Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by our host and guides. They explained the route that we’d be taking based on current weather conditions. When I visited, it was cold, around -15°C, with a steady wind from the northeast. Fortunately, the sun’s powerful rays mitigated the bitter cold. As we donned the necessary equipment provided by Les Traverseux, our guides, Guy and Daniel, told us about the origins of ice canoeing and their passion for this little-known sport.

Outside, before setting off into the river’s ice and water, they took the time to explain how our boat worked and the manoeuvres we’d have to perform. Since the cold had been well established since early January, the flats were ice-covered over a considerable distance. We’d have to push our boat for a while before reaching open water.

Ice canoeing – an adventure story