By Pierre Perreault
December 2025
It was a monastery of the Redemptorist Fathers for nearly 60 years. When they left, the site was stripped of everything and left abandoned for several years. The Desbiens Monastery, on Lac-Saint-Jean, considered a jewel of Québec's religious heritage, was built as a retreat, a calm, serene place for renewal and rest. Next to the church, it has been Maison Zacharie since 2014, an authentic inn that brings the site back to life by drawing on its historic and heritage character.
Véronique Jolin-Noël and her partner Michael Forbes, both working in finance and administration, were passing through Lac Saint-Jean in 2014 when they saw the "Monastery for Sale" sign as they drove past the site, returning from Normandin and heading toward Montréal. They had been looking for a rectory for sale for some time. A solid, secure building. Their searches across the region had come up empty. Everywhere they looked, they found wooden buildings.
That's when their life turned upside down: they had just found the perfect place… or almost. Two weeks later, at the end of summer 2014, now the owners, they moved to Desbiens and settled into the monastery. Since the place was completely unfurnished and had been abandoned for three years, they set about redecorating the spaces and acquiring furniture that respected the unique character and the mission its new owners had in mind for it.
You can now discover this unique place in its enchanting setting. Works by local artists adorn its walls. Maison Zacharie has 16 comfortable rooms accommodating 2 to 4 people. Six have private bathrooms, while others share communal facilities. The rooms contain only the bare essentials. No alarm clocks, no television, no telephone… at the monastery, people gather, talk, and rest. The common areas on the ground floor allow guests to fully appreciate the richness of the place and the calm, restorative atmosphere of the house.
The monastery, though transformed, has kept its charm, with its antiques and reminders of old Québec homes. The shop also sells merchandise in the inn's colours, along with local crafts, soaps, teas, and herbal infusions from a local herbalist.
Outside, you'll find a unique and enchanting setting. The vast back gardens offer a calm, relaxing atmosphere, and the scenery is stunning. The Véloroute des bleuets winds around the property, much to the delight of cycling enthusiasts.
Maison Zacharie is the ideal setting for group stays, within the vestiges of a storied past, offering an authentic experience in a peaceful environment. The inn is the perfect place to gather with family or friends. By booking the entire monastery, you can enjoy exclusive use of the premises, including the rooms, a large kitchen, a reception room, a lounge, and our spacious garden.
If breakfast is not included in the rental price, it can be served upon request for a small fee. For evening meals, you can use the kitchen to prepare your own meals or hire a catering service.
Véronique adds that, in addition to the existing accommodation options, the large common areas on the ground floor, with access to the back gardens, can be reserved for events. Up to 40 people can be accommodated indoors, but larger events can be organized by setting up a temporary outdoor marquee near the garden pergola.
Couples have chosen the location to celebrate their wedding in a dreamlike setting. At the end of summer 2026, it will host its first gay wedding.
Some may wonder where the name "Maison Zacharie" comes from. It was during their 2014 search that they visited the old rectory in Saint-Zacharie, in Beauce, whose architecture stands out. According to them, it's one of the most beautiful in Québec. Even though other aspects of the property kept them from acquiring it, it was certainly there that Véro and Michael's dream was confirmed and their shared project took shape.
A few hours spent within its walls in late autumn showed us that the place is truly a special spot for finding calm and serenity. The atmosphere recalls the history and life of the towns and villages of yesteryear, just a few steps from the shores of Lac Saint-Jean.
Maison Zacharie
maisonzacharie.com
980, rue Hébert
Desbiens (Québec) G0W 1N0
(581) 817-1299
They say that a people or community's future depends on knowing its history. If that's true, a visit to the Acadian Historical Village in Blanchard, near Caraquet, is a must for anyone interested in the history of Acadia and its people.
From June to September, the Village showcases the daily life of Acadians from 1770 to 1949, thanks to some forty historical buildings brought to life by costumed, bilingual interpreters. This vast open-air museum also offers a hotel and a restaurant, in addition to activities and entertainment.
Located in the heart of the Village, the Château Albert Hotel offers 14 rooms and is a replica of the Château Albert, built in 1907 in Caraquet. The rooms respect the historic character, with a few minor details. Enjoy the tranquility of yesteryear in a modern setting. A buffet breakfast is offered to guests.
