Auberge Le Caribou: a slice of history spanning over 150 years

Located at the western entrance to Rivière-au-Renard, a sector of the City of Gaspé, just 5 km from the stunning Forillon National Park, Auberge Le Caribou offers a comfortable stay in harmony with the sea. The property has 39 motel rooms and two cottages, plus the Resto-Pub La Révolte, where you can enjoy a heated terrace with ocean views in the summer. Just steps from the port and marina, it's easy to be charmed by the warm atmosphere and the invitation to unwind in a setting that's especially pleasant year-round.

The man who took over in January 2020, just before the COVID pandemic hit and led to a general closure of non-essential businesses, didn't let events get him down. Mathieu Samuel started working at La Révolte, the restaurant at Auberge Le Caribou, at 18, in 2011. Over the years, he learned the ropes of running such an establishment, until the day the owner let him know he intended to sell.

In the village of about 3,000 people where he was born and raised, and where his family already has a tradition of entrepreneurship, few tourism businesses stay open year-round, and he could see himself taking over this one. "Le Caribou has been around since 1930; several generations have passed through it," he explains. "The business interested me. So I told the owner to come see me when he wanted to sell. But it really happened faster than expected," he says in an interview.

After accepting the position of Director of Operations in spring 2019, while pursuing business management studies at Université Laval, he would officially become the owner in January 2020.

Thanks to sound management, the employees' goodwill, and the return of tourists to Gaspésie starting in summer 2021, the business fared well. They used this time to renovate all the rooms and the two cottages. The goal was to move from being a "roadside Highway 132 motel" to a sought-after destination.

The ambitious new owner also plans to add 6 to 8 cottages to meet demand from certain guests, including families.

With around thirty employees, some of whom have been with the company for a very long time, he feels well-positioned to maintain the establishment's success. The restaurant, which operates year-round, seven days a week, serving three meals a day, also employs immigrant workers, particularly Africans and Malagasy. This committed Gaspésien strives daily to bring a youthful touch to La Révolte, especially in the menus, and to attract customers his own age by following market trends.

 

The owner makes no secret of his grand ambitions for his business: "I want everyone to know the establishment as a must-visit stop. I want tourists to come and enjoy what we have to offer." Not to mention the view from his inn, on the edge of the Gulf and two minutes from the beach.

A private room is available for meals or business meetings, family gatherings, or get-togethers with friends. Meal, beverage, snack, and buffet service is available on request.

And for those wondering where the name La Révolte comes from, we have to go back to the history of this village. In August 1909, fishing companies cut the price paid per quintal of salt cod, the main product traded by the fishermen of Rivière-au-Renard, by 30%. Over 150 years ago, part of the Auberge Le Caribou existed as the William Fruing and Company. It was on the current site of the Auberge Le Caribou that fishermen revolted against the Jersey companies. Naming the Resto-Pub La Révolte in honour of this event was only natural.

Auberge Le Caribou
Resto-bar La Révolte
aubergelecaribou.ca
82, boulevard Renard Ouest
Gaspé (Qc), Canada
G4X 5H1
(418) 269-3344