Travel log

In 1852, John Robinson Hamilton began building a manor in the English neoclassical style on a vast plot in the heart of the village of New Carlisle, in Gaspésie. The style was very rare in Québec.

 
Born in Québec, he studied at the Bar, became a lawyer, and practised in Québec before settling in Gaspé and then New Carlisle. After his father died when he was 11, his mother married a French-Canadian, which certainly contributed to his perfect bilingualism.

He served in the Assembly of Bas Canada as deputy for Bonaventure County (1841–1844), and was also appointed Queen’s Counsel. He was later re-elected and defeated on a few occasions, until 1851. He was finally elected to the Legislative Council in 1858.

 
He married an American in New-York in 1831 and had a family of four daughters and five sons, who lived and grew up in New Carlisle. One of them, too, was elected deputy for Bonaventure in Québec from 1867 to 1871.

A unique manor
The construction of the Manoir took four years. The building is of great heritage value. It also has four chimneys and eight fireplaces. All of its exterior walls are made of stone. The architecture of manoir Hamilton is unique in Gaspésie and was influenced by the Palladian style of Andrea Palladio, the Italian Renaissance architect.

The family lived there for a long time. It was then converted into a hotel and later into a summer residence. John Robinson Hamilton died there on Christmas Eve in 1870.

The manor tour is a must-see. Every room is furnished with period furniture, carpets, old books, paintings and tableware, and the visit undoubtedly transports us to the 19th-century atmosphere of the Loyalist era in Gaspésie.

The kitchen has a traditional bread oven and a hearth with a crane. The Manoir Hamilton offers five cosy and comfortable rooms furnished with period pieces. You are served a gourmet breakfast in the morning.

In 2004, Nicole Duguay acquired the Manoir and the neighbouring campground with her partner at the time. She saw herself as somewhat privileged to be able to live such a 'princess' dream. The manor had been abandoned for about forty years when they began converting it into a tourist guesthouse. Ms. Duguay reportedly invested nearly $300,000 to renovate the building’s interior.

A few years later, the building’s condition called for further major work. No funding was available from the Ministry of Culture, from either level of government, from the Municipality, or from Heritage New Carlisle, since the building was not owned by a non-profit organization. It was concluded that a buyer had to be found who could invest in the repairs and keep the accommodation running in a heritage setting.

In 2014, the Manoir was sold to Marcel Rancourt of Groupe GID, whose head office is in Québec. Rancourt is an entrepreneur who helps clients develop cultural projects and projects in social, community, or economic development. Nicole Duguay remained the manager, as well as the owner of the neighbouring campground, which she runs.

 Nicole Duguay, manager of the Manoir

Since taking ownership, Mr. Rancourt has invested in restoration work on the exterior walls and the four chimneys, in the electrical system, and in converting the heating system to electric. Mr. Rancourt plans to continue over the coming years to maintain the Manoir in good condition.

An all-inclusive campground
Camping du Manoir is an oasis of tranquillity facing the baie des Chaleurs. Twelve sites offer three services, 30-amp electrical hookups, showers and a laundry room. Breakfast is available at the Manoir.
Well located in the heart of New Carlisle, it’s popular for short stays

Manoir Hamilton
manoirhamilton.com
115, boulevard Gérard-D.-Lévesque
New Carlisle (Qc) G0C 1Z0
418 752.6498

Camping du Manoir
113, boulevard Gérard-D.-Lévesque
New Carlisle (Qc) G0C 1Z0
418 622-4880

Since 2008, Île d’Orléans has been home to a business founded by a couple who have never stopped pouring their heart and passion into it, making it what it has become today. Originally known as "Aux petites douceurs", it offered terroir products, Québécois creations and, as its name so aptly puts it, "little sweet treats".

 
Both European but well travelled, they chose to make the move from Martinique to Québec in 2006, after visiting a few times and falling in love with the place. Steeped in confectionery culture, they have been in the culinary and pastry business for more than 45 years.

 
A few years later, Caroline Marelli and Patrick Augier had the idea of making all these little treats themselves, which they offered at their shop, now called La Nougaterie. They chose to work with nougat, combining it with honey and maple, two natural sugars.

 
Nougat is made from egg whites. "No colouring, no additives, no chemicals," Caroline assures. Almonds, pistachios and orange blossom are added to these confections, which come in various shapes. It is made following an artisanal, old-fashioned recipe.