During a visit to the Historical Village, you can also treat yourself to a snack or a delicious meal. The Village Café-Bistro is a 40-seat family restaurant with a terrace, near the Village entrance. It offers a menu of Acadian dishes and contemporary cuisine staples, as well as a selection of specialty coffees. Open from June 6 to September 16, 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM.
La Table des Ancêtres is housed in the historic Dugas house. The 30-seat restaurant offers traditional Acadian dishes, in addition to the best sugar pie in the region. Discover the delights of yesteryear served with love, just like at Grandma's, from June 6 to September 16, 11:30 AM to 4:00 PM.
The 2024 season has started since June 6. Season passes are available for visits all summer long, for the whole family. The Acadian Historical Village identifies as LGBTQ+ friendly (homosympa).
Acadian Historical Village
villagehistoriqueacadien.com
506.726.2600
5, rue du Pont
Bertrand, NB E1W 0E1
In Percé, most people know the story of Thérèse, grandmother of Billy Bastien and Shaddy Beaudin, two of the four co-owners of the La Buvette restaurant-bar since 2020, right in the heart of the village. Set back from the street, its large flowerbed, with a welcoming terrace peeking through, invites you in to look over the menu and take in the decor.
Thérèse Beaudin, a Newport native who died in 2017, was a builder known, among other things, for her hospitality and generosity. It was only natural for the four budding entrepreneurs to name their establishment in her honour.
The menu features original dishes: "local cuisine that changes with the seasons, where cocktails are carefully crafted and wines are chosen with love," reads the Facebook page. Billy describes it as a place where you can taste local products from the sea and the mountains. He also clarifies that Buvette Thérèse isn't a restaurant or a bar, but something in between where customers can have brunch, drinks, and dinner.
Where La Buvette now stands, there was already a restaurant, Café Champêtre, which had been there since 2000. Billy worked there for 10 years while pursuing studies in hospitality and restaurant management, until the owners at the time hinted at their intention to sell, at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. Billy gathered three friends, including his cousin, all of whom had some experience in the restaurant industry. Together they developed the Buvette project.
It took guts and boundless determination to embark on such an undertaking in the midst of a pandemic. Four young people with no permanent income and no business history faced the challenge of financing a seasonal restaurant open three months a year in Percé, explains Billy. "We had to forget about banks and financial institutions. So we found people who believed in us, and we owe them a great debt of gratitude."
For the past two years, the premises have been reconfigured and redecorated. A bar area has been created, and the kitchen has been equipped with a few additional items. Nearly thirty people find employment there from May to September.
Ah yes, the website mentions that it is best to book to ensure you get a table on certain evenings and during brunches.
La Buvette Thérèse
buvettetherese.com
162, QC-132
Percé, QC G0C 2L0
418.689.9609
The coastal road in Gaspésie, particularly between Percé and Gaspé, offers unique and striking scenery at every turn. In St-Georges-de-La-Malbaie, in the Pointe-St-Pierre sector, there's a distinctive spot that has changed its purpose and name over the years. The place is known to the region's older residents, but not in its current form. Nordet opened the doors of its Thuya Spa in June 2019 and began its innovations by refurbishing 10 guest rooms according to well-considered ecological principles.
All of this is part of a larger project to establish an ecotourism centre in this sector belonging to the city of Percé, halfway to Gaspé.
Formerly known as the popular "Motel Bond", it was built over fifty years ago by Henry Bond. In addition to living on site with his family, he found the time to create a very popular bar that left its mark on many lives. The two new owners, Jeffrey Samuel-Bond and Steven Bond, are in fact Henry Bond's grandson and son.
The Motel Bond, which gave rise to Nordet
Jeffrey Samuel-Bond, founder and owner of Avolo Plein Air since 2010, fulfilled a childhood dream by buying back this family motel in the winter of 2019 to create an ecotourism centre in Saint-Georges-de-Malbaie. Steven Bond, who lived in the Motel Bond in his youth, now resides in the United States. There, he owns an IT consulting firm and is a shareholder in the Nordet project, also serving as a mentor.
