Parc D’Oka: Camping near Montreal
The Parc National D’Oka, a provincial Québec park featuring shady camping and a sunny white sand beach, is situated around 30 km southwest of Montreal. My husband and I have camped there for years, and approaching from the south, we take a car ferry across the Ottawa River. We are always elated to see the sandy hook of the park’s beach across the river to the northeast, and the low green mountains beyond.
Oka town provides what we need in the way of provisions for our camp, from the well-equipped local grocery, conveniently located next to the state-operated wine and liquor store, or from a farm stand. We’ve learned to avoid checking into the park on a Friday, since most of the campers come from Montreal to spend the weekend.
Our favorite camping area is the Dunes, where we can set up in a relatively private, shady area a short walk from the beach. In the morning, woodpeckers hammering and songbird calls waken us under the pine and oak trees. We stroll over to the washhouse and join the pajama-clad families with their toothbrushes, so reminiscent of European campgrounds. Campfires are lit, sausage is cooked, and children ride their bikes on the sandy trails until breakfast is served. Some campers bring firewood from one of the impressive woodpiles we’ve seen in the area. We drink our coffee and listen to CBC radio with its focus on all things Canadian, from hockey to Native American stories, for us a welcome change from American media.
At noon, we join the families picnicking under the trees by the white sand beach on the shores of the wide, shallow Ottawa River. We have a bit of lunch, read our novels, and enjoy the people watching. Multiple generations spread their cloths on the picnic tables, local Quebecois naturally, but also a multicultural crowd from Montreal escaping the city heat: Muslim women in headscarves and long sleeves, with children in swimsuits; Southeast Asian families with pots of noodles; Francophone Africans grilling meat. Most come with large coolers of provisions and plan to spend the afternoon, but for others there is a beach restaurant offering hot dogs, burgers and fries, and cold drinks. Groups mark their territory by digging sandcastle villages, while paddle boats and water ball games compete in the warm water. The river is barely shoulder-deep before the swimming area gives way to power boat territory, where parasailers and waterskiers cruise in the middle of the channel.
Some days we venture into Montreal for the afternoon, an easy day trip. Here’s how to get to la grande ville from the park: take the commuter train from the Deux Montagnes station, 15 km from the campground – under $10 for a round trip, and free parking at the station – and in half an hour you are in the Gare Centrale. From there you can transfer to any Metro station in this efficient system, and once in the city there are many destinations. For example, in July a succession of outdoor music festivals take place, including the world-famous Jazz Fest, Nuits D’Afrique, and Reggae Festival.
The historic Vieux Port district, where the cobblestone streets of the oldest part of town join the modern waterfront development of the quai, is usually the first place we go to sense the history of the city. The weather can be unpredictable, and last summer a sudden shower made us duck into one of the restaurants on Blvd. St. Laurent, a pedestrian mall facing Quai Victoria and the old port. Trapped by the rain under the canvas awning with the other tourists, we made paper airplanes with the small children at the next table. The street entertainers – mimes, jugglers, caricaturists and Andean musicians – struggled to move their acts into shelter and back onto the broad promenade between torrents of rain.
On a hot afternoon, we love to take a boat tour of the harbor from the old port, hearing some stories from the guides while enjoying the cool breeze on the water. The Bateau-Mouche has food and modern amenities, but we prefer the Petit Navire, formerly a Coast Guard rescue boat. We got lucky one time and were the only guests on the little boat, and an accordianist who had come along for the ride serenaded us with French sea chanties. Also at the Old Port is one our favorite museums in Montreal, the Museum of Archaeology and History, where you can see the ancient underground infrastructure of this early European outpost in the New World.
Back in Oka, the low mountains and various waterways invite day trips, especially if it’s raining – and the green landscape attests to the abundant precipitation in the area. Artisanal potteries, antique shops with 18th century treasures, and vineyards and cider-mills await you. Stay in Oka town for dinner, and enjoy an authentic Thai meal at Shand Thai (261, rue des Anges; 450-479-9957), or take the ferry across the river to the posh neighborhood of Vaudreuil-Dorion, for a truly exceptional dinner at the charming tapas restaurant Casa Sombrero (24 St. Charles Avenue; 450-424-1222), as we will on our way back home from our combination vacation.