Savor the flavors of Quebec’s Charlevoix

Any time of year,  but especially during autumn’s peak foliage season, visitors to Quebec City  should be sure to allow time to explore the great outdoors, spectacular scenery, and renowned cuisine of the region known as Charlevoix.

This top Canadian vacation destination to the east of Quebec City abounds with outdoor activities and leads the French-speaking province of Quebec in agritourism.

It was named for Jesuit priest Father François-Xavier Charlevoix, the first historian of  New France. The Laurentian Mountains are to north, the Saguenay River to the east, and St. Lawrence River to the south.

Charlevoix’s rugged landscape of cliffs, forests, fjords, mountains, valleys, tundra, and the world’s largest estuary began with a bang and went on to inspire painters, poets, writers, musicians, chefs, and performers.

Its unique topography was formed about 350 million years ago when a 15 billion ton mile-and-a-quarter wide meteorite struck. A large part of the region was designated a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in the 1980s.

The varied terrain is rich in biodiversity and offers a fertile terroir ideally suited to agriculture.

The joie de vivre and abundance of local growers and producers is the perfect recipe for attracting  top chefs whose culinary passion and creativity are inspired by the regional products.

From a pique-nique at Boulangerie Bouchard on L’Isle-Aux-Coudres…

to the six-course menu paired with wines at the elegant Manoir Richelieu, the cuisine of Charlevoix is the finest combination of farm-fresh ingredients, culinary know-how, and a stunning view.

Baie-Saint-Paul

Baie-Saint-Paul, one of the oldest towns in Quebec, is the cultural capital f Charlevoix. Painters and other artists have long been drawn to the region for its natural beauty. Baie-Saint-Paul is also the birthplace of Cirque du Soleil.

Galleries, boutiques and cafés line the busy rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste. It is a place to find all sorts of gifts and souvenirs, from wool socks to fine art.

The kind of traditional houses with mansard roofs immortalized by Clarence Gagnon in his enchanting winter landscapes are found here and along the side streets.

Browse the work of Quebec’s finest landscape artists past and present amidst the original furnishings in the gallery of Maison René Richard (free). The artists are immortalized along rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste.

Richard lived here during the last 43 years of his life and met with other artists like Gagnon, Fortin and the Group of Seven. A tour of the studio is $7 CAD.

Musée d’Art Contemporain, with national and international contemporary art, ($10, seniors $7 CAD) and Carrefour Culturel Pail-Médéric (free) are nearby, just past Baie-Saint-Paul’s Church. Canadian artists come here in August for the Symposium of Modern Art and make a giant painting of the theme of the year.

Restaurant Bistro Mouton Noir’s chef-owner Thierry Ferré, from the Brittany region of France,  incorporates local products in his cuisine. The Bohemian decor is reminiscent of the 1980s when a group of about twenty street performers met here. (main dishes, dinner, $34-$41 CAD)

Two of those performers, Gilles Ste-Croix and Guy Laliberté, went on to found Cirque du Soleil. Laliberté eventually bought out Gauthier, who returned to his roots to invest in three major projects — the Train of Le Massif ,  Hôtel La Ferme, and Le Massif de Charlevoix ski area.

The Flavour Trail

Canada’s Slow Foods Movement, farm-to-fork program, and Flavour Trail originated in Charlevoix. This epicurean destination offers opportunities to sample the province’s finest signature products.

La Route des Saveurs de Charlevoix, Charlevoix’s Flavour Trail, is a result of the close ties between chefs and local growers and producers. This adventure in gastronomy is a circuit of over forty local growers, specialty producers, and restaurateurs who open their doors to visitors. Ciders, artisan beers, pâtés, cheeses, fois gras, fresh produce, baked goods, meats and fine chocolates are but some of what is found here.

The trail runs from Petite-Rivière-St-François to La Malbaie and includes L’Isle-Aux-Coudres. We made several stops along the way.

We savored Ciel de Charlevoix and Le Secret de Maurice before selecting Le Migneron as our favorite at Maison D’Affinage Maurice Dufour in Baie-Saint-Paul.

There are samples of the fine award-winning Quebec cheeses — blue cheese prepared with ewe’s milk and a brie that stays runny even when chilled. It is even possible to visit the sheep.