 
La Nougaterie also offers its sweets and other treats, with recipes worthy of the finest, especially meringues, marshmallows, lunes de miel, spreads and jams, bouchons de l’île, fruit butters (apple, blueberry, etc.) and nougats in all their forms and in a good number of fruity flavours. Caroline is quick to add that nougat is a very energizing product, low in calories.

On Île d’Orléans, they make 14 flavours of nougat candy, and the caramel ones are the most popular. Lunes de miel are also popular. The full range is worth a look at the shop in Saint-Pierre, not far from where the great Félix Leclerc spent much of his life.

You can also visit the online shop and order your favourite products.
La Nougaterie also has a shop in Québec's tourist district, at 51 rue du Petit Champlain.

Nougat known in Antiquity
Nougat, a soft and smooth confection dating back to Antiquity, was made in the Orient with almonds, honey and spices. The Greeks also knew how to make it, using walnuts. In the 14th century, confectioners in Damas, Syrie, decided to make a softer nougat and incorporate pistachios from Alep, which gave it a pleasant aroma.

Various soft and hard varieties emerged over the centuries. The true nougat, as we know it today, appeared in the mid-18th century. Egg whites, blended with honey and sugar, were added, which helps to aerate the paste well.

La Nougaterie de Québec
nougateriequebec.com
1367, Chemin Royal
Saint-Pierre-de-l’Île-d’Orléans
(QC) G0A 4E0
418.991.0889

Besides its enchanting location, a little set back from downtown and next to a championship-calibre golf course unique in Québec, the Double Tree par Hilton Québec is easy to reach along Highway 73 North. It is part of a hotel group that takes great care over the quality of its welcome and its clientele’s total satisfaction.

Built about twenty years ago, the hotel has carried the Double Tree Hilton brand since 2019, when major renovations were carried out and the facilities were upgraded at several levels, all aimed at raising the prestige of the property and of the brand. However, it was in 2023 that the hotel was acquired by Groupe Hôtelier Ben, which already owned three other hotels in Québec and Trois-Rivières. The group now operates it.

The director of operations for the past three years at this hotel, which has about a hundred rooms in various categories, Sebastian Martinez, has about ten years of experience in Hilton hotels. As the person in charge of everything that keeps the hotel running smoothly, he is well placed to tell us about its strengths and advantages.

 

Guests can enjoy several services and amenities, including a heated outdoor pool, a gym, meeting and function rooms, and the renowned Le Dijon restaurant, which is as popular with people from the region as with guests. Guests can also use electric vehicle charging stations, and parking is free at all times.

  

In fact, Dijon, the hotel’s welcoming and elegant restaurant, offers a gastronomic experience inspired by chefs, along with a breathtaking view of the lush courses at golf de la Faune. On pleasant evenings, guests can dine outdoors on the terrace, which has a retractable roof, and choose from an extensive list of refined wines, craft beers and exclusive cocktails. Dijon hosts special events several times a year, including brunches for Easter, Christmas and New Year’s.

  

Notably, the hotel has partnered with the organizers of the Fierté de Québec celebrations since 2024, a partnership that will continue for the next few years. Sebastian Martinez is proud to have earned the trust of the organization’s leaders and is already delighted by the benefits of this partnership to date. On the Double Tree par Hilton’s Facebook page, they invite people from the LGBTQ+ community to join them in celebrating diversity and inclusivity during the Labour Day weekend in the heart of the City of Québec. "Let’s come together to support the LGBTQ+ community and enjoy a series of vibrant events, shows, and celebrations that honour love, equality, and pride," reads the post.

M. Martinez also points to the hotel’s community involvement, taking part in various fundraising campaigns throughout the year with local organizations and in activities of the City of Québec, among others.

A dynamic hotel group
After acquiring his fourth hotel, DoubleTree par Hilton Québec, Qingdong Ben founded Groupe Hotelier Ben. His career began in 2016 with the purchase of Hôtel Quartier du boul. Laurier in Québec. It continued in Trois-Rivières in 2020 with Les Suites Laviolette, and in 2021 in Québec with Quality Inn du boul. Wilfrid-Hamel. Qingdong Ben is president of Groupe Hotelier Ben. Linche Wang is vice-president. Karen Coronel is vice-president of operations, and Guylaine Desrosiers is vice-president of sales and development.

