A Cheese Lover's Dream, So Close to Home

For years, my hubby and I have wanted to go on a vacation to the Charlevoix region of Quebec and this year we finally did it. It was spectacular! The scenery was breathtaking; the drive from Quebec City up to La Malbaie took us along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River through lush mountains, dotted with snow and waterfalls. Along the River we stopped in some picturesque towns such as Baie St. Paul which has a cobblestone main street lined with art galleries and small restaurants. A short ferry ride away is l'Isle-aux-Coudres, home to a watermill where you can help grind wheat and buckwheat used to make some delicious natural country breads.

As we drove upwards towards La Malbaie, herds of cattle were happily grazing in the fields. We dropped into one of the Laiteries to buy some local cheeses. In this region of Quebec most of the cheeses are non-pasteurized. The flavour is incredible! The cheese maker at the Laiterie Charlevoix explained to us in broken English that the cows graze all day along on wild grasses, mountain flowers and herbs and that is the secret ingredient to the very flavourful l”Hercule cheese they produce at their farm. At times, I totally forgot we were still in Canada. The mountains, the fresh air, the little towns, the church steeples, cobblestone streets, simple, hearty food… it felt like another world! France peut être?

We spent a few days in La Malbaie and enjoyed local cuisine freshly prepared by the owners of the many B&B’s. Nearby is the town of Saint Irene, also a great little spot to sip wine and enjoy some local cheeses in one of the many small restaurants perched on the small cliffs along the St. Lawrence. We had plenty of activities lined up to work off some of the extra calories we were consuming. We spent an afternoon canoeing and hiking at the Parc national des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie, a day cycling along the river and Malbaie and a few hour kayaking on the river, where we were lucky enough to spot a few whales. Our home in La Malbaie was Le Manoir Richelieu which is ideally located in the mountains with amazing views of the River. Nights were chilly so the hotel staff lit a huge fire on the terrace overlooking the mountains. It was just a perfect little slice of paradise.