A weekend at Parc Omega in Montebello

At the beginning of June, we took advantage of lovely warm temperatures to go away for a weekend in the Outaouais, the Quebec region close to Ontario. We decided to spend a day discovering the famous Parc Omega and to take our time on the Sunday to wander around the village of Montebello. A good idea for a short break 1h30 from Montreal!

A day at Parc Omega

Before going to Parc Omega, remember to book your tickets online on their website. Prices and opening times vary with the season: in early June, we had paid about 35 CAD per person and were able to enter the park from 10am and leave at 6pm. To attract and feed the animals, we had also bought a kilo of carrots at our grocery shop to avoid paying for them at the park shop: we recommend you do the same, you’ll pay far less!

So the park is visited by car, on a one-way dirt track. At reception, you are given a map of the park to find your way better and discover the different zones where particular species are. There are also a few trails for walking in the park, such as in the First Nations Area, around the trout lake, or in the Settlement Area, where we had lunch. We also stopped to watch the wolf presentation: the keeper was passionate about his job and knew the pack perfectly, a real joy to listen to him talk. In short, there is plenty to keep you busy all day!
We were lucky and saw all the animals in the park, at varying distances, because they are still wild animals, not domesticated, and shy for some of them like the arctic wolf for example. Just one tip: keep your eyes open!

What to see in Montebello

Even though Montebello’s flagship attraction is Parc Omega, we decided to spend Sunday there to discover this village on the banks of the Ottawa River. Along the main road, there are craft shops and traditional businesses such as a cheese shop and a chocolate shop: the good tip if you’re looking for local products as souvenirs. One of Montebello’s points of interest is the Manoir-Papineau National Historic Site, a seigneurial residence overlooking the Ottawa River. We didn’t visit the inside but we walked around the grounds.
But the most impressive thing is without a doubt the famous Fairmount Le Château Montebello, a magnificent hotel built from wooden logs. We didn’t dare go inside, but judging by the photos found on the internet, it looks spectacular, particularly the main hall and the pool. We settled for strolling on the lawns, by the marina…. the place is really peaceful.

Our accommodation in Montebello

We had chosen to stay somewhere quiet in the Montebello countryside, up on the heights, in a guest room found on Airbnb. We paid 68€ a night with a generous local breakfast. It’s a big typical house, with a pool, but we couldn’t make use of it because of the caterpillars that had invaded the grounds. Our host Gail is really lovely and very helpful. We recommend it!

What we thought of Parc Omega and Montebello

We loved this day at Parc Omega, which is a good outing idea for a weekend less than 2h from Montreal. Even though you go round the park by car and it remains touristy, we found it pleasant and interesting because it lets you see many of the country’s typical animals in a single day. You should probably avoid busy spring and summer weekends (public holidays) so as not to “queue” inside the park. As for Montebello, it’s a small village worth the detour for its riverbanks and its famous wooden Fairmount hotel!
If you come on a trip to Quebec, Parc Omega remains a must in any season, in winter as much as in summer. We recommend spending the weekend in Montebello and devoting a whole day to Parc Omega.

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