Province announces Route Champlain tourist route

It’s called Route Champlain and the new 1,500 kilometre tourist route that passes directly through the North Bay area will be opening in 2018.

The route will introduce visitors to communities along the journey Samuel de Champlain began in 1615, highlighting local Francophone culture, heritage, culinary experiences and outdoor attractions.

Over $690,000 has been invested in developing the route, which the province says will create jobs and boost local economy.

“Ontario is home to unique tourism experiences that make our province a destination of choice for visitors from around the world. The new Route Champlain will be a wonderful addition that will highlight our province’s vibrant Francophone culture and heritage for tourists from around the world,” said Eleanor McMahon, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “It will also increase Francophone tourism offerings and give visitors a unique opportunity to explore and discover Ontario communities along the route.”

“The Route Champlain is a major initiative that highlights our historical heritage and promotes our Francophonie in all its diversity. An important legacy of Ontario’s 400th Commemoration of French presence and Canada’s 150th anniversary, the Route Champlain reflects the Ontario government’s commitment to our Francophone communities,” says Marie-France Lalonde, Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs. “This initiative offers an unparalleled opportunity for visitors from home and abroad to discover the richness of Ontario’s Francophonie while contributing to the province’s tourism industry and its economic and cultural development.”

Highlights of the route will include:

• Outdoor adventures reminiscent of Champlain’s experiences on Ontario’s waterways.
• Cultural and heritage sites that celebrate Ontario’s Francophone regions, cities and villages.
• Experiences that commemorate 400 years of the French presence in Ontario.
• Places of remembrance and history directly related to Champlain