Route du Fleuve

Baie-Saint-Paul’s streets of century-old homes are bustling with museums, art galleries, restaurants, bars and patios. Musicians, painters and street artists all gather there. It’s where the Cirque du Soleil was born! A creative and festive spot.

Built in 1790, this seigneurial mill is still in operation today. Visit the mill to see how the original mechanisms work. But don’t look for the mill’s vanes. There aren’t any. This mill is powered by a waterwheel! And you can still buy flour there.

With tours of four ships and six exhibitions, the Charlevoix Maritime Museum is a key attraction on the Route du Fleuve. You can also stretch your legs there as the museum offers hiking trails, an obstacle course, an arboretum and a plant maze.

Our route includes a stop at the Papeterie Saint-Gilles, where we’ll see how paper was produced in the 17th century. There are exhibitions of traditional and avant-garde paper works. Definitely not to be missed!

Before going to the island, try your hand at canyoning at Cimon’s falls with Canyoning-Québec. The lesson begins with a rope descent of a 30-m stream and cascade! Easy! A bathing suit, a towel and hiking boots are mandatory.

Bravo! In reward for your bravery, you get to visit an orchard-economuseum to bite into the forbidden fruit. Learn all about fruit products, from harvesting to producing specialty products. Be sure to stock up on some fruity delicacies for the road!

This magnificent day starts with a bike ride. Ready for a tour of the island? It’s an easy 23-km bike path with information panels along the way. A number of stops give you a chance to chat with the friendly storekeepers.

After a day of biking, what better than an entertaining show, where you can sit comfortably and rest your tired calves. The island’s performance venues offer varied musical programming to suit all tastes. On with the show!

The Moulins de l’Isle-aux-Coudres – Flour milling economuseum tells a story of water and wind. This unique attraction in Canada is home to a watermill (1825) and a windmill (1836), and relates the story of the millers and their mills.

Still on the L’Isle-aux-Coudres, Suroît Aventures will teach you the basics of kitesurfing and stand up paddleboarding. Then, SMAT Aventures offers jet ski excursions. Up for both? Why not? You have time; just remember to be careful!

Three artists work in this studio. They open their doors to allow us to admire their work: functional pottery (vases, pots, dishes, etc.), a contemporary collection, Raku designs (Japanese firing technique) and paintings.

Spend the afternoon in the shade of the monumental sculptures adorning the Harmonic Sculpture Garden at Domaine Forget de Charlevoix. You feel very small there! In the evening, take in a performance in the Domaine’s magnificent concert hall. But you’ll need a reservation.

We have a great start to our last day by visiting the Charlevoix museum. From here, the view down on the St. Lawrence River is stunning. History, heritage, exhibitions, activities, rallies, games and workshops... Something fun for the whole family!

The day continues with a guided tour of the observatory. Charlevoix is an immense crater, which is explained in a multimedia presentation. When night falls, you get to view the stars through a telescope. It’s simply out of this world!

All good things come to an end, unfortunately. But since this one ends at the Spa O’Quartz, it’s not so bad. As we enjoy the five spring-water baths, the heat of two saunas and the hands of an experienced massage therapist, we say: see you next time!