For the president of Groupe hôtelier Ben, needless to say, such an acquisition will have economic spinoffs, not only for the entire regional tourism industry but also for retail trade in general.

Double Tree par Hilton
facebook.com/doubletreequebec
hilton.com/fr/hotels/yqbqcdt-doubletree-quebec-resort
7900 rue du Marigot
Québec, Qc, G1G 6T8
(418) 627-8008

This title is mainly meant to draw attention to a woman entrepreneur who, more than 25 years ago, founded the Centre de l’Émeu de Charlevoix (CEC), a breeding and processing centre for emus, an exotic and surprising animal that has been on the Tremblay family farm since 1997.
The Centre de l’Émeu de Charlevoix (CEC) is guided by the core values of its founder and owner, Raymonde Tremblay. Those values are tied to health, family, and the environment. Over the years, she has commissioned R&D work that led to a range of products, notably for body care.

Just beside this farm and interpretation centre (you can visit it, taste the meat, and try the health products there) is the Tremblay family home. Raymonde continues to run a tourist residence on the second floor, which her mother, Gertrude Gagné, started in 1979, first as a travellers’ inn after her husband’s death.

Apartment with a view

La Résidence touristique Chez Gertrude, as it is known today, has been operating since 2006-2007 and consists of a 4-bedroom apartment that can accommodate 6 to 9 people. Inside, you’ll find a well-lit living room where it’s nice to get together, a dining room for 10, a well-equipped kitchen, an entrance hall with plenty of storage, and a large patio with a superb view of Mont du Lac des Cygnes and the neighbouring emu farm. Guests also have access to a private bathroom, two shared bathrooms, and a small sink in every bedroom. Various amenities are also available, such as a washer and dryer, an ironing board and iron, a hair dryer, and a BBQ.
Bedding and towels are provided.

Of course, the visit to the Centre de l’émeu and its various attractions is included in the package. The residence is rented to only one group at a time, which ensures peace and quiet for its occupants.

Conveniently located in the heart of the village, the residence lets guests enjoy several activities and tourist attractions in the region, including Parc des Grands Jardins, the gateway to the stunning Charlevoix mountains.

Le Centre de l’émeu, as fascinating as ever
In 1997, Raymonde Tremblay, with the support of her partner, Guy Filion, in partnership with her brother Damien, her mother Gertrude Gagné and a friend, Guy Simard, revived activities on the family farm, unused for two decades, with an unusual project. From this partnership, the Centre de l’Émeu de Charlevoix (CEC) was born.

About forty emus arrived in the buildings built by the Tremblay ancestors. Later, what was to become the fattening barn was built to shelter the emus during winter and ensure their comfort. Since then, the centre has gone through several stages of development, ultimately becoming the ÉCONOMUSÉE de la huilière in 2015 to bring all CEC activities together on one site, with the construction of a new building.
Since 2020, CEC has become an agritourism site offering a world of discoveries through an expanded, integrated experience. More than 200 emu chicks hatch there each year.

In 2023, as Raymonde Tremblay explains, visitors will still enjoy meals prepared by a chef who specializes in working with emu meat. You’ll also find prepared dishes to take out there. Several educational and interpretive activities will also be offered to visitors. Not to mention the shop, where body care products made from pure emu oil are available.

One thing is certain: Raymonde Tremblay balances her two roles as a “farmer-entrepreneur” and innkeeper with determination and passion.

Le Centre de l’émeu de Charlevoix
fermeemeu.com
710, rue Saint-Édouard
Saint-Urbain, QC G0A 4K0
(418) 639-2606


Tourist residence Chez Gertrude
gertrude.qc.ca
706, rue Saint-Édouard
Saint-Urbain (QC) G0A 4K0
418 639-2205

Rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste in old Baie-Saint-Paul. The shop window already gives a taste of what awaits you inside. The Galerie Guylaine Fournier has been at this location for 20 years. She acquired the gallery from a painter who had his studio there, and she had started out with him as gallery manager.

Two months later, he offered to transfer everything into her name. He had seen in her the motivated, passionate person who would carry on what he had started.

Before long, Guylaine set about modifying the premises to expand them. This meant cutting through the floor to install a wide staircase, while the basement was also excavated to create a vast exhibition space. Meanwhile, the ground floor was expanded by adding two adjoining rooms.