The bakers had risen with the sun to make their baguettes, bâtards, a round bread aptly called Meteorite, and more at Boulangerie Meunerie La Rémy in Baie-Saint-Paul.

Organic wheat is ground into flour as gushing water turns the gears of a watermill that dates to 1827.

Moulards, a special breed of male Muscovy and female Pekin ducks with a chest pouch for storing extra food, strut freely at Isabelle Mihura and her husband Jean-Jacques’ Etcheberrigaray’s La Ferme Basque de Charlevoix in Saint-Urbain.

This couple from the Basque region of France raise their ducks in a more humane manner, using that traditional Basque method. The result is a finer fois gras product.

There are breathtaking vistas along the rolling hills of the River Drive, a 36 mile scenic coastal journey between Baie-Saint-Paul and La Malbaie along Route 362. Views from steep hilltops to the shoreline of St. Lawrence are spectacular. It is known as one of the most beautiful scenic roads in North America.

This leads to Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive, where passengers and vehicles can board the free fifteen-minute ferry ride to Isle-aux-Coudres, an island with a long seafaring history. Its name goes back to 1535 when Jacques Cartier named it for the abundance of hazelnut trees,or couldres, there.

Five stops on the Flavour Trail are along the sixteen mile route around L’Isle-aux-Coudres.  A visit includes the hospitality of the warm and welcoming  “Marsouins”, as the locals are fondly known, and scenic views of the St. Lawrence.

Every summer over 20,000 people come to Boulangerie Bouchard for a tarte grand-mère , or grandmother’s pie. This bakery in its 69th year draws crowds for specialties like artisan breads, sandwiches, pâtés croches, tourtières, danishes, and sugar pies.

The daily lunch special of salmon paté, salad and dessert was just $11.95. The picnic tables outside come with gentle breezes and a water view.

Cidrerie et Vergers Pedneault is part of economuseum network that provides information on the preservation and perpetuation of traditional skills and craftsmanship.The Pedneault family planted their first apple tree in 1918 and now produce over fifty varieties of  apple, pear, plum, Saskatoon berry and cherry jellies, honeys, jams, ciders and its derivatives, vinegars and ice mistelles.

We enjoyed a wine tasting while families picked apples in the orchard.

Three of their products — saskatoon berry cream, plum cream, and the plum mistelle — are found only in Quebec.

With a fully functional 1825 watermill, an iconic 1836 windmill, and a miller’s residence, Les Moulins de l’Isle-aux-Coudres is the only site of its kind in Canada. There are demonstrations of the grinding process and flour ground on an authentic millstone is sold in the gift shop.

There is also an exposition room with folk art that depicts local history and customs.

La Malbaie

In 1608 Samuel de Champlain’s ship was stranded after an overnight stay because he did not know that the bay ran dry at low tide. Legend has it he screamed “Ah, La Malle Baye!” (Oh, the bad bay!) giving La Malbaie its name. It was renamed Murray Bay for a Canadian governor, but the former name lives on.

Sportsmen came to the area for hunting and fishing in the 1700s. At first, rooms were rented out in homes or small hotels. With the growing Belle Époque American tourism industry, La Malbaie became a fashionable resort community that welcomed steamships known as floating palaces. High society Americans and Canadians came for salt water and sea air, hunting and fishing at private clubs, and fine dining and accommodations. The crown jewel was the magnificent  ‘Castle on the Cliff’, the Manoir Richelieu, then owned by the Canada Steamship Lines. The first Manoir opened in 1900 with two hundred and fifty beautiful decorated rooms. Adjacent bathrooms had running fresh and salt water. When the golf course opened in 1925 former President William Howard Taft presided over the opening ceremonies.

The original Manoir Richelieu was completely destroyed by fire in 1928. A new luxury hotel was opened in 1929.

People like Taft built grand summer estates overlooking the sea and cliffs, most notably on the prestigious Chemin des Falaises. Some are now luxurious and romantic inns. Many serve outstanding regional cuisine.

Nearly two centuries later, the beauty of the region and savoir-faire of the hospitality industry continue to flourish. La Malbaie was awarded 3 fleurons in Les Fleurons du Québec program to beautify gardens.

