Val-d'Or

Val-d&#39;Or is a city of 32,000 people (2016) in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region of northwestern Quebec, on the road to Rouyn. The city is known for its vast parks, cycle tracks, and forests. Some other attractions include the City of Gold and the mining village of Bourlamaque, which were proclaimed historic sites in 1979.

Understand
The city's name is French for "Valley of Gold". Val-d’Or is on the Canadian Shield at an elevation of 1100 feet (330 m) above sea level. Although its name refers to a valley (“Val”), the city is actually on a vast, slightly undulating plain.

History
Val-d'Or was established in 1923 as a gold rush town. Gold, copper, zinc, lead and lithium are still extracted in the region.

Gold was discovered in the area in 1923. The metal ores are usually found in volcanic rocks that were deposited on the sea floor over 2.7 billion years ago. They are referred to as volcanic-hosted (or volcanogenic) massive sulphide deposits (VMS).

Val-d'Or was once home to CFS Val-d'Or, a Canadian Forces Station.

Climate
Winters are cold and snowy with a January mean of −17 °C (1 °F). On an average of 18 days, the temperature will fall below −30 °C (−22 °F) although with the wind chill factored in, it can occasionally drop below −40 °C (−40 °F).[13] Snowfall totals are heavy, averaging 288 cm (113 in) with reliable snow cover from November to April. Summers are warm with a July high of 24 °C (75 °F) though highs can reach above 30 °C (86 °F) an average of 4 days. Val-d'Or receives 905 mm (36 in) of precipitation per year which is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, though precipitation is heaviest during the warmest months.

By car
Val d'Or is on Route 117. Route 117 is part of a lesser travelled branch of the Trans-Canada Highway, that starts from its interchange with Autoroute 40 (Trans-Canada Highway's main route) in Montreal, which becomes Highway 66 in Ontario. Highway 66 ends as part of the Trans-Canada Highway about 14 km west of Kirkland Lake, where Highway 66 intersects with Highway 11, which is another branch of the Trans-Canada Highway.. From Montreal, Highway 117 passes through Réserve faunique La Vérendrye and Mont-Tremblant, though time time can be saved by starting the trip on Autoroute 15, a freeway, until it combines into Route 117.

From the northeast, Route 113 runs from Chibougamau-Chapais through Senneterre, ending on Route 117 just east of the city.

By bus

 * Operates routes including the following to Val d'Or:
 * Between Montreal and Rouyn-Noranda including stops in Laval, Saint-Jérôme, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Mont-Tremblant, Mont-Laurier, Grand-Remous and Val-d'Or. Stops between Montreal and Mont-Laurier are drop off only on the way to Montreal and pick up only on the way to Rouyn-Noranda. Operates daily. Travel time to Val d'Or from Montreal is 6.5-7.25 hours, from Saint-Jérôme is 5.75-6 hours, from Mont-Tremblant is 5 hours, and from Mont-Laurier is 3.25-3.5 hours, from Grand-Remous is 2.75 hours, and from Rouyn-Noranda is 1.5 hours. From Grand-Remous, the operator has bus service to Ottawa under the Autobus Gatineau brand. From Rouyn-Noranda, the operator has bus service to North Bay.
 * Between Chibougamau and Val d'Or including a stop in Senneterre. Operates two days per week. Travel time to Val d'Or from Chibougamau is 5.5 hours and from Senneterre is 1 hour.
 * Between Chisasibi and Val d'Or including stops in Matagami and Amos. Operates two days per week. Travel time from Chisasibi is 11 hours, from Matagami is 1.75 hours, and from Amos is 45 minutes.
 * Between Amos and Val d'Or. Operates daily.  Travel time to Val d'or from Amos is 1-1.25 hours.

Go next

 * Rouyn-Noranda
 * Ontario