Fishing · Water Sports · Quebec
A small trout-fishing outfitter at Montcalm in the Laurentians, with cozy chalets and summer and ice fishing. The chalets win praise, but several recent anglers caught nothing and questioned the value.
Pourvoirie du Lac Berval is a compact fishing club at Montcalm, north of Montreal, built around one lake and a handful of rental chalets. Reviewers consistently describe the property as pretty, with loons, forested shores and lots of wildlife. The chalets get warm reviews, with guests calling them clean, cozy and well-equipped for cooking your own catch.
The experience can be very hands-on. One couple said staff had a fire laid when they arrived, drove them out on the ice and showed them how to set their lines. Boats and motors are described as in fine shape, and day visitors can come just to fish. Ice fishing gets good reports from some groups, including a first-timer who pulled out several trout in a morning and a long-time regular who says they've taken rainbow trout of 3 to 5 lb.
The trouble is the fishing itself, and it's the dominant theme of the recent reviews. Several anglers over the past couple of months fished from dawn into the afternoon without a bite and heard the same from others on the lake. One day visitor found the lake small, with part of it given over to swimming platforms. Guests on an expensive weekend felt the price wasn't justified if the fish weren't there.
Service reviews are mixed too. A group that turned up without a booking was refused a boat despite empty ones at the dock, and a couple of reviewers felt tips on technique came too late in the day. If you go, book ahead, ask staff about the best times and methods before you start, and treat it as a chalet getaway with fishing rather than a sure bet for trout.
Summarised from visitor reviews on Google Maps. Based on 243 Google reviews. Details change — confirm hours, prices and bookings with Pourvoirie du Lac Berval directly.
