First time to the area

[Doug]

 My wife and I, my retired minister and his wife are coming to Lake Kipawa for a week vacation in early September. I was wondering where the good restaurants are, where is there a grocery store, what's there to do/see in the area. I talked to a conservation officer named Gee ? about fishing in the area and some general info to include trout fishing. Are there any small lakes with trout in them? We are looking forward to vacationing your area. By the way your forum is fantastic....Thanks,
Doug from Indiana

[600 miles north]

     Welcome Doug! I hope you enjoy your trip, it is beautiful country.

     To my knowledge there aren't many restaurants anywhere on Kipawa. Speaking from the Laniel end of the lake especially. I would say Temiscaming or Ville-Marie would be your best bet. From my experience there aren't many english speaking folks in Quebec, or if their are they don't let on that they do. Some of the younger people in Temiscaming have done well with it. We had a hard time ordering a bucket of chicken in Ville-Marie one time!  A friend of mine even tried calling ahead to some of the outfitters on the lake the day before he was going to be on the section of the lake to see if he could have a meal at their place and they wouldn't do that. We always go planning on eating at our camp and bring our food with us. If your staying with an outfitter they usually offer a meal plan...

     What part of the lake are you heading to? Are you staying with an outfitter?

     Many of the rapids on the Kipawa river are great to see. If you have the time and it's your cup of tea, walking some of the paths along the river are beautiful, especially the Grande Chutes! If you haven't read the Kipawa River Chronicles by Scott Sorenson it is a great book about the area...

    Bienvenue Doug ! J'espère que vous profitez pleinement de votre voyage, le pays est magnifique.

À ma connaissance il n'y a pas beaucoup de restaurants partout sur Kipawa. Parlant du Laniel fin du lac en particulier. Je dirais Temiscaming ou Ville-Marie pourrait être votre meilleur pari. D'après mon expérience il n'y a pas beaucoup d'anglophones les gens de Québec, ou si leur sont-ils ne laissez pas sur qu'ils ne le sont. Certains des plus jeunes dans la ville de Temiscaming ont bien fait avec elle. Nous avons eu un temps dur commander un godet de poulet à Ville-Marie une seule fois! un ami à moi même essayé de les appeler à venir pour certains des pourvoiries sur le lac le jour avant la date à laquelle il devait être sur la section du lac pour voir s'il pouvait avoir un repas à leur place, et ils n'ont pas voulu faire. Nous allons toujours la planification de manger à notre camp et porter notre nourriture avec nous. Si votre séjour avec un pourvoyeur ils offrent habituellement un repas ...

Quelle partie du lac vous partez dans? Restez-vous avec un pourvoyeur?

Beaucoup des rapides sur la rivière Kipawa sont superbes à voir. Si vous avez le temps et c'est votre tasse de thé, marche à pied certains des chemins le long de la rivière sont magnifiques, surtout la Grande Chutes! Si vous n'avez pas lu le Kipawa River Chronicles par Scott Sorenson c'est un grand livre sur la région ...

     Brad

     

[NortonJoe]

@Doug I will echo pretty much what @600 miles north has said...In my opinion the best way to enjoy the Kipawa area is to keep it simple and enjoy the beautiful woods, river and lake.  As far as restaurants, I don't think there are many in the area so plan on cooking in camp most of the time, but it is a beautiful area to explore so go for it!  There are grocery stores in Kipawa, Ville-Marie and especially North Bay (your best bet) if you are coming from Indiana.  Just a word of warning...once you come to Kipawa you will catch the fever and have to come back!

[puckster_guy]

Hi Doug I totally agree with Joe here. The place is magical. It  grabs you and holds you for life. I do miss being able to boat to a good restaurant like I've done on many Muskoka lakes, however it is what it is. Still well worth a trip for the beauty and remarkable fishing and people here.

[Oarin]

Hi Doug, there are 4 restaurants that I know of in Temiscaming. All are on or near the main drag through town , including a Chinese restaurant, though I'm not sure it's still open. There's also a Subway Store. There are more choices in Ville-Marie. Ville-Marie also has a Provigo grocery store that is large and nice. Like 600 Miles North said, the younger people are your best bet for English, so get in a line with one. Where are you staying? Is trout your main objective? I think Capt. Guy caught some Brookies in the stream that runs along RT. 101 heading toward Laniel. The gas station in Laniel sells the bare basics in food and beer, and there's a little store farther down the road in Fabre. Good luck and please let us know how you did and what you thought of Kipawa. Oarin.

[Doug]

Thank you all for your reply. We just enjoy the whole vacation. We rented a private cottage on the southwest end. Really don't know how to catch walleyes but usually get enough for a great dinner. Here lately down here, we have been fishing at night with submersible lights and have caught some real nice rainbows, thus my interest in trout fishing. I like fishing for anything that bites. We caught a bunch of nice perch two years ago down around Pembroke, filleted them out and had a nice fish fry. Thant was fun for us. We enjoy local shopping, and most of all the beautiful outdoors with camera in hand. Can't wait to see the lake, river, and yes we try to walk everyday, looking forward to seeing the river chutes. Thanks again for the local info.
Doug   

[Oarin]

Doug, if you come in via North Bay there is a neat store on Rt. 63. I think it's called Trout Lake. It's right on the shore and has all kinds of interesting things. There's also a bait shop there. Oarin.