Today, the Galerie Guylaine Fournier offers “a balanced gallery where all styles are on offer, with as many established artists as emerging ones,” she explains.

As a good gallerist, she is always mindful of serving her clients better. For her, trust is the most important criterion. That is why the artists she represents share a desire for a healthy, lasting, and profitable partnership with her gallery. To achieve this, they all advocate a policy of reasonable prices.

"The days when talent was the preserve of just a few are long gone. Today, talent abounds. There is a varied choice. The affordable price of quality works is an extremely decisive factor in the decision to buy," says Guylaine Fournier. Her gallery’s slogan is 'L’art plaisir.' It is the pleasure itself, the feeling you get when you finally find the piece that captivates you. "That is certainly what we feel when a client’s eyes light up at the sight of a magical painting or a sought-after sculpture. It is also what our artists feel when they present their works to us: pleasure," concludes the gallery owner.

W
While she runs the Baie-Saint-Paul gallery on her own, she now also has a gallery in Pointe-au-Pic (La Malbaie), on rue Richelieu, which she runs with her business partner and spouse. You’ll find some of the same artists there as in Baie-Saint-Paul, along with other exclusive artists.


GALERIE GUYLAINE FOURNIER
galerieguylainefournier.com
104-2, rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Baie-Saint-Paul, Qc G3Z 1M6
418 435.4183

Driving along boulevard de Comporté in La Malbaie, near the Pointe-au-Pic sector, you can’t miss this impressive house set slightly back from the road, with its attractive colours and lovely flower beds that make it stand out. The Galerie d’art Au P’tit bonheur has made its home here since 1995, following a major renovation of the building, which had stood empty and abandoned for some time before that.

Today, Marie-Éve Tremblay, owner and director since 2011, is proud to offer an art gallery that stands out for its style, its approach to clients, and the composition of its artist roster. Le P’tit Bonheur, which employs eight people, is both spacious and intimate: 6,000 sq ft of exhibition space where visitors feel they have dropped in on friends. The small lounges on the first floor and the airier rooms on the second let art lovers discover the works in a hushed atmosphere. “However impressive and inviting it may be, a gallery only finds its substance in what visitors can find there,” explains the gallery owner.
So the gallery makes a point of offering art lovers and collectors a varied, high-quality selection of figurative and semi-figurative works by some forty seasoned artists, painters and sculptors among the most renowned, from across Canada. “Our gallery aims to be an inspiring place where artists enjoy exceptional freedom. This privilege leads them to give their best. Our calling is to be both allies in their artistic achievement and leading partners in the growth of their careers,” says the director.

And we don’t change a winning formula, she adds. Holding openings or public events is out of the question at P’tit Bonheur. That’s not in its DNA. Nor is there a branch elsewhere. All the energy goes into the current gallery, whose location is certainly a major asset.
Like many successful ventures, the P’tit Bonheur story began with a family’s love affair with the world of the arts. It started in 1986, when Jacques Tremblay and Rosanne Duchesne, Marie-Ève’s parents, arrived in the beautiful Charlevoix region. They then took over the art gallery, which had been making its home, with flair, in the Salon rose of the Manoir Richelieu.
In early 1991, Jacques and Rosanne decided to take a new step in their journey as gallery owners: P’tit Bonheur was born. Determined to build the gallery of their dreams, the couple set out to renovate this old, abandoned building. They gave it a major rejuvenation, imagining every detail to create a pleasant place to be. They even added to the decor throughout the various rooms an impressive collection of hundreds of antique glass pieces belonging to the owners, arranged by style.
Marie-Ève Tremblay is proud to say that, thanks to her boldness, creativity, and the extraordinary rapport with her artists, “Galerie d’art Au P’tit Bonheur is now one of the jewels of the Canadian art world, a true cultural destination for art lovers in search of excellence.”

Another important detail to note is that the gallery has taken on the mission, and the means, of making its artists’ talent shine, especially through its website. This online showcase features no fewer than 600 original works, paintings and sculptures, along with more than a hundred limited-edition reproductions. All works shown online are available in the gallery. Regular updates let customers discover new additions there as works come in and as artists are inspired.
The gallery has nearly 30 years of experience shipping artworks. It offers free packaging for purchases to be shipped. Shipping is also free for paintings, sculptures, and reproductions sent to Canada. Finally, since its earliest days in 1986, Au p’tit bonheur has allowed customers to pay for purchases in monthly installments, with no fees or interest. "This business decision, taken in 1986 when such services were rarely advertised or accessible, marked the start of a close and lasting relationship of trust with its customers," says the gallery director.