For the curious, Nordet is in fact a synonym for wind from the northeast, a nice nod to the reality of Pointe St-Pierre!
Nordet today
Relaxation at its peak
The spa shares the owners' ecological values, with its four pools (three hot, one cold) and sauna all made of Canadian red cedar and requiring only minimal treatment products to keep the water clean at all times.
Thermotherapy in the spotlight
Thermotherapy involves using temperature variations, typically between 10 and 40 degrees Celsius, to relax and soothe the body's muscles and joints. The body normally maintains a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. When exposed to these temperature variations, blood vessels dilate and contract, releasing endorphins, among other substances, which are responsible for the feeling of well-being.
The thermotherapy cycle typically consists of about 15 minutes in the heat, a quick plunge into cold water, and then a period of relaxation. Repeating this cycle several times allows you to reach an exceptional level of relaxation.
The changing rooms feature showers made of recycled ceramic from a local company, the body products are organic, and over 90% of purchases were made from Québec suppliers. Finally, at Thuya Spa, the facilities also include a relaxation area with a wood fire and two outdoor areas, making it the first Nordic spa in Gaspésie.
As a reminder, in 2021, Nordet secured a spot in the national finals of the Défi OSEntreprendre for the category Doing Business Together, a new category recognizing entrepreneurs who stand out through the evolution of their procurement practices.
A variety of services
Nordet is also about accommodation, offered for overnight stays only, or in spa packages. Several rooms, suites, and even a fully equipped chalet are available, all with an eco-friendly approach. Many improvements have been made to the former motel in recent years.
Outdoor activities are also offered. The website of Nordet makes for a well-documented display of them, including sea kayaking.
It's worth mentioning the Bond Café, a food counter and breakfast buffet now available, serving brunch every morning until 11 a.m. The menu features salads, thin-crust pizzas, tapas and Asian soups, pastries, and other snacks. Several beers from Gaspésie microbreweries and organic wines are also available.
Over the coming years, its promoter explains, new services and ecotourism activities will appear, notably in addition to the spa, which will expand and add facilities and services.
Le Nordet – Spa Thuya
nordet.ca
1600 route 132 est, QC-132,
Saint-Georges-de-Malbaie, QC G0C 2X0
(418) 645-2223
For over 25 years, Magella Landry, once a commercial crab fisherman with several boats who spent his winters in Montréal, was involved in the tourism development of Natashquan and the Côte-Nord. Today, he has returned to a somewhat less hectic life, managing and promoting the Auberge Port d'Attache, which he built and has operated since 1995.
Located at the western entrance to the village, directly on the shores of the Golfe St-Laurent, the inn offers eight individually decorated rooms, each with a telephone and television. Guests can also relax in the reading room or simply admire the stunning view. In the morning, guests have breakfast with other travellers in the dining room, lovingly prepared by the chef, who takes pleasure in serving eggs, pancakes, or French toast. All of this is included in the room rate.
Like many other villages in the region, tourist accommodation is rather limited in Natashquan. The issue has been addressed in recent years with the aim of providing housing for workers and newcomers. A stay at the Port d'Attache is filled with fond memories, as the place is beautifully decorated with antique furniture, historical images, and paintings depicting local scenes, among other things.
Magella Landry remains an important figure in the Macacain scene*, having been vice-president of Tourisme Côte-Nord and president of the tourism and cultural development organization that recently became Destination Natashquan.
He also became involved and coordinated, in the mid-2010s, along with about a hundred other citizens, a movement dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Gilles Vigneault heritage site in Natashquan, or, in other words, to ensure the survival of "La Source." The aim was to prevent the sale of this site to private interests, which would spoil these places steeped in history, and to halt the deterioration of the buildings, which will soon be irreversible.
The people of Natashquan wanted to save these buildings (two houses and three outbuildings) to create a living memorial, a place to share the poet's source of inspiration, a welcoming space for creation, and an artist residency. A national fundraising campaign was launched to raise $500,000 for the Natashquan Fund for the Preservation of the Source. "A very small sum considering the scope of the act of remembrance and transmission of the source that the people of this tiny village are committed to carrying out for the entire province," said Magella Landry at the campaign launch.
