Francophone outdoor activities
Voyageur Wilderness | Destination Ontario
We’ve assembled a list of great Francophone outdoor activities and experiences in Ontario. Run by Francophone operators and delivered in both English and French, these are activities that also celebrate and promote the province’s Francophone culture and heritage.
Added to this list are all the Ontario Parks sites (some with services in French) and Parks Canada sites, as well as numerous conservation areas across the province, some with interpretation centres, trails and sports equipment rentals. Ontario Parks has over 300 parks and covers 10% of the territory. In Ontario, parks are a great way to enjoy nature.
Check the National classification of French-language services, which shows French-language services available at each facility.
For additional information about French-language experiences in Ontario, visit RouteChamplain.ca and Salut Canada for helpful tips on French-language experiences, places to see and routes to explore.
Northeastern Ontario
Lake Temiskaming Tour
This circuit, the result of a joint initiative between Quebec and Ontario, showcases vibrant and diverse Francophone, Anglophone and Algonquin cultures through various outdoor activities, events and stops at sites throughout the region.
Visitors can take part in four main types of activities:
- water (swimming, boating and beach activities)
- winter (ice fishing, sledding, tobogganing, downhill skiing and skating)
- agrotourism (pumpkin-picking, on-farm tastings, markets, handicrafts and visits to a sugar shack)
- festive (cultural, culinary and musical events and festivals)
Sample local dishes and enjoy a wide selection of accommodations (lodges, outfitters, cottages and hotels) and transportation to suit your tastes and needs.
Location: Lake Temiskaming
Bison du Nord
Get a close-up look at an impressive herd of some 300 bison on an hour-long tractor-drawn wagon tour through the pastures. This ranch, which is one of the Tour du lac Témiscamingue stops, is dedicated to the well-being of its animals and the land (the farm is approved by A Greener World (AGW) as Certified Animal Welfare and Certified Grassfed).
The Bélanger family shares their passion for bison, a fascinating animal. The farm is also a popular stop for the thousands of people participating in the Foire gourmande de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue et du Nord-Est ontarien in Ville-Marie, Quebec, and won the Prix du public in 2016 with its delicious BBQ bison burger.
Location: 086454 Airport Road, Earlton
Leisure Farms
One of the region’s best kept secrets, this family owned and operated farm in the small Francophone community of Sturgeon Falls is the best place to be outdoors, have fun and get farm products.
Buy or pick fresh strawberries, raspberries, pumpkins and corn.
Enjoy a picnic or wagon ride, or grill marshmallows over the campfire. The farm also offers baked goods prepared fresh daily, including award-winning fruit pies, breads and jams, all homemade.
Location: 744 Quesnel Road, West Nipissing
Billings Connections Trail
Follow this illuminating path along which you will find historical interpretation plaques about the history and culture of Francophones and Indigenous peoples in the region and the links between those communities. The text of each plaque is provided in three languages: French, Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) and English.
Also visit the trail’s dedicated kiosk in the local museum (the Old Mill Heritage Centre) for additional information. The project is an important part of the township’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015) for public education, aiming to help build awareness about the impact of colonization.
Location: 15 Old Mill Road, Gore Bay
Northern Spirit Adventures
With a wide selection of outdoor activities throughout the year, these adventure guides are passionate and driven by the idea of delivering an authentic historical experience. Follow the path laid out by French voyageurs in traditional 10- and 7.5-metre (34- and 25-foot) canoes while basking in the splendour of Ontario’s landscapes and waterways. Or take a snowmobile trek to enjoy the diverse canyons, mountains and snowscapes of the region in winter.
As part of these adventures led by experienced Franco-Ontarian guides dressed in traditional coureurs des bois outfits, you will have the chance to observe wildlife such as moose, wolves, bears, lynx, beavers and many bird species, depending on the time of year.
Location: New Post Falls, Relay, Smooth Rock Falls
Northwest Ontario
Voyageur Wilderness
This Northern Ontario outfitter offers a range of cultural, educational and interpretation excursions, as well as ecological nature adventures and accommodations on Voyageur Island, with full French-language service. Choose among canoe adventures, equipment packages and rentals, different styles of cottage or lodge accommodations and personalized excursions.
Explore the stunning landscapes of Quetico Provincial Park and the region’s historical water routes on tours inspired by the Indigenous and early French voyageur heritages of the region.
Ottawa Region
Route Champlain
Awaken the explorer in you. Take a few days, a week or longer, and set out on an adventure, following the route taken by explorer Samuel de Champlain in 1615, from the Ottawa River to Lake Ontario through the French River and Georgian Bay. Enjoy a larger-than-life transformative experience with a focus on the outdoors.
Location: Eastern, Central and Southern Ontario
Drouin Farm
Visit this rustic rural attraction, run by the Francophone Pierre family, and take part in fun farm activities. Something for everyone: horse-drawn cart rides, tobogganing and sledding hills, an amusement park and a fully operational sugar shack during maple syrup season (mid-March to mid- or late April) and apple and pumpkin festivals in the fall.
Regather your strength after a day of outdoor fun with a self-serve maple inspired pancakes meal, including maple taffy, and let your little ones enjoy tubing, bouncy castles and a playground.
Location: 1230 Route 400, Casselman
Ouimet Farms Adventure
For lots of outdoor family fun, visit this Francophone family-run farm—home to “Ontario’s Most A-Maze-ing Corn Maze” and one of the equally amazing mural-decorated silos on the POPSILOS tour.
The farm offers a scavenger hunt, a giant outdoor air bag and zip line, as well as wagon rides, outdoor games and delicious snacks at the farm's coffee shop. In the evening, walk the maze with a flashlight. You can also pick your pumpkins in the fall.
Location: 63 Main Street West, Vankleek Hill
Les Fruits du Poirier
Pick your own organically grown fruits, berries and vegetables from this Francophone farm, located in the rural community of St-Eugène in the township of East Hawkesbury.
You can also park your RV on site for free if you plan to stay in the area to continue exploring.
Location: 2535 Concession Road 3, St-Eugène
Proulx Farm
With nature trails, maple syrup production, pick-your-own summer berries, seasonal veggies and a Pumpkinfest each fall, there’s always something fun at this French Canadian family-owned farm.
Don’t miss the Maple Festival in the early spring.
Location: 1865 Chemin O’Toole, Cumberland
Haliburton Highlands to the Ottawa Valley
OWL Rafting
Shoot down the Rocky Rapids on the Ottawa River’s longest whitewater excursion. Upon your return, a BBQ meal awaits you on a pontoon! Several guides speak French.
Location: 40 Owl Lane, Foresters Falls
Madawaska Kanu Centre
The Madawaska Kanu Centre offers full training over a few hours or a week on a stretch of the Madawaska River. It is an incredible training site, and many of the guides are Francophones.
Location: 247 River Road, Barry's Bay
Kawarthas and Northumberland
The Canadian Canoe Museum
The Canadian Canoe Museum has the largest collection of canoes in the world, dedicated to preserving and transmitting their culture and history.
The exhibits are presented in French, English and various Indigenous languages. The Museum also offers outdoor activities to delight the whole family.
Location: 2077 Ashburnham Drive, Peterborough
Last updated: July 19, 2024