ABOUT NATURE AVENTURE
NATURE AVENTURE HISTORY
Matapédia Nature Aventure was founded in 1997 by David LeBlanc from Matapédia, Québec. David is an outdoor enthusiast who holds a BA in Biology. After traveling much, he came back to settle in his hometown.
Its first years, Nature Aventure was providing services in adventure tourism: offering canoeing and kayaking outings on 4 rivers of the region (the Matapedia River, the Patapédia River, the Assemetquagan River and the Restigouche River). All-inclusive packages and equipment rentals ranged from 2 hours to 4 days.
Mountain bike rental was also offered, as well as bike-canoe-camping packages. A wide range of bike trails go through Matapédia/Les Plateaux. However, there weren’t enough demands to continue to provide this service.
Nature Aventure has also been responsible for the development of a large portion of the 65 km of the International Appalachian Trail, beginning in Matapedia. With this new trail, a guide and a shuttle services were offered. A new and unique package was also proposed: the Dogtrekking (hiking with dogs that can help you when climbing and can carry some of your load, making your backpack lighter).
In winter 2002, Nature Aventure offered dog sled packages. It was possible to go on a 2 hours to half a day ride with a team of Huskies/Malamutes chosen for their social traits. Services at events were also available. Dog sledding and horseshoeing or cross country skiing could be combined for an outing of 2 days in a shelter. The dogs were carrying all the equipment, making the hike less demanding for the clients.
2006
For family reasons and to accept a job as director of the Watershed Management Council of the Restigouche River, David chose to recruit new entrepreneurs for the business. In fall 2006, the decision to sell Nature Aventure was taken.
This is when Geneviève Labonté and Jesse Allain were offered to purchase Nature Aventure. Working in Western Canada for a dog sledding company, they thought about the offer and made a list of all the benefits of buying a business already established for some time in the village of Matapedia. Owning a business was part of their plans for the future.
Once back in Quebec, they came to visit the village of Matapedia, to meet David LeBlanc and to learn more about the company and its operations. That’s when work began to set up everything before opening for the season. Therefore, it was in summer 2007 that a great adventure began for these two young entrepreneurs.
Jesse and Geneviève bought Nature Aventure without its sled dogs. Being new to the region and knowing the amount of work sled dogs require, they decided not to take too much at once. Nature Aventure became a business whose activities mainly took place from mid-May to mid-October.
2007
Since summer 2007, Nature Aventure is located in the heart of Matapédia in Adams’ Park. The canoeing was the most in-demand activity, followed by kayaking which was becoming increasingly popular. Guided packages still included healthy meals with local flavors. Canoeing and kayaking were taught to those who wanted to learn more. Adding to the 4 already accessible rivers, the Kedgwick River offered a canoe-camping circuit lasting up to 5 days. All-inclusive hiking packages were also available but without the dogs to help. Transportation was offered in a green 16 passenger minibus, entirely painted by hand by the young entrepreneurs.
2008
In summer 2008, Nature Aventure offered a sixth river to explore: the Upsalquitch. New packages of 1 to 3 days were now available on this beautiful river. The season was shortened from mid-May to late September because of October’s tranquility.
2009
In summer 2009, Geneviève and Jesse were on their third season at the helm of Nature Aventure. The company increased its fleet of canoes and kayaks to meet the demand. A second minibus was used to transport customers. An intern from Mérici College, Augustin Eard, was hired for a period of 12 weeks. A photo contest was also launched to entice customers to visit the website.
2010
Summer 2010 marked the fourth season for Geneviève and Jesse but he 14h season for Nature Aventure. Having had a very good season the previous summer, some canoes and kayaks were added to the inventory. A qualified guide, Jesse Schnobb, was hired. He was an undergraduate student at the University of Quebec in Chicoutimi in the Outdoors’ Intervention Program. A young and dynamic man from Matapedia also joined the team on a part-time basis: Raphael LeBlanc Cyr. The photo contest was in its second year and very beautiful picture were submitted. In addition, the Causapscal River was paired to the Matapedia River to offer new packages of 2 or 3 days! In short, the 2010 summer was a very good season despite the extremely low level of the rivers.