After all these years of dedication, and in order to better care for his family, the innkeeper is considering finding a buyer for his inn. With no family member to take over, he must look elsewhere. He hopes a local or regional buyer will come forward when the time is right. The inn is open year-round and has an exceptional location, ideal for both those who appreciate beautiful scenery in the summer and snowmobilers in the winter.
And a word to the wise: the water in the bay at Natashquan is sometimes warmer for swimming than the surrounding air during the summer.
Auberge Port d'Attache
aubergeleportdattache.ca70, rue du Pré
Natashquan (Québec) G0G 2E0
418 726-3569
* Macacain: According to some, the demonym "Macacain" is said to be derived from "Acadian," the people from whom the inhabitants of Natashquan are descended.
As soon as you climb the grand exterior staircase, turn around to admire the fantastic seascape, step through the front door, and find yourself in the reception hall, you know you've just entered a very special place.
The low, coffered ceilings reflect the distant origins of this building, inaugurated in 1892. Located in the heart of the village of Grande-Vallée, a few steps from the wharf and the beach, the Hôtel-motel Grande-Vallée and its restaurant L'Aubergine welcome guests in a unique setting worthy of a haven of peace.
Its 12 rooms, located in the main building (7) and the attached motel section (5), all feature country or rustic décor in the hotel and a more standard style in the motel. But comfort is assured throughout.
The L'Aubergine dining room serves breakfast and dinner menus created by chef-owner Stéphanie Nadeau. A wide range of dishes and drinks is available to satisfy every appetite, plus the stunning view from the dining room.
She and her partner, Mathieu Le Guerrier, fell in love with the place in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, while staying there on vacation. After learning that the owners at the time had been trying to sell for five years, wanting to retire after 18 years, they made an offer that was accepted. Lifelong enthusiasts of the restaurant and hospitality industry, and having worked in the field for over 25 years, they had long dreamed of one day owning their own establishment.
In April 2021, they became the owners, having left their respective long-term jobs in the restaurant and bar industry in Montréal, just as the pandemic had forced them to close. With their two children, they settled in Grande-Vallée, in a house next to the hotel, and took on their new roles as hoteliers and restaurateurs.
They benefited from the sellers' support for a year. The establishment employs 17 people, including 4 students. Except for brief periods in spring and fall, the hotel is open year-round. In summer, you'll want to enjoy the sandy beach in the heart of the village, which runs right up to the hotel.
In winter, the proximity of snowmobile trails brings its share of seasonal guests.
Hôtel-Motel Grande-Vallée
hotelgrandevallee.com
37, rue du Quai
Grande-Vallée (Québec) G0E 1K0
418.393.2648
Steve and his partner acquired this cottage property five years ago, on an exceptional seaside site. It features 8 newly built cottages: 4 family cottages, two of which sleep up to 7, and 4 others sleeping a maximum of 5.
Domaine Repos du pirate is located at the eastern end of Sainte-Flavie, very close to the Institut Maurice-Lamontagne, a renowned and important Pêches et Océans Canada research centre. Every unit offers everything you need for a comfortable stay and to feel at home. Guests also have access to a shared outdoor spa, outdoor fire pits, BBQs, a children's playground, and direct access to the beach.
For the past five years, it has welcomed seasonal or temporary workers at local institutions and businesses, as well as small groups and families on vacation. Some return year after year.
Flower and garden lovers will appreciate being close to the Jardins de Mitis, a renowned and always fascinating attraction.
Domaine Repos du Pirate
domainereposdupirate.com
780, route de la Mer
Sainte-Flavie, QC GOJ 2L0
418.509.4675
If André Desrochers and his wife and partner Marie-Josée have been running the La Maison Verte guesthouse and campground in Pointe-à-la-Croix for 26 years as of 2023, it's because they have a passion for holidays. Not their own, of course, but those of the thousands of travellers and vacationers who have stayed at their property since then.
Encounters here are welcoming and genuine, and shared moments matter to the hosts. Native to the region, they proudly represent and promote the community's way of life. André graduated from Cégep de Matane in Tourism. During his 18-month program, he gained practical experience across a wide range of fields. He knows the region and its attractions well and can therefore serve as an excellent guide for visitors.
