Gatineau River - Maniwaki / Bouchette Section

Superb 8 km section of high volume Class III and IV rapids, bordered by beautiful white rock walls. Well-marked portages available at all rapids. This is the heart of the Festival !

(click on the rapid to open each video)

Click here for a detailed description of each rapid.
Download the Gatineau River map in PDF format.

Désert River

The Désert River begins south-east of La Vérendrye wildlife reserve, flowing from there until it reaches the Gatineau River in Maniwaki 130 kilometres farther downstream. Although there are whitewater sections of the river, for the most part, it is gentle and easy to paddle making it a family favourite. For years the ZEC Bras-Coupé-Désert has proved a good friend, facilitating the Festival’s access to the only section of the Désert with sustained sets of rapids.

The section scheduled for the Festival is 11 km long, between Lac Rond, (Round Lake), and Chute des Pins (Pine Falls). It has Class I and II rapids, running through enchanting mountainous topography. It’s a great destination for the intermediate paddler and worthy of consideration for a family outing. Experienced boaters will enjoy it too. You may notice some evidence of logging operations along the riverbanks. The Festival has been active in public consultations and has negotiated with the forestry sector in order to maintain the natural integrity of the river as much as possible.

Download the Désert River map in PDF format.

The Festival thanks Charles Leduc and his website www.cartespleinair.org for information regarding the Désert River.