2011
Summer 2011 was our fifth season. Big changes were made. We built a new reception area, bigger and more welcoming. We had an innovation, activity wise: we now offered snorkeling in the rivers to observe the Atlantic salmon and its habitat. Our summer 2009 guide, Augustin, returned for the season. Raphael was there for his second season. The rivers were high all summer long and it allowed us to paddle new rivers. However, we did not offer them to our customers as they were only accessible at high water level and the rapids were startling in places. We continued the photo contest. It was its third summer and we still received beautiful pictures.
2012
In season 2012, the weather was good and the summer great. The sun and heat almost dried up the rivers but it was a very good season for our snorkeling packages, the perfect time to just float above the fishes and soak in the water. Our guides, Augustin and Raphael were there for their third season. The novelty of the 2012 season: Geneviève was pregnant. She worked up to 20 days before giving birth. A beautiful baby girl named Océane was born on September 9. She will be part of the Nature Aventure team in 2013!
2013
Season 2013 was lovely with the little Océane and the little Gabin (son of Augustin), aged only 2 months apart. It was a very busy season filled with several beautiful guided packages. The guides, Augustin and Raphael, often left for multiple days, making them happy. In August, Jesse went to the CEGEP La Pocatière to pursue his studies. He chose to take a technique in Bioecology in hopes to expand his options. He likes his work at Nature Aventure but has a hard time finding a job that he is passionate about in the off-season. It is a decision that will improve the family’s future.
2014
In season 2014, our team changed a little. Augustin returned to France with his family. We hired Marie Morin-Pellerin, an undergraduate student in the Outdoors’ Intervention Program in Chicoutimi, a very good choice. Summer went well. Having another girl on the team changed the dynamic. Geneviève is delighted to have the company of a woman. The season ended a little earlier because Jesse, Raphael and Marie had to return to school in late August. Being pregnant with baby #2, Geneviève couldn’t lift the canoes by herself anymore so the holidays started early September for her. We’ll see you in 2015!
2015
At the end of March 2015, Geneviève gave birth to the second small family treasure, Leyna. What occupies Genevieve well all summer long. So we hired one more person to help since the tasks that can be done with a baby of a few months are quite limited. Our team was composed of Jesse, Raphael, Marie and Augustin back from France to support us. We had an experienced team in 2015. We have an official campsite thanks to a partnership we have with the municipality. We are in adaptation mode with this new service. The campsite has 7 sites without services, there is a small sanitary block with a hot shower and a sink so that campers can do their dishes and get their drinkable water. Each site has a small fire pit and we had wood for sale on site. We had a good traffic for a first summer. The summer of 2015 was a beautiful summer with a lot of sun, heat and nice swimming. We had more customers than last year and a rise in our packages with the guide. We are very happy with our season. See you next year.
2016
We offered a new service in 2016 in the river, the paddle board, commonly called the SUP. We had bought 10 SUP, 7 rigid and 3 inflatable to test the product that would best fit our field and customer requests. Jesse and Marie were trained as SUP instructors at the full symposium in Gaspé in May. So we added the guided SUP packages on the small courses of the Restigouche for beginners and the Matapedia for the more adventurous. With this new service and a feeling that there would be an increase, we decided to add a driver position to the team. Our team was composed of Raphael with whom we have had the chance to work since 2010, Marie with us since 2014, Jesse, Geneviève, our new guide Charles who studies adventure tourism at Cégep of Gaspé and our new driver Alex who wanted to discover Gaspésie area. With all these beautiful people, we have welcomed many clients on the rivers. The weather was on our side in Gaspésie this summer. We wish the same next year for the 20-year anniversary.
