Everything I Did On A Dreamy Girls’ Getaway To Charlevoix

A hundred kilometres or so northeast of Quebec City lies a lush, hilly region of forests, farms and picturesque small towns tucked between the St. Lawrence River and the Laurentian mountains: Charlevoix. It’s a Canadian destination brimming with ways to connect with nature—from adventurous hikes to lounging with a view—and delicious, fiercely locavore food and drink. In other words, the ideal balm for life circa 2025. 

I wanted to get away and destress. I also wanted to eat as much cheese and breathe in as much fresh air as I possibly could. And I wanted my vacation to tread as lightly as possible on the planet. Here’s why Charlevoix was the perfect sustainable, food-forward, get-the-heck-outside summer getaway. 

What To Do In Charlevoix

You cannot truly appreciate how massive the St. Lawrence—which by this point is an estuary, where the water is a mix of fresh and salt—is until you stand next to it. The St. Lawrence lends Charlevoix’s air a fresh, seaside brininess (you can even spot belugas). And, honestly, if all you did was chill out, breathe deeply and take in the view, it would not be a wasted trip. But I wanted a mix of activity and relaxation, so here’s what I did, from most to least exertion: 

Even if you could not be less interested in golf, like me, it's worth taking the climb up to the top of the Fairmont’s golf course to check out the view—we had a sunny, crystal-clear day.

Hiking

There are 70 mapped trails in the Charlevoix Hiking Trails Guide, so whether you want an easy stroll or a serious trek, you’ll be covered. One of the many great things about my hotel, the Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu (more on it later!), was that it had a beautiful trail right next door—no driving required. Le sentier des planètes (which roughly translates as “the path of the planets”) is a pretty, hilly six-kilometres out-and-back trail through the woods along the coast, with plenty of scenic lookouts. Along the way, there are to-scale models of the planets that mimic their placement in the solar system. 

Me hitting the trail on Le sentier des planètes—I heard a ton of warblers.

L’Isle-aux-Coudres

This bucolic, 11-kilometre long island in the St. Lawrence is the perfect day trip. Take a free 20-minute ferry ride to get there—it leaves at the top of the hour from the mainland.

We rented e-bikes from Vélo-Coudres. The island’s ring road is 23 km and takes in gorgeous views, with lots of places to eat, drink and shop. Make time for a very scenic detour at Pointe de l’islet at the island’s western end. 

I’d never ridden an e-bike before—it was like having superpowers.

If you bike the island counter-clockwise, you’ll get a pretty stretch of views in the south part of the island. Then your first stop is the historic mill Les Moulins de L’Isle-aux-Coudre. Check out a demonstration of milling—powered by either windmill or waterwheel—and buy some freshly milled flour (I went with rye). 

The windmill at the Les Moulins de L’Isle-aux-Coudre in Charlevoix, Quebec. We learned it’s much easier to grind grain with water power than wind, but wind is more readily available on the island.

Keep going until you reach Boulangerie Bouchard, which has been baking up tasty tarts, brioches and other goodies for more than 70 years. Owner Noëlle-Ange Harvey set out an epic lunch spread with a view over the St. Lawrence for us—including some of the most delicious smoked salmon I’ve ever had. (Check out the potato bread crocodile! And eat up because there’s a steep hill right after the bakery.) 

Fougasse; non-alcoholic beer; smoked salmon; a cute crocodile-shaped potato bread and more for a decadent picnic lunch from Boulangerie Bouchard.

By now, you’ll need a drink. Cidrerie et Vergers Pedneault is the perfect place to take in a tasting of ciders that range from non-alcoholic to mistelles (a combination of spirits and ciders). It’s been family-owned for several generations—the apple trees are 107 years old! The sparkling ciders—including an off-dry cider made with Saskatoon berries, as well as Pedneault’s take on a kir royale, made with sparkling cider and plum mistelle—were right up my alley.

A bottle of Saskatoon berry cider from the Cidrerie et Vergers Pedneault

For a perfect last stop before returning your bike, hit up La Fabrique de L’Isle—an Instagram-friendly boutique-and-café combo with tons of souvenirs. We had a beer from Charlevoix brewers Menaud in the back garden and picked up some cute pottery cups made by a local potter. 

