Over the past decade, downtown Gaspé’s popular, lively rue de la Reine has been transformed a few times, as new businesses have opened and others have changed hands. One of the notable features of the area’s changing economic landscape in 2024 is the increasingly prominent presence of women entrepreneurs and business leaders.
Here are a few examples.
Le Brise-Bise: It was a woman, Claudine Roy, who founded the popular resto-bar more than 30 years ago. Originally from Cloridorme, she was deeply involved in business in Gaspé and the surrounding region. She handed the reins to Simon Poirier in 2015. She was made a Knight of the Ordre national du Québec in 2010 and appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2018. In 2026, ownership returned to women with Sara Di Zazzo, who already heads La Sarcelle à la Marina. Together with her partners, she intends to carry on the mission of this institution as it marks its 40th anniversary.
L’Auberge sous les arbres: Claudine Roy also owned this property from 2015 to 2023, when she transferred it to another woman, Gaspé native Stéphanie Lachance, whom she had hired as manager two years earlier. Together with her partner, Diego Valdes, Lachance, who trained in payroll administration and hotel management, has committed to passionately carrying forward the building’s mission of comfort, hospitality and showcasing heritage. 
Oh! les pains: The bakery opened in downtown Gaspé in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic. Its owner, Gaspésie native Elsa Houde, embarked on the venture after about 20 years in communications. The bakery grew from a dual desire to offer quality products and create a warm, authentic gathering place. It quickly became the go-to spot for lovers of good bread, fine viennoiseries and puff-pastry pizzas. A different soup is featured each lunchtime, along with a freshly prepared lunch menu. 
Paquebot Café Gaspé: One of the area’s newer arrivals, this original and surprising café took shape in 2021 when Isabelle Huard, after two years managing Paquebot Mont-Royal, wanted to open a café in her hometown of Gaspé. Following several months of work more than 900 kilometres from the first Paquebot, Paquebot Gaspé opened on September 1, 2021, with Isabelle as co-owner. Paquebot operates three other cafés in Montréal.
Marché des saveurs gaspésiennes: One of the oldest businesses of its kind in Gaspé, it was founded nearly 25 years ago as a gourmet food shop. In 2022, the founder decided to sell and entrusted the business to Claudia Romero, an employee of a few years. Romero and her partner, Ricardo Granja, are both originally from South America and came to Québec 15 years ago. Together they are carrying on a business with a loyal clientele. That same year, Claudia secured the contract to operate Parcs Canada’s seasonal restaurant and grocery store, Les Délices de Forillon. 
Beige Farine: Sandrine Bourbonnais first came to Gaspésie in 2019 as communications manager for a cultural organization in Gaspé. It was love at first sight. After completing her law degree in Sherbrooke in 2021, she decided to build her life in Gaspé. Beige Farine, a bulk store selling food, household and personal-care products, grew from her desire to help people make a positive environmental difference every day. She acquired one of the city’s oldest buildings, at 3, rue Adams on the corner of rue de la Reine, and transformed it into the shop that opened in June 2022.