We’re a welcoming city

Bustling downtowns, vibrant neighborhoods filled with restaurants, cultural venues, shops, urban parks, and countless events throughout the year… Saguenay is full of activities just waiting for you to enjoy.

We have multiple downtowns

With no fewer than five downtown areas, Saguenay gives you the chance to explore its full breadth across its three boroughs: Chicoutimi, Jonquière, and La Baie. And if you want to discover the city’s local shops, the CVS gift-card program is the perfect opportunity to treat yourself!

We have the best specialties

Saguenay is home to a wide variety of restaurants that will satisfy every palate. From traditional poutine to refined cuisine to the region’s typical dishes (including the famous Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean tourtière and wild blueberries), you’re sure to find something you love among the hundreds of restaurants in the city!

And with several shopping centers and grocery stores spread throughout Saguenay, you’ll have plenty of options to shop for what you like and discover our local products. You can explore our range of regional products on Zone Boréale. And to get around easily, the STS transit network will take you to every corner of the city, even if you don’t have a car.

We love to celebrate

Did you know? Saguenay hosts no fewer than 50 festivals of all kinds each year! Perfect for weekends, study breaks, and end‑of‑term celebrations. Located in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean tourist region, Saguenay is its capital and let’s just say the attractions are endless when it comes to enjoying your student life. Whether summer or winter, you’ll always find something fun to do!

Université du Québec à Chicoutimi – UQAC

The Université du Québec à Chicoutimi is recognized both within the province and internationally for the quality of its programs. Whether you’re coming for a bachelor’s, a master’s, or a PhD, experiencing UQAC will leave you with incredible memories and a solid foundation for your professional future.

With more than 60,000 graduates to its name, the university welcomes over 6,500 students each year, including more than 1,000 international students from about fifty countries worldwide. Known for the close relationships between students and professors, UQAC offers a unique learning environment with more than 200 study programs. Arts, languages, computer science, economics and business, engineering, biology, social sciences… there’s something for every interest.
When it comes to research, UQAC stands out globally thanks to the expertise of its faculty researchers, the excellence of its students, and its strong spirit of innovation.

To explore all UQAC programs, click here.
Interested in getting involved outside your studies? Whether you love the outdoors, theater, or music, you’ll find plenty to enjoy at UQAC, which includes more than 50 student organizations and associations, including MAGE-UQAC.

CÉGEP de Jonquière

The CÉGEP (General and Vocational College) of Jonquière offers a wide variety of programs to help you specialize in the field you’re passionate about! With its 28 programs, some unique to the region and others exclusive to Québec, you’re guaranteed a smooth and efficient transition into the job market.

Thanks to its pavilion dedicated to physical and industrial technologies, the Cégep de Jonquière provides its 3,000 students with optimal study conditions. With strong industry partnerships, the institution offers access to state‑of‑the‑art equipment. Known as well for its exclusive communication and multimedia programs, it provides an environment that accurately simulates the future graduate’s work setting, while also offering a vibrant student life.

To discover their programs, visit their website.

CÉGEP de Chicoutimi

The CÉGEP de Chicoutimi is located in a stunning setting where nature and urban life coexist harmoniously.

Every day, a team of nearly 400 passionate staff members works toward the success of approximately 2,000 students enrolled in 22 training programs. The Cégep stands out regionally thanks to its Interdisciplinary Health Simulation Center—a laboratory offering realistic intervention experiences with high‑fidelity mannequins that respond to learners’ actions. While the center primarily serves the cégep’s seven health programs, it is gradually expanding to accommodate physical technology programs as well.

With modern equipment that keeps pace with technological advancements, its departments are strongly practice‑oriented and continuously adapt to evolving job‑market needs. Numerous partnerships with local companies and institutions enhance this real‑world learning environment. Several training clinics are also integrated into the programs, allowing students to work with real clients and get a glimpse of their future careers.

In addition to extracurriculars such as the robotics club, theater troupe, or improv team, many sports and cultural activities are available—helping you find the perfect balance between academic success and personal growth.

