Letting go of 'touristy' routes in Quebec leads to new discoveries

A single-line railway track stretches for miles to the left and right. Parallel to the railroad, the beautiful blue waters of the St Lawrence river—which could be mistaken for the sea — kiss the sandy shore. Up above, the sun displays its brilliance through perfectly positioned flecks of white clouds. I don't think I have ever woken up to a better view. The balcony of La Luciole, the cosy, five-bedroom B&B cottage in Saint-Irénée, is the perfect place to gape open-mouthed at the sunrise, watch seagulls dancing across the sand and wave at passengers aboard the Train de Charlevoix. The beautiful village in Charlevoix, Quebec, is our base as my family and I explore the charming region.

Whale watching in Quebec​
 

We drive about an hour-and-a-half to Baie-Sainte-Catherine for a whale-watching tour. Situated at the confluence of the St Lawrence River and the Saguenay Fjord, Tadoussac and Baie-Sainte-Catherine are the gateways to sighting these magnificent creatures. Aboard the two-deck boat, my heart begins to race; I am too excited to listen to the guide's description of the whales found in these waters and their life habits. An hour and a half later, the captain switches off the engines and the guide’s eyes scan the azure waters. “At 2 o’clock, a minke,” she says and heads turn. Excited squeals go around. “Another one at 6 o’clock.” “Look, at 12 o'clock!” I go click click click in the hope that my camera has found something even though my eyes haven’t. A few prayers and careful scans later, I spot a few. Three hours whizz by and soon we're at shore with a camera full of memories. As the sun sets on day one, illuminating the Saint-Irénée sky in hues of pink, we walk along the St Lawrence river to the pier.

A restaurant at Baie Saint-Paul
 

We spend the next day at Baie Saint-Paul, a quaint city on the river’s northern shore. The stone facade of the Église Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul greets us much before we enter the city. Believed to be the most ancient parish in the Charlevoix region, it was founded in 1714. The church that stands at the village centre opened in 1755. After a quick visit to the church, we walk along the main street, which boasts pretty shops, plenty of eateries and several small art galleries and boutiques. We wait for almost half an hour before we can place our lunch order—smoked meat sandwiches—at Joe's Smoked Meat! Tender, moist and full of flavours—to say that the sandwiches were delicious would be an understatement. 

Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basi

Situated en route to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica, our next stop, Canyon Sainte-Anne is home to a spectacular 74-metre waterfall. As we set out on the trail that goes over three suspension bridges, we hear the waterfall before we see it. Though secure, I cling to the sides as kids rush across the first bridge. Lush slopes and 1.2 billion-year-old rocks flank us on both sides. Making our way across one of the bridges—60 metres above the gorge—we spot a few people perched on a rock, ready to zipline above the gushing waters. Several others—appearing as tiny as ants—could be seen rock climbing or rappelling. At the end of the trail, a beautiful rainbow bids us farewell.

The canyon outing is followed by a serene visit to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica. Dedicated to St Anne, the grandmother of Jesus, the first Basilica was destroyed by a fire in 1922 and was rebuilt in the Romanesque Revival style later. Crutches, photos, shoes and walking sticks—left by the devout as a testament to their healing—are just some of the items stacked on two pillars here. To the left of the altar, pilgrims gather at the foot of St Anne’s statue to pray. I wasn’t sure whether to pray, gape at the stained glass, pay attention to the mosaics or admire the sculptures.

Mornings at Sainte-Irénée

On our last night at Saint-Irénée, we sit outside after dinner to count the millions of stars in the clear, black sky. It's the perfect ending, before we bid adieu to Saint-Irénée and make our way to Montreal.