When you visit Charlevoix, a stunning region located on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River, as well as in the Laurentian Mountains, bring your appetite for both food and adventure. In this piece, We Explore Canada contributor Maureen Littlejohn walks you through some of the most fun things to do in Charlevoix, Quebec!
A couple of hours’ drive or train ride east of Quebec City lies a region of shimmering water, spouting whales, ancient mountains, carefully crafted cuisine, and artists bursting with talent.
Charlevoix is filled with untamed nature and charged with an energy that many attribute to the crash of a meteorite 400 million years ago.
This giant space rock slammed into Earth with the force of the universe, resulting in a 55-km crater better known as the Astroblème de Charlevoix.
Some say the meteorite is the cause of positive, creative sparks that attract a plethora of people who want to dive into the Charlevoix experience. It’s no shock that Charlevoix has become one of the best places to visit in Quebec.
That’s exactly why my husband Steve and I drove there this summer.
Appreciating the Delicious Cheeses of Charlevoix
Famille Migneron de Charlevoix
Our first stop in the region was at Famille Migneron de Charlevoix. Madeleine Dufour, who runs the operation with her brother Alexandre, kindly showed us around.
Madeleine’s parents started the fromagerie business in 1994.
You can buy the award-winning, hand-crafted cow’s and sheep’s milk cheeses in the on-site boutique, plus they are sold across Quebec in grocery stores.
“We don’t want to grow too big. Quality is important,” Madeleine explained.
Their youngest cheese is 50 days old.
“If you are in a rush, the cheese won’t be happy,” she said with a smile.
Migneron de Charlevoix, a mild, firm cheese, is their most popular. They also make Tomme de Brebis out of sheep’s milk, which tasted much like a manchego. Tomme D’Elles was a cow and sheep-milk combination, soft and creamy. The Ciel de Charlevoix is a mild blue cheese for beginners.
Laiterie Charlevoix
At Laiterie Charlevoix, you can get cheeses made from different breeds of cows, including Jersey, Holstein, and Canadienne. We were able to taste a few – Hercule de Charlevoix, similar to Swiss cheese; Le 1608 de Charlevoix, also a mild, hard cheese; and L’Orgine de Charlevoix, soft and creamy.
I had never heard of the Canadienne cow, but a plaque on the outside of the Laiterie explained that the breed originated from animals imported from France between 1608 and 1660. Eventually, a new bovine evolved, the only one ever developed in North America. It is a tough little cow that thrives in rough, mountainous regions, so it does well in the hilly Charlevoix area.
This retail outlet is the central point of sale for all the cheese producers in the region. We stocked up not only on cheese but also bread and charcuterie.
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Charlevoix Wine, Spirits, Shops & Galleries
Migneron Vintages
Famille Migneron wine is the most Nordic organic product of its kind in Quebec. They have 15,000 vines on three hectares, on the same property as the cheese operation.
We went outside to take a sip. Oscéola Muscat was surprisingly dry and robust.
“It’s a hybrid vine that emerged from research at the University of Minnesota,” Madelaine explained.
There is also a distillery on the property where vodka is made from the whey waste collected from their cheese production. Now that’s recycling.
The Bees’ Knees at Hydromel Charlevoix
Hydromel Charlevoix, in Baie-Saint-Paul, opened during the pandemic. A retail shop, distillery, and mead-making operation, it is an homage to bees and their golden product. The company currently has 400 bee colonies that make 12,000 kilos of honey annually.
Hydromel produces many fruit-flavored meads as well as high-octane spirits, including gin and a honey brandy that reminded me of grappa.
“Our classic mead, Riviere Malbaie, is made of honey, yeast, and water. Everything here is artisanal, from bee to bottle,” explained Marc Thibuault, manager of the retail outlet.
You can take a tour, with tastings included, for $10. Or you can just relax on the small outdoor patio and partake in a glass or two.
Lovely Lavender at Azulée
Louise Vidricaire and her husband Parker own this neoclassic 1844 farmhouse and sprawling lavender garden. For her Azulée business, she makes many lavender products, including lip balm, candles, tea, jam, essential oil, scones, honey, chocolate truffles, and soaps.
You can take a $7 self-guided tour (kids get in for free) called Dip in Time. On the tour, among other things, you can explore the old chicken coop, which is now used as a drying shed for the lavender.
If you are lucky, Louise will be working with her team on the fragrant gardens. A vivacious and chatty business owner, she is also a translator and studied cooking in France.
“I also took food safety courses so I can sell my edible products,” she told me.
It’s a gorgeous property near the bay and a great way to spend an afternoon.
Speaking of a great way to spend an afternoon, if you’re looking for more great ideas for exploration, consider the Charlevoix Flavour Trail for restaurants, wineries, cideries, and more.
L’Harmattan Gallery
Charlevoix’s joyful, artistic spirit is especially strong in the village of Baie-Saint-Paul. Strolling along rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste, we were flanked by gallery after gallery overflowing with vibrant artwork, often created in onsite studios.