The interior of La Fabrique de L’Isle (Photo: Courtesy of Tourisme Charlevoix)

Stargazing

Charlevoix’s topography was formed some 450 million years ago by a meteorite strike. Over time, the resulting crater combined with the existing mountain range and glacial melt caught the soil that makes it such a rich area for farming. You can get the region’s tumultuous backstory at the Astroblème Charlevoix, where you can also hold a meteorite, whose density makes it like the pilates ball from hell. We lucked into a clear, moonless night for the Astroblème’s guided stargazing, which takes place seven nights a week. We spotted the Milky Way, as well as several shooting stars and a string of just-launched Starlink satellites flitting in unison across the sky. The two guides deployed a giant telescope for photos of nebulas and more. Tip: Dress warmly because it can get quite cold, even in the summer. 

Nordic spas

Nordic spas—which offer thermal circuits that alternate between sauna sessions and cold plunges—are all the rage. The Spa Nordique at Le Germain has a lovely setting on its farm-like grounds, complete with Highland cattle in the background. It offers a circuit that includes a heated pool, a hot tub and a cold plunge. There’s also a relaxation room and lots of shaded areas outside for lounging and reading. 

The Spa Nordique at the Germain has saunas, hot tubs, a pool and a cold plunge—all with a rustic countryside view. (Photo courtesy of the Hotel & Spa Le Germain Charlevoix)

Where To Stay In Charlevoix

I stayed at the Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, at the northern end of Charlevoix. This historic hotel—it celebrated its 125th anniversary last year—has the feel of a castle in the woods, with a spectacular view over the St. Lawrence. It has a ton of outdoorsy activities, ranging from the very adventurous (ziplining off the hotel’s roof and guided ropes courses, neither of which I attempted) to the traditional (a 27-hole golf course, tennis, pickleball and bike rentals). It also has an array of restaurants and bars, including a huge breakfast buffet with an omelette bar, flaky pain au chocolat and Québecois treats such as maple crepes. (The hotel sources 85 percent of the food it serves from within Quebec.) 

There are tons of places to sit and eat, drink or check out the view. The outside tables are a hot commodity at breakfast. (Photo: Courtesy of the Fairmont le Manoir Richelieu)

I also appreciated the Manoir’s host of sustainable initiatives, including working with the Suzuki Foundation to boost pollinator habitats, like planting wildflowers and other native plants. All of the grounds—including the golf course—are watered with rainwater. In the hotel’s kitchen, there’s a super-nifty tool that uses AI to weigh and document all food waste.

(Photo: Courtesy of the Fairmont le Manoir Richelieu)

I had to tear myself away from the pools, which also have the prettiest sauna I’ve ever been in, a hot tub and a cold-plunge pool. (We saw a marmot nibbling on wildflowers right outside its giant picture windows.) 

(Photo: Courtesy of the Fairmont le Manoir Richelieu)

While the Manoir is stunning, it’s also one of the pricier options in the region. If you’d like a more budget-friendly pick, try one of the area’s smaller hotels, including Hôtel Maison Otis, Domaine Belle Plage and Hôtel-Auberge La Grande Maison, all in nearby Baie-Saint-Paul.

Where To Eat And Drink In Charlevoix

Whether you want a fancy meal a gorgeous cocktail or a cozy pub meal, Charlevoix has you covered. Here’s where to eat and drink.

Le Saint Laurent: The flagship restaurant at the Manoir Richelieu sources most of its food from within a 50-kilometres radius. The menu is stocked with fresh seafood, and it was fun to eat dishes featuring many of the producers we’d checked out earlier in the day, including buckwheat from the mill on L’Isle-aux-Coudres and and a drop-dead dessert with sweet local cheese and fresh strawberries. 

How pretty is this dessert!?

Bistro Auberge Chez Truchon: This bistro offers French-style fine dining in a historic house in Malbaie, where you can get a multi-course tasting menu or order à la carte. As a pescetarian, I stuck to the fish of the day, but my friend went for the boudin noir (blood sausage). 

The fish of the day—cod—at Chez Truchon

La Marmite: This is my kind of place: cozy, filled with plants and board games and a cute Malbaie setting with a view over the St. Lawrence and natural wines by the glass. I tried the deep-fried surf clams, which were big, juicy and full of saltwater flavour.

Deep-fried surf clams on a bed of cod at La Marmite

Le Bercail: This casual restaurant at Le Germain in Charlevoix has pizzas made of locally milled wheat, and greens and vegetables grown in its gardens and greenhouses. (Fun fact: There is a wine vending machine in the hotel lobby!)  