André Desrochers, owner
The La Maison Verte guesthouse in Pointe-à-la-Croix, Gaspésie, where the Baie-des-Chaleurs begins, offers three sumptuous rooms as well as two small apartments and a larger one for rent. The bright rooms overlook nature.
It occupies a century-old house, built in 1920 by a wealthy American as a seasonal vacation home and moved from the banks of the Restigouche by André Desrochers' family in 1978. Set on new foundations, the house was rented out for several years until André and Marie-Josée undertook to transform it into a guesthouse in 1997.
All around the house, several restful spots have been created under the trees, around flower boxes or near fire pits, allowing vacationers to relax while enjoying nature.
Note that major renovation work was carried out in 2020 and 2021, during the COVID pandemic, when tourist accommodations were not accessible.
In addition, the guesthouse offers two chalets set slightly back on the banks of the Petite rivière-du-Loup. They are rented fully equipped, bedding included.
Make way for nature camping
As for the neighbouring campground, which belonged to the Desrochers family, it was established a long time ago but closed in 1965.
It was with the opening of the guesthouse that things really got going again. The site offers over 125 naturally laid-out campsites. The land is landscaped to respect the trees and the natural contours of the forest. What's more, tree clearing is minimal, and each site is unique, respecting the mature flora and fauna on the property. Located in a stunningly beautiful setting on the banks of the Petite rivière-du-Loup, a small, tranquil trout stream, the campground offers sites with one to three hookups.
As André Desrochers points out, this campground is run more like a park than a vacation camp. There are no blaring loudspeakers or activity leaders organizing pétanque tournaments. Of all the campers, only two are seasonal. The site is open from late April to mid-November. A maritime microclimate ensures mild and pleasant temperatures most of the time. Sheltered from the sometimes very strong winds of the Baie-des-Chaleurs, camping here is peaceful. And as an added bonus, there are views of the mountain and the river.
A strategic crossroads for travellers
Located a few minutes from Campbelton, Nouveau-Brunswick, La Maison Verte in Gaspésie sits at the meeting point of three routes: the road from Québec via Matapédia, Route 132 which circles the Gaspésie peninsula, and the bridge to Nouveau-Brunswick and the Maritimes.
The possibilities for activities in the surrounding area are endless, since La Maison Verte in Gaspésie is located where several culturally distinct territories meet. It's well worth the detour.
The hosts take the time to guide visitors to local activities and businesses. There's no doubt that the presence of numerous visitors at La Maison Verte has a significant and positive impact on the local economy.
Gîte et chalets La Maison Verte
lamaisonverte-gaspesie.com
216, chemin de la Petite-Rivière-du-Loup
Pointe-à-la-Croix (QC) G0C 1L0
418-788-2342
Camping Gaspésien La Maison Verte
lamaisonverte-gaspesie.com/camping-2
79, rue des Méandres
Pointe-à-la-Croix (Qc) G0C 1L0
418-788-2342
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exLaS7TA7OQ&ab_channel=MordusdeSki
Just outside the city of Saguenay, the Valinouët multi-sport outdoor winter resort offers a first distinctive feature: its snow is 100% natural. The snow isn't manufactured; it's tamed and shaped.
Located about 45 km northeast of the City of Saguenay, in Saint-David-de-Falardeau, in the Mont-Valin National Park area, the site enjoys exceptional snow cover thanks to its microclimate, at nearly 810 m elevation at the summit.
It's well known that people in Québec's gay community are fond of winter sports, particularly snow sports (cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, etc.). Valinouët is therefore a destination to consider with complete confidence.
The new chalet, inaugurated for the 2020 season, required a $5 million investment. It seats 360 on the ground floor, plus 360 in the cafeteria on the second level and the restaurant-bar on the upper floor.
So, Valinouët offers not only dream conditions for winter sports, but also entertainment, festivities, and above all, guaranteed fun for all visitors. Here are a few examples:
- A wide choice of runs: 33 in total, for beginners, intermediates and experts.
- Six (6) ski lifts with a combined capacity of 7,600 skiers per hour.
- A marked 4.3 km trail at the summit of the mountain for snowshoers.
- An 8 km network (3 trails) is available free of charge to cross-country skiers. The trails are groomed regularly. Backcountry skiers will be delighted with two ascents accessible from the base of the mountain.
