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With all the changes in travel, you might as well have more than one plan to get away in the summer of 2021.
We hear less about it in the media, but it has just as much to offer on the tourist front as its very popular counterparts. And I named the Chaudière-Appalaches region in Quebec, which is slowly opening up again. In time for the summer holidays.
Valérie, member and author on the milesopedia website, will join me to introduce you to this region. Two other members will help us because they live there. Thank you Karine and Jean-Phillipe.
We thought that Western Canada, the Magdalen Islands and the Gaspé Peninsula could use a little break from the hustle and bustle. In any case, the season is rather advanced to book there. So we’re getting ready for a road trip to Canada.
We’ll show you our great discoveries with four articles instead of one. Are you ready for nature destinations, original activities, cities and villages?
We’re leaving.
This first article presents pur favourites of the Navigators’ route that I had the pleasure to explore a few years ago and again a few days ago. Just in time for the orchards and lilacs to bloom.
This ribbon of asphalt is almost 500 km long and runs along the river on Road 132. It crosses three regions of Quebec between Nicolet and Rimouski, including the Chaudière-Appalaches portion. Here are our recommendations for stops and visits.
Lotbinière, Saint-Antoine de Tilly, Saint-Michel-de Bellechasse, Saint-Valier, L’Islet and Saint-Jean-Port-Joli. They are considered among the most beautiful villages in Quebec.
We stopped to admire the ancestral houses, to stroll along the banks of the St. Lawrence (there are several rest stops) and of course to taste the beers, ciders and wines at one or more of the seven producers of the Route des Alcools .
Accommodations (and/or restaurants) suggested by Jean-Philippe:
Auberge Auprès du Clocher in St-Michel (Airbnb).
Four Points Sheraton Levis Convention Center (Marriott)
Suggestions:
We won’t want to miss:
Grosse-Île: To combine history and cruising, a visit to Grosse-Île, which welcomed our Irish immigrants in quarantine, is a must.
A Parks Canada guide leads us to The Lazaretto, the last remnant of the island hospital, and tells us about this piece of Canadian history. A memorial marks the loss of those who could not escape the plague.
L’Îsle-aux-Grues: If there was only one place that had to be visited on the Navigators’ Route in the Chaudière-Appalaches region, it is, in my opinion, this one. An island 7 kilometres long that can be discovered on foot or by bike and that has kept its traditions.
I was lucky enough to attend a real mid-Lenten celebration, which is no longer common in Quebec. The island’s cheese factory also produces renowned cheeses. The Riopelle de l’Isle. The Canotier de l’Isle, the Tomme de Grosse-Îsle and the La-Bête-À-Séguin, does that ring a bell?
Finally, the Jean-Paul Riopelle nature reserve, named in honour of the painter who lived there, invites us to go hiking.
You can get to the island by ferry, boat or if you want, by plane. This is how the few children on the island travel to school in Montmagny in the morning and evening.
The banks of the river in Montmagny are classified as a protection zone for the White Goose, and access is limited.
However, it is possible to have access to the river and its sunsets by staying at the Pointe-aux-Oies campground . (Sites 617 to 632 and odd sites 33 to 43).
Not camping? The campground’s observation tower is open to the public and well worth a visit!
In the evening, Jean-Philippe proposes to meet in the downtown area (rue St-Jean-Baptiste). He reports that there are often free outdoor shows on Place Montel.
Restaurants suggested by Jean-Philippe
Café-Bistro Au coin du monde, La Maison Rousseau (there is often a chansonnier on the terrace), Lafontaine Resto-Bar, Microbrasserie Côte-du-Sud, Restaurant Bangkok, Resto l’Olivier, Restaurant La Couvée (Hôtel l’Oiselière).
In L’Islet and St-Eugène, Jean-Philippe suggests:
For American Express CobaltMD Card holders, Marché Tradition de l’Islet accepts American Express cards. Take advantage of this opportunity to fill up on Shell gift cards!
Accommodation and food:
Saint-Jean-Port-Joli
A must! The history of the region can be discovered at the Musée de la Mémoire Vivante..
Visit the many local artisans who have shops.
We stopped at the marina to observe the river and the many boats in dry dock.
Here we are at the end of our journey on the Navigators’ route.
A few more kilometres and we enter the Lower St. Lawrence region. But Chaudière-Appalaches still has some very nice surprises in store for us.
The hinterland or “le haut”, as the locals call it, awaits us in parts 2 and 3. Heading south!
Savings this way:
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