In their well-earned retirement, Jacques and Rosanne are delighted with what their creation has become. They appreciate that their successors have carried on with the same passion that drove them throughout all the years they worked there.
Au P’tit bonheur
auptitbonheur.com
265, boulevard de Comporté
La Malbaie, Qc G5A 2Y6
418-665-2060

Stay in a building from 1860, a few dozen metres from the fleuve Saint-Laurent in the Vieux-Port de Québec area. The Hôtel Port-Royal offers 76 spacious rooms and suites housed in two connected buildings, each with an inspiring past and history.

All of this is thanks to the passion and ambition of a construction entrepreneur who bought the complex in the early 2000s and turned it into a chic hotel that opened its doors in 2005. Éric-Yves Doyon travels a great deal, loves the hotel business and appreciates tourist attractions. That was all it took for him to turn his passion into reality. The building that houses the suites, including the royal suite across from the hotel, is a former bank. It also houses the offices of his company.

For history buffs, the building that now houses the hotel was originally a warehouse for food products unloaded from ships. More recently, it has housed various businesses, including a gourmet grocery store, the restaurant Quai 19 and the bar l’Inox.
Each room has a distinctive design of its own, inspired by the original geometry of the building. The warmth of wood, the dignity of stone and brick, and the clean lines of contemporary decor create an environment that is a perfect blend of past and present.

In addition to a comfortable Queen or King bed, all rooms and suites include a kitchenette or fully equipped kitchen, a dining nook, and a bathroom with shower or bathtub/shower. Several rooms and suites also have a double sofa bed.
General manager of Port-Royal for 15 years, Agnès Marsoin is proud to be associated with this hotel's success and to look after guest comfort and satisfaction. With 30 years of experience in hospitality, in France and Québec, she watches closely over the fortunes of this establishment. It combines a host of advantages for guests looking for quality accommodation in Québec.

She is keen to point out that guests' pets are welcome in first-floor rooms, for a fee. There are no carpets in the rooms and suites. Parking and valet service are offered, there is a fitness room, and Wi-Fi is free throughout.

The general manager also notes that the suites are spacious, luxurious spaces decorated in various styles. They offer features such as a separate bedroom, Italian-style baths and showers, work desks, a kitchenette, and a Murphy bed, along with other details depending on the suite chosen.

 
For its part, the sumptuous 2,200-square-foot Royal Suite is located at place de la FA0, a heritage site in Québec, and occupies the top floor of the massive 19th-century building formerly known as Banque de commerce. It features a luxurious bedroom with a queen-size bed and a large bathroom in marble or granite.

 
The suite offers an experience fit for kings and queens: an unusual private space in this exceptional setting, with a stately living room, a dining room, and access to an impressive 2,000-square-foot terrace with spectacular views of the streets of Vieux-Québec. Breakfast is included.

The Port-Royal employs up to 40 people and welcomes a diverse clientele: maritime professionals, staff in training, businesspeople, cruise passengers, and tourists from all over Québec, Canada and elsewhere in the world.
For dining, the hotel has Louise Taverne & Bar à vin, which serves breakfast and meals throughout the day, with bar service every day. In summer, guests can relax on the terrace and enjoy the unique cuisine of chef Nikolas, which uses only local Québec ingredients. Dishes are made fresh every day, and the menu changes regularly.

In short, for a stay in the magical setting of the Vieux-Port de Québec and its historical atmosphere, Port-Royal is certainly the obvious choice. It is also inclusive of all types of guests.

Hôtel Port-Royal
leportroyal.com
144, rue Saint-Pierre
Québec, QC, G1K 8N8
418 692.2777

By Gaëtan Vaudry

During a 40-day tour of Eastern Quebec and New Brunswick, we visited many places and met numerous people! Some places captured our attention, and one of them was the LaRichardière inn, located in the village municipality of Godbout on the North Shore, with a population of just 262 inhabitants, according to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

I must say from the outset that the place is simply magnificent. And what about our hosts, Claude-Joseph Gosselin and his wonderful dog Body (a Great Dane-Labrador mix), who welcomed us like royalty! We arrived on a Wednesday evening, after a long day's drive. We were greeted in a splendid house dating back to 1928, warm and tastefully decorated. Claude-Joseph, who has traveled extensively himself, has personalized his hosting style. Proudly, he doesn't overdo it. Just enough. And that's what the guests – myself included – appreciate about him.