2017
To celebrate the 20 years of Nature Adventure, we organized a festival in July 8–9 at the same time as the boating festival throughout Quebec. An array of activities was offered at a cost of $10 each, snorkelling, SUP, canoeing and kayaking. With the sponsorship we received, we were able to rent a marquee, inflatable games for the kids and hire a music band for the evening. We even organized an Italian hot dog dinner and salad under the big top. Our program was busy for the 2 days. A beautiful festival, a great success. In the team, there were big changes as Jesse found a job at the MFFP as a wildlife technician. Raphael is moving towards new challenges for a job in his field of study (physiotherapy). Genevieve can count on the return of Marie, Charles and Alex as her main guides. With these changes, we had to hire 2 new ones on the team. Jérôme, a young man from the village as a driver and equipment attendant. Marie-Soleil as assistant guide, a student in adventure tourism in Gaspé. A very hot and dry summer, but mostly well filled. We will see what 2018 will bring us.
2018
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2019
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2020
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2021
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2022
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2023
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2024
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À suivre…
L’ÉQUIPE NATURE AVENTURE
Geneviève Labonté
Nul besoin de vous présenter Gen, LA femme derrière Nature Aventure !
À la tête depuis 2007, on pourrait presque la comparer à une pieuvre qui fait tout en même temps : service à la clientèle, administration, logistique des transports, entretien du matériel, préparation des menus d’expédition en plus d’être maman de deux jeunes filles extraordinaires : Océane et Leyna.
Finalement, les deux plus jeunes de l’entreprise, Océane et Leyna participent elles aussi aux activités de Nature Aventure. Initiées depuis l’âge de 3 mois aux expéditions et à l’eau vive, elles feront d’excellentes ambassadrices de l’entreprise. Vous pouvez même les rencontrer à l’accueil lors du chargement des pagaies et du lavage des vestes ! Spécialistes dans l’art de se faire des ami.es au camping, elles sont pleines de vie et contribuent au bien être de toute l’équipe en nous faisant pleurer de rire !!
Geneviève est originaire de Breakeyville, un village sur la rive-sud de Québec. À 18 ans, elle est partie pour Vancouver afin d’apprendre l’anglais. À 19 ans, elle est revenue au Québec pour s’installer à Montréal. Elle y reprend l’école, et complète en 2003 un D.E.P. en vente de voyages. Plusieurs emplois se succèdent, puis un voyage au Pérou qui lui donne la piqûre du plein air. Elle s’inscrit alors en Tourisme d’Aventure et Écotourisme à Québec. L’année scolaire étant déjà commencée au moment de son inscription, elle va travailler au Mont Tremblant durant l’hiver 2004-2005.
Une nouvelle aventure a débuté lorsqu’elle est retournée à l’école à Québec. C’est durant cette année d’aventure qu’elle a fait la rencontre de Jesse Allain, avec qui elle sera co-propriétaire de l’entreprise de 2007 à 2022…
“ANCIENS” AYANT PARTICIPÉ AU DÉVELOPPEMENT DE NATURE AVENTURE !
JESSE ALLAIN
Jesse lui, vous le connaissez bien aussi, il n’arrête jamais : les projets s’accumulent et aboutissent !
Copropriétaire de l’entreprise de 2007 à 2022, il occupe une place de choix au sein de l’équipe de Pêches et Océans en plus de cumuler les contrats avec différents organismes qui œuvrent dans la protection du saumon de l’Atlantique dans notre belle région.
Spécialiste d’eau vive, il participe au soutien logistique de l’entreprise dans ses temps libres (!!).
Jesse vient de Beresford au Nouveau-Brunswick. Comme il a toujours aimé pratiquer les sports et organiser des activités, l’orienteur de son école secondaire lui a suggéré le programme de Tourisme d’Aventure et Écotourisme à Québec. Comme les programmes A.E.C. n’acceptaient que les étudiants ayant au moins un an d’expérience sur le marché du travail, Jesse dû lui aussi patienter avant de suivre son cours. Il a alors travaillé pour une firme de sondage à Bathurst pendant un an. C’est en mai 2005, à l’âge de 18 ans, qu’il emménage dans la ville de Québec et que la grande aventure débute pour lui.
MARIE MORIN-PELLERIN
Marie est notre guide d’expérience qui a terminé son BAC en Intervention plein air à Chicoutimi en 2014 et qui travaille avec nous depuis 9 ans.
