Press Release For Immediate Release

THE OTHER ROAD TRIP TO LABRADOR AND NEWFOUNDLAND

Québec, April 18th, 2016. (Revised April 19th – Please note the corrected dimensions for carriage of automobiles) — For visitors planning a road trip to Newfoundland and Labrador, Québec’s Lower North Shore along the Gulf of Saint Lawrence offers an alternative route that is both novel and exotic in its own way. The Lower North Shore is some 750 kilometers of shoreline stretching east from Sept-Îles, Havre-Saint-Pierre and Natashquan to Blanc-Sablon, right up against Québec’s eastern land border with Labrador.

A series of tiny villages are interspersed along this rugged coast between Natashquan and Blanc-Sablon. As there is no through road in the area, they all depend on the marine coastal supply ship the M/V Bella Desgagnés which operates each week bringing in supplies and providing passenger and vehicle transportation in the region. The vessel is owned by Relais Nordik Inc.

The M/V Bella Desgagnés is a modern passenger-cargo vessel delivered in 2013. The vessel measures 97 metres in length and 19 metres in width. It offers 58 exterior passenger cabins (45 double occupancy and 13 quadruple occupancy), all featuring private toilet and shower facilities. The dining room seats 88 persons and the cafeteria 112.

While the Bella Desgagnés is actually home-ported in Rimouski, 3 hours by road east of Québec City on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River (Highway 20), passengers wishing to travel with the vessel can board at any of its port calls where there is road access, making it an interesting alternative route eastbound or westbound.

Passengers boarding at Rimouski will embark Monday evening at 22:00 Hrs and spend 4 nights aboard arriving in Blanc-Sablon on Friday morning. Those choosing Sept-Îles (8 hours by road east of Québec City on Highway 138) will embark Tuesday midday (3 nights aboard) while those driving through to Havre-Saint-Pierre or Natashquan will board Wednesday morning or afternoon respectively (2 nights aboard). One-way prices run from $ 541 per person (double occupancy) and $ 350 per automobile (< 6 m X 2.1 m X 2.1 m) for departures from Natashquan. From Rimouski one-way prices start at $1,040 per person and $ 600 per automobile. Passenger prices mentioned include meals and accommodations. Provincial and federal taxes are extra.

Relais Nordik’s website provides further information (www.relaisnordik.com) while reservations can be made at 1-800-463-0680.

From Blanc-Sablon road access is easy to Labrador’s Red Bay and Battle Harbour while a daily ferry (Labrador Marine, www.tw.gov.nl.ca/ferryservices; 709-535-0810) gives access to the island of Newfoundland.

- 30 - Source: Robin Kelleher Manager – Sales and Marketing Relais Nordik Inc. Tel.: (418) 692-5000 www.relaisnordik.com