[Jay Thomas]

Hi Doug:

It is my belief that jack lighting fish (using a light as a lure or as an attractant to catch fish) is illegal in Canada. Consequently, I would advise you to leave the submersible lights home. While I could not locate a statement about the illegality of jack lighting fish in the Quebec Sports Fishing Regulations, I was able to find such statements within other Canadian jurisdictions. No use spoiling a great vacation with a fine. Have a great trip!

Jay

[Doug]

Oarin,
Thanks for the "store advice". That is the kind of store I got nuts over...
Jay,
Thanks also, I am a retired state policeman and would never intentionally break the law....Besides that, having my retired minister and "WIFE" with me I have to walk the straight and narrow. Thanks again Jay, I have heard so much about the area I just can't wait....
Doug

[RHYBAK]

Here is my coles notes contribution.

No large grocery store in Kipawa.
You HAVE to do your last big shopping in North Bay  on route.

No lakes or ponds with Rainbow trout,nor Brook Trout in the area.

No fancy restaurants in Tamiskaming. All just your basic roadhouse style restaurants.
Nothing close by north,south,east or west.

I have never had a problem in Tamiscaming with English speaking people.
Laniel is a different story.

Good Luck and be prepared to pack your coolers and cook your own meals.

[Doug]

RHYBAK,
We really enjoy the local restaurants and shop. We do not like the Walmart type stores. Is there anything in the area that is a must see? We like driving in the late afternoon/evening looking for wildlife. Are there any roads you know of that we might see a bear/deer/moose? Thanks for the info.
Doug

[T-Bone]

We really enjoy the local restaurants and shop. We do not like the Walmart type stores. Is there anything in the area that is a must see?

I may have missed it, but the big question here is, where are you staying...as in which outfitter?

And I don't know. Lake Kipawa wouldn't be my first choice if you like to sample the local restaurant fare or go shopping. I'm not even sure it would be a choice. To speak of there really aren't any stores or restaurants around the lake. There's a gas station in Kipawa that has candy bars, beer, gas and such. I think the one in Laniel also has the same.

Again, I must be missing something, but you're traveling from Indiana to Kipawa to go shopping and eat out at restaurants? If it's for the wives, you'll have to send them to Villa Marie, I suppose, but I don't think there's much there either.

As mentioned, the Kipawa River is something to behold.

[limacharley]

The store on the outskirts of North Bay is called the Green Store. It has an eclectic array of trinkits and cottage type decor. They also have an ice cream parlour that my kids visit often.      http://www.thegreenstore.ca/content.aspx?content_id=1

Restaurants in the Kipawa area: TemRose, Chester's Chicken, Subway, Hong Kong Restaurant (Fri lunch-buffet)
I wouldn't call them high class dining!!

I speak french so I don't have any problems but the young are hip to other cultures.

what to see: most of these are 45-90 minute drive from Temiscamingue

Their websites are all in french so I bolded the english translation;if you google their website you might get an inkling of what they are about.

Centrale de la Première-Chute-Hydroelectric dam
Musées et Centres d'interprétation, Patrimoine et sites historiques
621, chemin Hydro-Québec
Notre-Dame-du-Nord
Téléphone : 819 949-4431
http://www.hydroquebec.com/visitez/abitibi/chute.html

Centre d'interprétation de la nature-Nature interpretive center
Musées et Centres d'interprétation, Nature
361, route 101 Sud
Duhamel-Ouest
Téléphone : 629-2522 poste 305
maraislaperriere@duhamelouest.ca

Centre d’interprétation de la guêpe- Bee museum
Musées et Centres d'interprétation, Nature
5, rue St-Isidore Est
Laverlochère
Téléphone : 819 765-2772


Lieu historique national du Fort-Témiscamingue-Old Fort Temiscamingue
Tourisme culturel, Art autochtone, Musées et Centres d'interprétation, Patrimoine et sites historiques
834, chemin du Vieux-Fort
Duhamel-Ouest
Téléphone : 819 629-3222 | 1-888-773-8888
http://www.pc.gc.ca/forttemiscamingue

Musée de la Gare-Railway Museum
Musées et Centres d'interprétation, Patrimoine et sites historiques
15, rue Humphrey
Témiscaming
Téléphone : 819 627-1846
http://www.museedelagare.com

T. E. Draper / Chantier Gédéon-Logging via water Museum/ship
Musées et Centres d'interprétation, Patrimoine et sites historiques
11, rue T.E. Draper
Angliers
Téléphone : 819 949-4431
http://www.tedraper.ca

PM me if you have any questions; I'm traveling to Thunder Bay for hockey but will bring my computer as I have to work too.
This past weekend was the KipawaFest....some cool bluegrass picking was going on. it rained a lot.

LC out