Le Germain's gardens, which grow much of the produce for its restaurants.

Le Saint-Pub: This microbrewery in Baie-Saint-Paul is a great stop on your way from Quebec City to Malbaie, or the perfect dinner spot if you’re staying nearby. I had a Flacatoune Rosée—a Belgian-style blonde beer with the addition of summery fruits—and a seafood sandwich special with a side of fries.

The tasty pub food at Le Saint Pub.

For cocktails: L’Île Mystérieuse in Malbaie has an impressive collection of Jules Verne memorabilia, a moody, appropriately watery-hued interior and the most submarine-like bathrooms you will find 20,000 leagues above the sea floor. I tried the not-too-sweet, pisco-based Meridiana; my friend chose (of course) the Jules Verne, with aquavit and pastis. 

The pisco-based Meridiana cocktail at L’Île Mystérieuse in Malbaie

What To Buy In Charlevoix

Cheese at Famille Migneron…

This family-run cheese factory, winery and distillery is an excellent stop to fill up your picnic basket. We tried the Migneron de Charlevoix, a nutty, washed-rind cow’s milk cheese; la Tomme de Brebis de Charlevoix, a natural rind sheep’s milk reminiscent of manchego, and—best of all—Le Secret, a runny sheep’s milk cheese you can either eat with a spoon or spread on a vessel of your choice. 

Famille Migneron's wines and cheeses would make a perfect picnic. (Photo courtesy of Tourisme Charlevoix)

…and all the wine

Migneron is also the northernmost organic winery in Quebec; they’ve worked with l’Université Laval, Cornell and the University of Minnesota to help develop cool-climate grapes for their short growing season. The white wine Oscéola muscat has a tiny bit of skin contact to lend its golden hue and a dry, floral flavour; the dry, pale rosé l’Harmonie des Contraires is equally pretty and nice to drink. Migneron also makes a whey eau-de-vie—it sounds unappealing until you taste it—the dairy content gives it a dulce de leche aroma that would make a killer espresso martini or sub for kirsch in a cheese fondue. 

Hydromel de Charlevoix

The bee-loving Hydromel operates hives around the area—including at the Fairmont—and sells a range of honeys as well as wine-like meads. I have to say, I was skeptical about mead—honey wine sounds sweet!—until you learn that the yeast eat the sugar and the result is a low-sweetness pet-nat. The tasting is a fun activity in itself—we sipped our way through everything from a blueberry-hued pet-nat (yum!) to an absinthe with a colour so beautiful it made me want to describe it in the purplest of prose as eau-de-nil. 

Look how pretty!

I thought using broken pasta for tasting in lieu of disposable spoons was a great (and sustainable!) idea

Quai des Bulles

This cute handmade soap boutique in is a great place to pick up gifts—we bought an array of bath bonbons for my daughter, who loved them. They’re made with rice bran oil, cacao butter and Dead Sea salts. 

(Photo courtesy of Quai des Bulles)

How To Get To (And Around) Charlevoix

As Chatelaine’s resident eco nerd, I try as hard as possible to minimize flying. We took the train from Toronto to Montreal, then on to Quebec City, where we rented a car and drove the last leg (about 150 km). Trains offer, generally, far lower emissions than flying—Via has a helpful emissions calculator that lets you compare different legs of the journey by train versus driving and flying, as well as time spent.

It’s also a relatively quick flight from eastern Canada, or a four-hour drive from Montreal. You’ll need a car to get around, so plan on picking up a rental car if you’re not driving. Either way, we wished we’d planned ahead to stop at the Chute-Montmorency, a huge waterfall on the highway 15 minutes from Quebec City on the way to Charlevoix. 

When To Go To Charlevoix

Summer and winter are peak times for visitors, when the sun is sparkling or the slopes and wintry trails are at their height. Fall and spring are quieter seasons. 

What To Pack For Charlevoix

Bring a book (the Spa Nordique at Le Germain in particular is a phone-free zone, so you’ll be glad you have something to read); binoculars (for hikes and stargazing); a bathing suit and flip-flops or shower slides for pools and spas; a fleece and light rain coat (it can go from hot to cold quickly overnight); and an extra tote (or maybe even a cooler) for all the yummy stuff you’ll pick up on the way. 

This trip was provided by Tourisme Charlevoix. All recommendations are the writer’s own.