- For thrill-seekers: areas for experienced skiers and snowboarders, including the La Machette run, rated double diamond, with three impressive rocky notches to max out your adrenaline.
- A snow park with several features and jumps, appealing to all ages.
- A network of fat bike trails with free access near the ski chalet. The area includes three trails, totalling nearly 8 km.
- Located at the end of the main chalet, the tubing park has three slopes specially designed for tubing and a rope tow accessible to all.
In addition to these sports amenities, the centre offers a ski school for all levels, an equipment rental centre, "coolbox"-style accommodation at the foot of the slopes, a cafeteria with varied menus and a friendly restaurant-pub, a snowmobile rest stop, special events and occasional promotions, packages for groups or school activities, etc.
Worth noting: the Valinouët outdoor resort has been run by a worker cooperative since 1995. It currently counts about twenty worker members who have qualified for this status, some of whom sit on the board of directors. Previously, a non-profit organization had been created in 1984 by a group of people who wanted to see this type of infrastructure in the region.
Near the winter resort, an alpine village offers accommodation, parking and direct access to snowmobile trails.
The cooperative is currently studying and planning a major development project aimed at eventually offering year-round activities.
valinouet.qc.ca
181, Rte du Valinouët,
Saint-David-de-Falardeau, QC G0V 1C0
(418) 673-6455
Don't be fooled: the innkeepers won't have you walking through a dark corridor behind a building to welcome you to La Ruelle in Saint-Siméon-de-Bonaventure. On the contrary, as soon as you set foot on the grounds of this tourist complex, created in 2013 by Marie-Josée Dugas and Serge Boulanger, you feel as though you're entering an estate where the beautiful ancestral and heritage Arsenault-Gallagher house stands in the foreground.
Initially, the couple decided to establish the La Ruelle fur workshop-boutique there, since Serge has been a fur craftsman since 1977. He offers exclusive clothing and accessories made from fur and other reclaimed materials. He chose to recreate an alleyway from Vieux-Québec as the décor, to set the right context for his products. That's how La Ruelle came to be.
Then in 2017, when the welcoming duo of entrepreneurs transformed a stable on their handsome property into two tourist apartments, and the following year also created a loft in their century-old house, the name La Ruelle was already well established.
As Marie-Josée explains, “I personally welcome every person or group who comes to stay here, and I give them all the information they need to feel welcome and at ease with our concept. I want them to feel at home.”
La Ruelle accommodations offer three beautiful tourist apartments for extended stays of at least 7 days during the high season. Aimed particularly at tourists and business travellers, the three units, offering one or two bedrooms, stand out for their chic yet rustic décor, featuring repurposed materials and works by Gaspé artists and artisans.
Outside, the splendid landscaping, with its pathways and vegetation dominated by large, mature trees, dates from the late 1970s and was enhanced by the current owners around 2010, heightening the natural beauty of the site near the sea. Guests can also enjoy a terrace with a barbecue and an outdoor fire pit in summer. The beach, on Chaleur Bay, is just a few minutes' walk away.
With the La Ruelle workshop-boutique housed in the ancestral home, you'll find a comfortable complex in a place steeped in art, nature, and heritage!” Worth noting: Serge Boulanger has just transferred ownership of his boutique and his expertise to Édith Dubuc and Caroline Hardy as part of a succession project. Since October 2022, they have been operating Les Loutres d’hiver – Récupération de fourrure, which can be visited by appointment.
Don't miss the chance to visit the ancestral home (1820) and its beautifully landscaped heritage trail, created in summer 2021. Featuring eight interpretive panels in French and English about the Arsenault-Gallagher ancestral home, it is open daily for self-guided visits from May 15 to October 15.
The panels reflect the architectural features of the house, as well as the families who lived there and their social and historical circumstances. More broadly, they invite you to explore over 200 years of history of Petit-Bonaventure (now Saint-Siméon-de-Bonaventure). Their content is drawn from information presented in a historical journal and an exhibition produced in 2020 and 2021.
La Ruelle
laruelle.ca
253, Boul. Perron Est
Saint-Siméon-de-Bonaventure, QC G0C 3A0
418.534.4143
