THE Charlevoix region contains some of the most scenic roads in all of North America.
And during the Canadian fall, the trees burst into a riot of colour, the leaves falling on the old root vegetable cellars built on the sides of roads to keep vegetables at a constant temperature, and the old bakers’ ovens where women used to bake bread to sell to those passing by.
There are quaint miniature chapels where horses and riders and buggies would stop to refresh before continuing on their way.
It is a landscape that has been a source of inspiration for painters for centuries.
Rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste in the pretty town of Baie-Saint-Paul has one of the highest concentrations of art galleries in Canada. It was here that the legendary Cirque du Soleil took its first steps in the early 1980s and visitors flock to its narrow streets in search of innovative art and craft in wood, glass, fibres, metal, bronze, leather and paper.
The Canyon Sainte-Anne at Beaupre is another favourite for people to set up their easels and sketch pads. It boasts a 60-metre high bridge overlooking the canyon, a 74-metre high waterfall, three suspension bridges and now the thrilling Air Canyon, where you are strapped into a tandem chair and fly for two thrilling moments above the abyss at a height of 90 metres and a speed of 50 kilometres an hour.
Another suggestion is to abandon the car for the day and take the ferry, which goes daily from Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive to the Isle-aux-Coudres. Once on the island you can ride the entire 26km circuit by bike, stopping to visit the old mills, the cider making facility, inns and artisan bakeries.
At the Boulangerie Bouchard, 20,000 people come every year just to pick up a certain grandmother’s pie, the recipe handed down from generation to generation.
The Charlevoix region is also recognised as one of the best whale watching areas in the world.
Where the SaguenayRiver and the Saint-LawrenceRiver meet, and where salt water flows into fresh water, more than six migrating whale species can be observed at different times of the year, as well as seals and a variety of marine birds.
I rug up to join a whale watching cruise on a large vessel operated by Croiseries AML. It is bitterly cold on deck and the seas are rough but I am rewarded with the thrilling sight of several beluga white whales.
A different kind of beauty can be found at the Shrine of Sainte-Anne-de Beaupre, which welcomes more than a million visitors every year. For more than 350 years people have flocked to the shrine dedicated to Saint Anne, the grandmother of Jesus.
While the best of Charlevoix can be seen on a road trip, you should not miss the chance to hop on board the Train de Charlevoix, which travels for along the Saint-LawrenceRiver.
Between Quebec City and La Malbaie – a distance of 125 kilometres – the train stops at seven towns and coastal villages from June to October.
If you go...
IT would be a shame to visit Quebec City and not go on to the Charlevoix region to see the countryside. You can hire a car (the usual car rental brands are available such as Avis, Budget and Hertz) or take the train. While you would need to be comfortable with driving on the right-hand side of the road, there is little traffic so the driving is easy. All the driving routes and everything you need to know is on the Charlevoix Tourisme website. English is readily spoken throughout the region –
STAY: While Charlevoix has bed and breakfasts, charming inns known as auberges, and chalets and log cabins to rent, you should budget to stay at least one night at the amazing Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu. The majestic and historic five-star hotel perched high on a cliff overlooking the Saint-Lawrence River has 405 rooms, including 16 suites, and has been the inspiration for painters, poets and writers since it was built in 1899 –
AUSTRALIANS now require an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) before flying to Canada. The easy online application process costs $7 Canadian. Entry requirements for other methods of travel, such as land and sea, have not changed. The initiative, introduced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, requires travellers to apply online at canada.ca/eTA and provide basic personal information. The simple application process is convenient and paperless, with most eTAs approved within minutes. The eTA is electronically linked to the traveller’s passport and is valid for five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.