Three generations of hoteliers: a safe bet
Renowned for its distinctive hospitality, Manoir Belle Plage de Carleton-sur-Mer offers a stay in complete comfort in a place steeped in art, culture and history. As soon as you step inside, you sense the owners’ long-standing care for these interests. You’re quickly charmed by the tranquillity of the setting and the quality of its services and facilities.
The property has unobstructed views of the baie des Chaleurs at the front, and of mont Saint-Joseph and the garden at the back. It has 39 rooms, plus 6 apartments in Maison Cullen and its Pavillon. It also houses two meeting rooms and a gym. In the parking lot, an EV charging station is available to guests who drive electric vehicles.
The dining room serves breakfast to hotel guests, while in the evening, Bistro Cerf-Cuit-Court offers Gaspésian gourmet cuisine that the chef builds around the produce of 30 producers from the Baie-des-Chaleurs.
Resolutely human, the corporate culture at Manoir Belle Plage focuses on people’s well-being, David Comeau explains. Sustainable development, deeply rooted in its values, is reflected in efforts for the environment, but also in the promotion of local artisans. Each room displays a custom-made craft piece and a selected work by an artist from Gaspésie. The common areas are also decorated in the same style.
For the hotel’s 75th anniversary in 2024, David Comeau talks about consolidating past achievements for the future. No major development is in sight. The aim is to keep the human side and refresh the decor a little on an ongoing basis. Sustainable development will keep its place at the top of the company’s values.
A rich history and a well-established tradition
Originally, the establishment was a beautiful English villa in the Anglo-Norman Regency cottage style. Named Stella Maris, this summer residence had been built around 1921. In 1949, the villa was converted into a hotel (the Belle Plage), and motels were added.
Later, Rollande Arsenault, from Caplan, and Raymond Comeau, from Baie Sainte-Marie (Nouvelle-Écosse), met. While skiing in the Laurentides, the couple drew a parallel between tourism development in the region and the potential of Gaspésie. That was all it took for the pair to launch into an entrepreneurial venture, with plenty of flair but no experience.
In 1965, Rollande Arsenault and Raymond Comeau acquired the establishment, which grew thanks to their ideas and good care. In 1978, they purchased an existing building in Carleton and moved it onto the hotel grounds. In 1988, they expanded from 10 to 24 units, built a reception area, and meeting rooms were fitted out. The establishment was renamed Manoir Belle Plage.
A spirit of innovation, courage, and a constant concern for customer satisfaction were the keys to the success of the family business they went on to grow. After Mr. Comeau’s death in 2010 at the age of 73, his spouse continued to watch over Manoir Belle Plage for nearly a dozen years before joining him in 2022.
Since 2006, their son David has been the owner and general manager of the establishment. David grew up and lived in the hotel. He was steeped in that culture from a very young age. "I've always been proud of what my parents did, of their involvement in the community, of the business, and of what it represented in the village." After earning a bachelor's degree in administration, David Comeau completed a master's in regional development. His topic: the tourism industry of Carleton-sur-Mer.
For the Comeau family, Manoir Belle Plage has always been the family home. "I grew up in the hotel. We ate at the restaurant three times a day, 365 days a year." In 2015, after 40 years living in the hotel, David Comeau bought a single-family house behind it. Today he lives there with his partner, Maryse Tremblay, and their two daughters, Marianne and Geneviève, who are, in turn, gradually getting involved in the business.
Manoir Belle Plage
474, boul. Perron
Carleton-sur-Mer, QC G0C 1J0
(418) 364-3388