Want to learn more about their programs? Click here.

CFP Jonquière

The CFP (Vocational Training Center) of Jonquière provides technical training across numerous trades.

Offering 25 training programs, its mission is to place learners at the heart of its priorities by providing professional and social skills through specialized equipment. The goal: preparing students to fully meet today’s job‑market requirements while benefiting from the expertise of highly qualified staff.

Accounting, industrial drafting, secretarial studies, sommelier training, pastry arts… CFP Jonquière trains future professionals in a wide range of fields.

CFP du Grand-Fjord

The Grand‑Fjord Vocational Training Center offers 26 programs across 6 areas of study, distributed in 5 state‑of‑the‑art pavilions covering the entire school‑service‑center territory of Rives‑du‑Saguenay.
Two major goals guide its mission:

Developing a diversified, innovative, and up‑to‑date training offer that meets student needs in collaboration with local companies and partners;
Increasing recruitment and supporting student persistence in the adult education sector.

The center aims to become the regional leader in training, qualification, social integration, and professional development—helping students, businesses, and partners reach their full potential.
To support this mission, the Grand‑Fjord center regularly expands and adapts its training offer to meet both current and future workforce needs in the region. It closely monitors industry trends and emerging opportunities for Québec’s future, working hand‑in‑hand with local stakeholders to prepare accordingly.
Already regarded by many employers as a reference for excellence and graduate competency, the center strives to maintain these high standards every day. Professional ethics, collaboration, and respect are the core values that guide its actions and define students’ success objectives.
Interested in vocational training? Sign up now!

We have the most beautiful winter

Ice fishing, outdoor skating rinks, snowmobiling, cross‑country skiing, downhill skiing, snowboarding, dog sledding, ice villages, fatbiking (oversized‑tire biking), snowshoeing, outdoor music festivals, and ice sculpture events (Festi‑Frette in La Baie, Hivernades in Chicoutimi, Traversée du Fjord in La Baie, Jonquière en Neige, and more). Everything is in place to enjoy winter and the tons of fresh powder that blanket the region.
Winter doesn’t scare Saguenay locals, you can expect temperatures to dip to -30°C, with average winter temperatures hovering around -15°C for the season! And as we like to say here: there’s no bad weather, only bad clothing. You’ll easily find everything you need in our local shops.s.

We enjoy a gentle spring

When winter comes to an end, it opens the door to a whole new set of activities. In the Saguenay–Lac‑Saint‑Jean region, spring is the perfect time to watch nature and wildlife slowly come back to life, through hikes and walks offering spectacular viewpoints. Via ferrata, cycling or strolling through one of our urban parks—you’ll rediscover landscapes as the fresh spring colors begin to emerge.

• Parc Rivière-du-Moulin
• Parc de la Rivière-aux-Sables

We know how to enjoy summer

Here, summer officially begins when the ice melts on Lake Saint‑Jean! A favorite summer destination for Canadians and international visitors alike, Saguenay becomes a true playground for students. On the water, in the water, on mountainsides, and even in the air, Saguenay can be explored in a thousand and one ways. Kayaking, hiking, via ferrata, boating, paddleboarding, cycling, beaches… a huge variety of summer activities await you as soon as the warm weather arrives!

We have explosive fall colors

One of the advantages of having three national parks in the region is having three times more opportunities for breathtaking hikes enhanced by spectacular fall colors. In Northern Québec, the Indian summer paints the landscape with stunning shades thanks to the balance of coniferous and deciduous trees covering our mountains. Here, the panoramas stretch on forever!

We’re an internationally minded city

In Saguenay, we’re proud to welcome students from all regions of Québec, from across the Francophonie, and from around the world.

If there’s one reputation we’re happy to carry, it’s our warmth and hospitality. Welcoming students from elsewhere and introducing them to our culture is a tremendous privilege, one we’re very proud of! And as we like to say, the warmth of the people here is directly proportional to the winter temperatures we experience every year in Saguenay.

In every institution in the city, international departments are available to support you, making your journey and integration easier if you’re coming to study here from abroad.