Today’s clear choice for 5-star luxury is Le Manoir Richelieu, now part of the Fairmont hotel chain. Perched majestically atop the cliff of Pointe-au-Pic and overlooking the St. Lawrence, it continues the resort tradition with its spa,  pools, four restaurants, and a 27-hole golf course with a seaside landscape.  (June 2015 rates from $179 CAD, non-refundable special from $144 CAD)

There is an active nightlife in the adjacent Casino de Charlevoix.

There are many fine dining opportunities in Charlevoix, but the crown jewel is Chef Patrick Turcot’s La Table du Chef,  the Chef’s Table, at the renowned four-diamond Le Charlevoix Restaurant.

Reserve early for Charlevoix’s ultimate dining experience.

Table du Chef,

And to burn a few calories after all this indulgence, there are swimming pools and championship golf.

Other Fine Accommodations

The four-star Auberge des 3 Canards, in a century-old house overlooking the St. Lawrence that was converted to an inn half a century ago, is known for hospitality and gastronomy. The name is said to originate from the three Montreal doctors who purchased what had been a prestigious summer residence and founded the inn. In this region where the languages of the English and French heritage at times intermingled and transformed, “doc” became “duck”, which is canard in French. Most rooms have private balconies overlook the St. Lawrence. (Rooms from $120 CAD). What is exceptional here is the cuisine and scenery.

The restaurant has been awarded many culinary distinctions, including numerous Grand Prix di Tourisme awards. Chef Mario Chabot incorporates Charlevoix products into his menu, including the Host Table dinner ($54 CAD).

Cirque du Soleil co-founder Daniel Gauthier opened Hôtel La Ferme in Baie-Saint-Paul in 2012. He planned to renovate the largest freestanding wood barn in Canada as lodging for his other venture, the ski area at Le Massif de Charlevoix, a ski mountain with the highest vertical drop east of the Canadian Rockies.

The barn burned down before he could start.

Instead a chic yet casual award-winning five pavilion complex was built and decorated in a style reflecting the agricultural nature of the area.

Chef David Forbes’ uses Charlevoix products in his seasonal cuisine du marché (market fresh cuisine) served in the hotel’s Les Labours Restaurant.(Dinner main dishes $25-34 CAD)

During the summer season Le Train of Le Massif de Charlevoix travels between Montmorency Falls in Quebec City and Hôtel La Ferme.

The gourmet menu of regional flavors served onboard during the two-hour trip was created by the chef of the Manoir Richelieu.

The route runs along the St. Lawrence past charming villages and offers mountain and sea vistas accessible only by rail.

It is the most scenic rail excursion in eastern Canada. An iPad multimedia presentation describes points of interest along the way like Basilique Sainte Anne de Beaupre.

Where the fjord and the estuary meet: giants of the sea

Human are not the only visitors who come to feast on the region’s bounty. The salty and clear waters St. Lawrence estuary meets the fresh and dark waters of the Saguenay Fjord, and combined with oxygenation from the cold Labrador currents, are a marine crossroads that creates an extraordinary biologically rich environment. Krill, shrimp, and smaller fish are among the diverse food supply that attract whales of all sizes, including humpback whales, fin whales, minke, belugas, and the world’s largest mammal, the 140 ton and nearly 100’ long blue whale.

Charlevoix, with six species of great whales and numerous smaller ones, is one of the world’s most unique whale observation sites. Whales can often be spotted from the shore, but nothing compares to the  experience of  being out in their natural habitat, the strictly-regulated conservation area known as Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park.

We began our whale watching cruise in Baie-Sainte-Catherine. Although we had seen breeching humpbacks close-up while on a zodiac tour (from $64.95) a few years ago, with the cooler temperature that day we opted for Croisières AML’s three-hour tour aboard the Grand Fleuve, an observation boat with heated glass-enclosed areas ($69.95 CAD). Tours are offered May 5-September 1, 2015.

Smart travelers have discovered another great reason to vacation in Canada. After years of trading at par or less, a U.S. dollar buys $1.26 Canadian dollars (CAD) July 5, 2015. Why not opt for a trip like this with a built-in discount?

Prices and exchange rates are as of July, 2015 and subject to change.