Quebecmusts.com - James Bay hydroelectric generating facility

Gigantic and grandiose are the words that come to mind when you journey to the Baie-James region and stand before these immense hydropower works, amid splendid Nordic landscapes. Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world have visited the reservoir, dam and powerhouse, emblematic of Québec expertise and ingenuity when it comes to harnessing the power of water. The complex is located not far from the community of Radisson, at the very end of the James Bay Road, some 1,000 kilometres north of Montréal as the crow flies. It’s exotic in its own special way!

Robert-Bourassa Dam

From atop the dam, as high as a 53-storey building, you’ll have a magnificent view of the majesty of nature as only the Far North of Québec can offer.

The Giant’s Staircase

As you gaze at the immensity of the dam’s spillway, you’ll understand why it has acquired this nickname. Each of its 10 rock-hewn “steps” is 10 metres (33 feet) high!

The Village of Radisson

This tiny community was born in 1974 to house the workers who completed Québec’s “project of the century.” Today it welcomes lovers of fishing and the great outdoors.

Begin your visit with a tour of the interpretation centre at the Robert Bourassa generating facility. It includes an overview of the region and of the La Grande complex’s eight power stations. You can also expand your knowledge of electrical power generation and transmission.

See for yourself just how huge this facility is by embarking on the 25-kilometre (16-mile) coach tour. All along the route, audio commentary and a series of video excerpts explain the entire process of the dam’s construction as well as the construction methods employed.

From within Parc Robert-Bourassa , you can admire the power station’s gigantic tiered spillway. The “Giant’s Staircase,” as it is popularly known, allows excess water to flow out of the reservoir behind the dam when the water rises to exceptional levels.

To get to the Robert-Bourassa facility, you have several options. Scheduled flights connect Montréal to Val-d'Or and Radisson. If you’d rather slowly contemplate the Nordic landscape, you can drive the 1,400 kilometres (870 miles) from Montréal via Matagami and then the Route de la Baie-James, which is fully paved.

A tour of the Hydro-Québec facilities lasting four hours is available year-round. It is strongly recommended that visitors reserve at least 48 hours before they plan to arrive.

During your visit to the dam site, stop at the lookouts that have been built. You’ll see the dam from many different angles and have the chance to admire unique landscapes.

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