Montebello

Located on the banks of the Ottawa River, this little village is best known for the Fairmont Le Château Montebello, a spectacular hotel touted as the largest log cabin in the world. Given the town’s relative proximity to Ottawa, the nation’s capital, more than a few world leaders and dignitaries have visited Montebello for one of the many international summits hosted by the Château since it was built in 1930. The Outaouais in general is well-known for the rugged beauty of its wilderness, and even in this more populated southern section of the region there’s still excellent fishing, hunting, canoeing, hiking, and wildlife-spotting, with a series of hiking paths starting right beside the Château Montebello. Even if an expedition into the bush isn’t quite your thing, you can still get up close to the local wildlife in a more controlled environment at Parc Omega, home to a wide variety of indigenous species and domestic animals.