The street popped with beauty and goodwill.
While most of the galleries focused on landscapes of the area, which were lovely, we discovered one that did not.
L’Harmattan Gallery is owned by Gilles Charest. An art connoisseur with a penchant for abstract paintings, Charest has created a gallery over the past 30 years that has been honoured by the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts for its outstanding curatorial work.
Tucked into two floors of a 1905 building, the gallery exhibits (and sells) outstanding Quebec artists such as Jean-Paul Riopelle, Jean Dallaire, and Marcelle Ferron.
It was fascinating to spend time with art that was so emotionally evocative.
If you are into figurative works, Charest also owns the Art & Style Gallery. It’s just down the street and features work by Canadian masters such as Jean-Paul Lemieux.
Whale Watching in Charlevoix
A two-hour drive north along the St. Lawrence took us past the town of Malbaie. A short ferry ride across the Saguenay River took us to Tadoussac.
We were going there for the whales.
Saguenay-Saint-Laurent Marine Park is where the St. Lawrence River meets the Saguenay River. The park is one of the best places in the world to see the giant creatures.
Croisières AML offers several different whale-watching tour options that depart from Tadoussac harbour including on larger, covered ships.
We opted for the 24-passenger Zodiac. Thankfully, they issued all-weather suits because it was nippy and a bit splashy out on the water.
I had done the tour before and was lucky enough to see right whales and Minke whales. The area draws in 12 different species, including the biggest of them all, blue whales.
What draws the massive mammals? Food. Small fish and krill are brought into the St. Lawrence’s deep channel by the tides and are then trapped when the current meets the outgoing waters of the Saguenay River.
On this trip, we were blessed to see the park’s only year-round whale residents, belugas. Since they are endangered, protective measures are in place. The tour guide explained that vessels must stay at least 400 meters away from them, keep moving, and go in the opposite direction.
At Tadoussac’s Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre, we saw numerous whale skeletons. We were also able to learn much more about the park’s permanent residents. At the end of the 19th century, belugas were thought to be depleting the cod stocks and were almost hunted to extinction. From a population of 10,000, they shrank to under 1,000.
Today, Parks Canada researchers have counted around 1,500 within the park. Their habitat, however, goes beyond the park boundaries into the St. Lawrence, and it is estimated the total population of the whales is around 2,000.
While that number seems like a rebound, the population is fragile. Mortality rates of mothers and babies are high.
That’s why last year, Baie-Sainte-Marguerite, a part of the park in the Saguenay River, was closed off to all boats and watercraft. It’s where the mothers go to give birth and raise their calves.
We rented bikes and rode to the bay from the Baie-Sainte-Marguerite Beluga Interpretation Centre in Saguenay Fiord National Park. A little early for calving season, we still spent a glorious hour sitting and watching the water.
Parks Canada is trying to encourage more people to view the whales from land. Many observation points offer viewing glasses, or you can just bring your binoculars.
Accommodation and Restaurants to Consider
Charlevoix Accommodation
Auberge La Muse, Baie-Saint-Paul. Housed in a century-old home, this 11-room inn has a modern, stylish interior and features an outdoor terrace. Includes breakfast.
Auberge La Galouine, Tadoussac. The rooms are spartan but pristine, with a fridge and a little seating area. A good option for those on a budget. Mid-week prices are the best value.
Great Restaurants in Charlevoix
Buvette Gentilles, Baie-Saint-Paul. Hyper-local. Delicate small plates are made as you watch in a tiny kitchen. Book early. This place fills up fast.
Resto-Pub Belles & Bum, Malbaie. On the way to Tadoussac from Baie-Saint-Paul, this is the perfect place to stop for a bite. Try the Cochonnailles and Cheeses, a charcuterie board with local cured meats, foie gras, olives, mushrooms, and cheeses.
Café Boheme, Tadoussac. A bistro with a patio serving dishes like osso buco and mussels. Very popular and doesn’t take reservations.
Microbrasserie Tadoussac, Tadoussac. Casual craft beer taproom near the water.
Some of the wine and cheese even made it all the way home. And the memories of the region’s beauty? That will stay with us forever.
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Maureen Littlejohn is a curious Sagittarius who loves to delve into the cultures, traditions and beauty of countries around the world. An award-winning travel journalist, she has worked in Canada, the United States, Africa, and Vietnam. Currently based in Toronto, she is executive editor of Culture Magazin (no e), a lifestyle/food/travel publication that focuses on “East Meets West” and caters to the Vietnamese diaspora. She is also a prolific freelance writer and her articles have appeared in outlets including CNN Global Travel, National Geographic, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Panoram Italia, USA Today’s 10 Best, National Parks Traveler, and Hotel-Scoop.com. Her beat includes culture, history, food/beverage, soft adventure, and wellness. She is on the board of SATW (Society of American Travel Writers), and the World Food Travel Association and is a member of the Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC). You can learn more about her on her site.