Four Artists from the Region

I'd like to begin by talking about the history of this nearly centenarian house. Why is it named LaRichardière? To pay tribute to two important figures in the eyes of Claude-Joseph. The first is the noble Richard Testu de la Richardière (1681-1741), a ship's captain and harbor master, and master pilot in the St. Lawrence River and Gulf. And also for Mathieu Richard, a worker who lived in this magnificent residence with his family for over 40 years. The inn features four bedrooms, each named in honor of a regional artist. There's the Gilles Vigneault room (famous poet from Natashquan), the Éric Maillet room (sculptor and blacksmith, Bergeronnais by adoption), the Claude Le Sauteur room (painter, 1926-2007), and finally, the Francine Chicoine room (author from Baie-Comeau). Notably, the bed in the Éric Maillet room was custom-made by the artist himself (see the photo). A truly unique work of art! "I wanted to honor regional artists," the owner proudly states. "I obtained the permissions and have since made it my mission to introduce their talent to many of our guests."

One could almost say that the LaRichardière inn is a mini museum. It houses several works of art, a multitude of books on the region's history, and a passionate host, who kindly introduced me to the work of the painter Claude Le Sauteur. Truly enriching.

A Delight for the Taste Buds

Claude-Joseph, who has lived in Godbout for three decades, manages this inn with passion. Coming from the hotel industry, he takes care of the management, entertainment, cooking, and even housekeeping. Speaking of food, our host knows his stuff! For breakfast, he starts us off with orange juice, followed by a magnificent bowl of fresh fruit, which is a delight for the taste buds. We finish with excellent French toast, served with homemade raspberry jam and, of course, delicious local maple syrup. What more could one ask for?

I can only say bravo and thank you to Claude-Joseph for these memorable 24 hours. I would have gladly accepted a longer stay, to discover more about this charming little seaside region and to play with

Looking for a new project and wide-open spaces, Dany Torchy, an event promoter from the Québec region, learned in 2020 that a rather unusual castle was for sale in Escuminac's Pointe-à-la-Garde sector, in Gaspésie.

 
Jean Roussy, the castle's designer and creator, had devoted nearly 40 years of his life to it, about 30 of them spent building it, and had announced his intention to sell at the beginning of 2020. As fate would have it, he died a few months later from a long illness, leaving his life partner and several family members in mourning. His estate therefore decided to put the Château Bahia property up for sale.

 Jean Roussy, creator of Château Bahia, died in 2020.

During a first visit in October 2020, Dany Torchy, who was then living on Île d'Orléans, fell in love with the place. He convinced his friend, Mickaël Retailleau, a Montréal-area expert in car and motorcycle interior design, to join the venture. "When we saw the castle, we immediately saw its potential," he said. In the end, they convinced the family to sell them the castle and another residence built on the 170-acre property, at the end of a 600-metre road deep in the forest. The family was looking for kind-hearted people who would continue the founder's work.

Château Bahia was built over 16 summers without a precise plan, as its creator admitted in a 2020 Radio-Canada interview shortly before his death. He had converted the roadside house into a youth hostel, where he welcomed young travellers, offering them accommodation in exchange for help with construction.

 
"At first, I decided what we would do," Jean Roussy recalled. "Then, after a while, it was the castle that told me what was missing or what needed to be added."

Dany Torchy and Michaël Retailleau believe they will be able to play the role of finishers, while continuing the mission the founder of the inn set for himself. The owners also plan to name a tower in honour of Jean Roussy, who spent 7 long years juggling the idea alone, suppressing the rational voice that would have told him, "It's impossible."

Since 2021, the new owners have had to face the COVID pandemic, like everyone else. This has delayed planned work in certain sections of the castle, which blends styles from medieval to baroque. The interiors of both buildings are also filled with images of castles from around the world that Jean Roussy had visited. The partners also want to carry out work to bring the castle's interior up to date. They hope to eventually decorate the castle's facade with flags.

