Matagami
The Gateway To James Bay, A Northern Town On Lake Matagami Where The Paved Route 109 Ends And The James Bay Road (Route 109 North) Begins, With A Lakeside Beach, A Mining History, Fishing And The Last Full Services Before The Road North. A Fuel Up And Supply Stop For The Eeyou Istchee And James Bay Region · Matagami, Quebec
Matagami is a mining and forestry town of about 1,500 people on Lake Matagami in northern Quebec, about 700 km north of Montreal by Route 109. It sits at kilometre 0 of the James Bay Road, the highway that runs north for roughly 620 km to Radisson and the hydroelectric country of the La Grande River (confirm). The town was built from 1963 for a zinc and copper mine, and its planned streets still follow that origin. For travellers it is the last full-service stop: motels, restaurants, a grocery, garages, a fuel station and a tourist office are here, and the next full services are far up the road. The setting is a boreal lake with a town beach, a boat launch and a short riverside path. Matagami is French-speaking, practical, quiet and friendly, and Cree communities of Eeyou Istchee lie to the east and north. Summer brings long light and lake days; winter brings snow, sleds, ice fishing and deep cold.
Matagami, a mining and forestry town of about 1,500 people at the southern end of the James Bay Road in northern Quebec, about 700 km north of Montreal by Route 109; coordinates approximate, Matagami, Quebec, Canada
Matagami keeps normal town hours. Shops, restaurants and offices are generally open about 9 to 5 or later on weekdays, with shorter weekend hours, and the tourist office is staffed roughly mid-May to early September with reduced hours in winter - confirm by phone. The town beach, boat launch and lakeside paths are open in daylight in the warm months. Fuel and food stops along the James Bay Road keep their own hours and some close early or overnight, so plan arrival times and confirm before a long drive. Winter driving can be slow, so check road conditions on Route 109 before leaving.