In Matane, the fish run uphill. Every summer, Atlantic salmon swim up the Matane river, and the town has built a viewing station at a dam with a glass window into the fish ladder, so you can watch them fight their way upstream. It is a small, quirky sight, but it says a lot about the place: this is a working port on the south shore of the St. Lawrence, where the river is so wide that you can hardly see the north bank.
With about fifteen thousand people, Matane is the biggest town on the stretch between Rimouski and the tip of the Gaspé peninsula. It is also where a ferry crosses to Baie-Comeau and Godbout on the north shore, a crossing of a couple of hours that makes a good loop for those who like to combine road and water. The town has everything you could want from a stop, with fuel, groceries, hotels and a seafront promenade. It is also famous for its shrimp, small and sweet, which turn up in sandwiches and salads in the local restaurants.
Route 132, which follows the coast, is one of the great roads of eastern Canada. From Matane eastward it is a series of long, smooth bends beside the cold river, backed by green hills, with fishing villages, white churches and lighthouses at every bend. The wind is a factor, especially when it blows from the west, and fog can drift in from the gulf. The surface is mostly good, with patching in spring after the frost.
Come in July or August for the warmest weather, or in late September, when the autumn colours start to appear in the hills and the crowds have gone. Even in summer a warm layer is wise, since the river air is cool. Seagulls and cormorants follow the boats, and with luck you might spot a whale in the distance, since the St. Lawrence is a feeding ground.