 
Currently, visitors stay in the small castle (the five-storey tower just behind the main building) and in a few rooms in the main building, for a total of 10 rooms. Seven have private bathrooms, while three share a common bathroom. You're guaranteed a peaceful, comfortable stay. This isn't the "castle life" often compared to the luxury of certain hotels, but the welcome is warm, not to mention the view from the top of the tower over the surrounding area and Baie des Chaleurs.

While they are well aware that maintaining the property is a substantial task, the scale of the challenge is far from frightening the newcomers. The trio's dream is now to make the place accessible year-round and share it with Gaspésiens. They are also counting on a website redesign and new promotional campaigns in the region and beyond.

The partners are fully committed and also aim to make the Château Bahia inn a genuine cultural hub, featuring the work of Québec artisans and organizing performances. A big top tent set up in the back courtyard has been hosting evening shows with musicians and other performers since 2022, particularly in June, July and August.

 
They also hope to revive the ballroom as a dining room for meals prepared by their chef, in a "surprise" format, with limited but original menus.

In 2021, the mayor of Escuminac welcomed the arrival of these new entrepreneurs, calling it excellent news for the municipality of about 521 people, since the activities of Château Bahia will contribute to the area's vitality. He noted that the Château Bahia inn is now the municipality's only hotel accommodation.

Finally, it's worth noting that the castle's name was chosen in honour of a Véronique Sanson song, and the new owners decided to keep it.

Auberge du Château Bahia
chateaubahia.com
152, boulevard Perron
Pointe-à-la-Garde (Escuminac), Qc
(418) 330-1991

A stay in the Îles de la Madeleine is more than an exotic stopover in the middle of the Golfe Saint-Laurent. All local players are redoubling their efforts so that visitors, whether first-timers or repeat guests, fully enjoy their stay.

That's partly what drives the owners of Petit hôtel de la Montagne in Bassin, at the heart of the île du Havre-Aubert. Vincent and Jan-Nicolas fell in love with the islands from their first visit. "We landed in the Îles in 2016, and our hearts never truly left," they say. "Through travel, books and museums, we draw inspiration to create accommodations that blend contemporary design, refinement and maritime life." Since their arrival, they've acquired two other properties that offer accommodation before opening the Petit hôtel.

 Owners Vincent and Jan-Nicolas

Set in a former general store, Petit hôtel de la Montagne offers four very comfortable rooms, each with a private bathroom. Groups wanting to enjoy the space fully can also book it exclusively.

Access to the building and to each room is self-service, using individual code locks. The common areas are superb. On the ground floor, there is a café, a shop and art gallery, a laundry room and a large terrace. Upstairs, guests have an open kitchen, a library lounge and a dining room, creating an ideal space for remote work during the day.

 

Petit hôtel de la Montagne has a terrace and offers free Wi-Fi throughout its premises, as well as private parking.

The rooms were designed to offer a high level of comfort and refinement. Radiant floors, individual heating and air-conditioning controls, and high-end bedding are a few of the details that will make your stay exceptional.

The second floor of the building has a common area exclusive to guests of the four rooms. This shared space houses a fully equipped open-plan kitchen, a living room, and a dining room. It's the perfect place to relax, enjoy an aperitif, and meet people!

For young families, they offer family rooms with two beds, and also provide a travel cot, a booster seat, and children's dishes.



A project that spawns others

The owners of Petit hôtel de la Montagne had completed two earlier lodging projects before the Petit hôtel: Les Rochers, a one-of-a-kind house designed by an architect, and la Blanche de l'Ouest, a large house typical of the Îles, fully renovated.

They also partnered with other owners of similar lodgings to create Collection Maison Mer : a hotel-quality offering in the comfort of a private home. It offers a selection of rental houses and hotels on the Îles, where the comfort of a home meets the elegance of hotel services.

  

It's also worth noting the shop and gallery on the ground floor, Maison Papier. Maude Jomphe, a photographer and graphic designer, is behind the project. Visitors will find art prints by local artists, as well as frames and selected objects made by artisans from the Îles. You can also sit down there to enjoy a coffee.

Petit hôtel de la Montagne
petithoteldelamontagne.com
2979, ch. de la Montagne
Bassin
Îles de la Madeleine (Québec) G4T 0A4
438 816-9977