Ayant l’entreprise et la région à cœur, elle s’est établie à plein temps sur le bord de la rivière Restigouche à Matapédia ! En plus de guider, son rôle se précise aussi au sein de l’entreprise : elle s’occupe des ressources humaines et elle est responsable du marketing.
Son leadership facilite l’organisation et la logistique des activités de Nature Aventure. Toujours souriante et pleine de vie, Marie adore préparer les forfaits.
Elle guide les forfait de Stand Up Paddle depuis 2016. Elle est indispensable pour l’équipe, efficace et polyvalente, elle adore relever les défis et rien n’est à son épreuve malgré ses 5’2”. Avec Marie, tout se fait dans le plaisir!
JESSE KELLEY
Jesse, jeune femme de la région de St-François, se joint à nous en 2018. Étudiante à l’Université Laval en enseignement, Jesse profite de toutes les occasions possibles pour revenir en Gaspésie. Ayant un centre d’intérêt géant, c’est surtout son intérêt pour les activités sportives, le plein air ainsi que son amour pour la région qui l’ont conduite chez Nature aventure. Bonne mangeuse et officiellement “testeuse’’ en chef, elle prend plaisir à goûter à toutes nos recettes lors des préparations de forfaits. Passionnée par tout ce qu’elle entreprend, Jesse saura vous accueillir chez nous avec le sourire et sa bonne humeur contagieuse.
ALEX GIROUX
De retour pour une 5e année, Alex est un guide «fascinant» et un chauffeur hors pair qui après plusieurs tentatives de changement de plan de vie, revient ensoleiller nos journées chez Nature Aventure. Pour conserver un équilibre entre sa passion pour le plein air et le développement de ses projets personnels, il prend la décision de revenir guider à temps partiel en 2022. Il a guidé dans les villes et les parcs nationaux de l’Amérique du Nord, de la Californie ainsi qu’au Québec. En plus d’être un conducteur de minibus sur des séjours d’aventures, c’est un randonneur aguerri et voyageur passionné. D’ailleurs détenteur d’une maîtrise en histoire, Alex aime faire découvrir les destinations à travers son histoire, pour mieux comprendre son présent.
RAPHAËL LEBLANC-CYR
Un natif du village de Matapédia, il a travaillé pour nous de l’été 2010 à 2016. Un jeune du village qui n’a pas peur de travailler, est devenu guide grâce à ses capacités sportives. Nous l’avons formé pour l’obtention de ses brevets en canot d’eau vive, en sauvetage eau vive et en premiers soins. Depuis l’été 2013, il est officiellement guide et il adore partir sur la rivière avec les clients. Il préfère davantage cuisiner en plein air qu’à la maison. Tous les clients que Raphaël guide reviennent comblés de leurs forfaits. À vous de le découvrir.
CHARLES GILBERT-PAINCHAUD
Charles revient pour une 3e année chez Nature Aventure. Ayant terminé ses études en Tourisme d’aventure à Gaspé, Charles profite de chaque occasion pour se retrouver en région éloignées, autant dans le nord du Québec qu’en Amérique du sud. Il nous revient frais et dispo pour la grosse saison qui nous attend. Passionné par les sports d’eau vive et les activités de plein-air, il est tout équipé pour vous faire vivre la meilleure des aventures. Que ce soit en canot, en kayak ou en randonnée, il traîne toujours sa petite radio et sa musique vous fera sûrement sourire ou même danser !! Il vous racontera aussi plusieurs histoires épiques pour agrémenter vos soirées autour du feu.
AUGUSTIN EARD
Un Français qui adore le Québec ! Il est arrivé dans notre équipe à l’été 2009, il est reparti en France et revenu à quelques reprises. En 2015, ce sera sa 5e saison et dernière saison comme guide chez nous.
Il connaît très bien notre territoire, un vrai gars de bois. Il apporte toujours sa petite touche personnelle aux forfaits guidés, que ce soit dans la cuisine ou pour vous faire vivre une vraie expérience en nature.
Donnez-lui un bout de bois et une petite hache, il vous fabriquera un outil ou un meuble. Avec Augustin comme guide, vous relaxez en toute sécurité !