Val-d'Or
Around Val-d'Or
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Town and around · Quebec · 34k people
Val-d'Or
Locals say Abitibi · “Gold Capital”
A golden land of forests and lakes
GoldBlack
Welcome to Abitibi, where the boreal forest meets the lakes and the mining spirit runs deep. Whether you're here for the hockey, the fishing, or just the fresh air, you'll find a friendly community ready to share its trails and stories.
Clubs for Val-d'Or
No clubs for Val-d'Or yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Val-d'Or. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Val-d'Or. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Cité de l'Or Historic gold mine with underground tours.
- Lac Blouin Large lake with beach and picnic areas.
- Centre Air Creebec Home arena of the Val-d'Or Foreurs.
- Parc des Pionniers Central park with walking trails and playgrounds.
- La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve Vast protected area for canoeing and camping.
- Outdoors Canoe the La Vérendrye Reserve
- Outdoors Snowmobile the Abitibi trails
- With kids Visit Cité de l'Or for a mine tour
- With kids Swim at Lac Blouin beach
- Evenings Pub hopping on 3e Avenue
- Evenings Live music at the Agora
- Locals love Pourvoiries (outfitters)
- Locals love Lakes and rivers
Through the year
Continental climate with long, cold winters and short, warm summers. Best time to be out is summer. Best: Summer (June to August) is warm and pleasant, perfect for lake activities.
Getaways
- Amos Explore the historic town and its lake.
- Rouyn-Noranda Visit the festival and mining museum.
- North Bay Enjoy the sandy beaches of Lake Nipissing.
- Petawawa Outdoor adventures along the Ottawa River.
Local flavour
Teams
- Val-d'Or Foreurs QMJHL
Eat and drink
- Poutine Quebec-wide staple, especially enjoyed with local cheese curds
- Tourtière Traditional meat pie, common in the region
- Cabanes à sucre Sugar shack experience, maple syrup season
Where people go
- Pourvoiries Outfitters for hunting and fishing in the wilderness
- Chalets Cottages by lakes, a way of life in the region
- Boreal forest Vast expanses of spruce and pine
- Lakes Numerous clear-water lakes for recreation
Heritage and traditions
Val-d'Or is proud of its gold-mining heritage and the resilient spirit of the Abitibi region, where the boreal forest and lakes define a way of life.
This time of year in Val-d'Or
- Hunting season Autumn Autumn moose and deer hunting, a deeply rooted tradition.
Say it like a local: “char” — Car.
Festivals
- Fête nationale du Québec (Saint-Jean-Baptiste) June June 24, with bonfires, music, and community celebrations across the region.
- Journée nationale des Autochtones June June 21, featuring Indigenous culture, crafts, and performances.
Landmarks with a story
- Bourlamaque Historic District A well-preserved 1930s mining town in Val-d'Or, now a National Historic Site of Canada.
- Canadian Malartic Mine One of Canada's largest open-pit gold mines, located in Malartic, a symbol of ongoing mining heritage.
Food traditions
- Pâté chinois A Quebec shepherd's pie with ground beef, corn, and mashed potatoes, a hearty home meal.
- Cretons A spiced pork spread served on toast for breakfast.
- Fèves au lard Baked beans slow-cooked with maple syrup, a traditional side dish.
- Tarte au sucre Sugar pie, a sweet dessert made with maple syrup or brown sugar.
- Bannock Indigenous fried bread, often served with stew or jam, reflecting local First Nations influence.
Music and arts
- Chanson québécoise Local singer-songwriters perform French-language folk and pop, often with a northern flavour.
- Country music A popular genre in the region, with local bands playing at bars and festivals.
- Indigenous crafts Anishinaabe and Cree artisans create beadwork, birch bark baskets, and quillwork.
A little history
- 1930s Gold rush and founding of Val-d'Or
- 1910s Construction of the railway connecting Abitibi to southern Quebec
- 1930s Colonization of Abitibi by settlers during the Great Depression
- 1940s-1960s Development of the forestry industry alongside mining
- Pre-contact Presence of Anishinaabe and Cree communities long before European settlement
Rivalries
- Val-d'Or Foreurs vs Rouyn-Noranda Huskies Fierce QMJHL rivalry.
- Game day Hockey
- Game day Curling
- Outdoors Pan for gold
- Outdoors Snowshoeing
- With kids Pan for gold
- With kids Visit the public library
Locals speak Quebec French with a distinct Abitibi accent, often slower and with a rural flavour. English mining terms like 'shaft' and 'drift' occasionally slip into French, and there are influences from the local Anishinaabe and Cree languages.
Only here
- The town's name literally means 'Valley of Gold', and you can still pan for gold in local streams.
- Bourlamaque is a perfectly preserved 1930s mining town, like a time capsule.
- The region's vast boreal forest is home to more lakes than people.
- Local snowmobile trails connect to a network that spans thousands of kilometres across Quebec.
New here? A few tips
- Embrace the winter: invest in a good snowmobile or at least warm gear, as snow covers the ground from November to April.
- Learn a few French phrases; while many locals are bilingual, French is the primary language in daily life.
- Try the local cuisine: poutine, tourtière, and sugar pie are must-haves, and don't miss a cabane à sucre in spring.
- Get outside: fishing, hunting, and snowmobiling are central to the lifestyle; a fishing licence is easy to obtain.
- Be prepared for long distances: services are spread out, and a car is essential.
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Nearby
Every areaAmosQuebecHeart of the AbitibiRouyn-NorandaQuebecWhere the north begins, and hearts stay warm.AbitibiQuebecWhere the forest meets the gold.TémiscamingueQuebecBig skies, deep lakes, and the quiet hum of the north.Timiskaming DistrictOntarioLakes, pines, and northern skies.North BayOntarioBig skies, deep lakes, and a warm northern welcome.PetawawaOntarioWhere the river runs deep and the pines stand tall.
Val-d'Or. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.