much of southern Quebec; the most accessible sections are a one- to three-hour drive from Quebec City or from Rimouski depending on which block of the range is chosen. Major approaches use Autoroute 20 and provincial routes that run parallel to the St. Lawrence; once off the main highway, expect secondary roads and logging tracks. Public transit access is very limited-visitors usually reach trails and lookouts by car.

Tips for Visiting Notre Dame Mountains

  • Bring insect repellent in summer-the low valleys host mosquitoes even on sunny days.
  • Explore side roads: the best views of the range come from provincial Route 132 and secondary forest roads, not the highway viewpoints.
  • If planning backcountry hiking, hire a local guide-the maps are littered with logging roads that confuse even experienced walkers.