Home in the Outaouais offers a life balance that is hard to find anywhere else. As you drive north from Ottawa into the Gatineau Hills, you can feel the stress of the city melt away. Wherever you settle in this region, you will be surrounded by spectacular nature and community while still a stones throw (skipping across the river) from Canada’s capital.
The traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg has a long history of community: bordered by the Ottawa River to the south and dotted with hundreds of lakes and waterways, it has been a traditional travel, meeting, and hunting area for Indigenous people for centuries. The word Outaouais comes from the French name for the Ottawa River, which in turn comes from the French name for the Indigenous Odawa who lived near the region.
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So whether your roots go back hundreds of years in the area, or you are a new arrival, those of us living in the region certainly understand why anyone would want to live here.
La Pêche
The centre of La Pêche is Wakefield, a colourful village that has been home to those looking to escape to the country for generations. It is a heart that beats into the surrounding valleys, lakes, and waterways, offering music venues, trails, skiing, farmers' markets, golf, organic farms, beaches, camping, artist collectives, quaint inns, festivals, great schools, and fine dining. It’s hard to resist the call of community. But you also may never want to leave the cozy comfort of your home in this area.
Chelsea
Chelsea starts with the eclectic, lively main street of the village of Old Chelsea. Then, hamlet after hamlet, it winds its way north, shadowing the Gatineau River. Each space is slightly different, but all have this in common: stunning views of the Gatineau Hills and the river, and close proximity to the best that the region has to offer. In the southern portion of Gatineau Park, you can ski, hike, mountain bike, and snowshoe, while golfing is a few minutes away. Or you can just relax in the baths of Le Nordik. Minutes away from Gatineau and Ottawa’s city centre, Chelsea has beautifully merged rural escape with urban at your back door.
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Val-des-Monts
Val-des-Monts is the geographical highlight of the Outaouais region. Stunning forested peaks and valleys create a unique rural landscape rarely found in such proximity to everything you need. Your back yard is your refuge and your playground. Don’t be surprised if you are sipping your coffee on your back deck in the company of eagles and deer. Space is big, but that doesn’t distract from a great sense of community and the easily accessible recreational destinations nearby.
Cantley
Cantley is the eastern cornerstone of the Outaouais region and offers some of the best locations in the area. The Gatineau River escarpment gives way to farmland and forest, providing homes that are conveniently poised between city and lake country.
As one of the oldest established townships in the Outaouais, it is rich in culture and community.