Travel log

  In December 2010 in Natashquan, Minganie, representatives of socioeconomic, tourism, municipal, government and business organizations gathered for a forum. They concluded that a cooperative approach would allow the community to coordinate more effectively and develop a tourism offering beneficial to visitors and the region itself.

Jacques Lachance, one of the people who initiated this process of reflection and coordination among local and regional forces, arrived in Natashquan in the early 1970s with his sheep, after spending time as an antiques dealer and horse-drawn-carriage driver in Vieux-Québec. A lover of heritage, the Saint-Laurent and nature, he had travelled widely and worked in many fields before settling where his heart drew him.

 

Now a consultant, producer and project lead in tourism development and promotion, he says the Coopérative de solidarité en tourisme équitable (CoSte) serves as a catalyst for political and socioeconomic stakeholders throughout Minganie and even across Côte-Nord, thanks to its original, energetic approach to showcasing the region and its attractions.

During our meeting on the terrace behind CoSte’s head office, he described with energy and conviction what led him to join an undertaking of which he is now very proud. He lives in Rivière-au-Tonnerre and remains regularly involved in the agency’s tourism activities, notably as a guide accompanying groups to destinations across Minganie.

  
Since 2006, the Agence coopérative de solidarité en tourisme équitable, or CoSte, has organized and marketed tourism experiences in Minganie and Basse-Côte-Nord. It showcases the natural environment and local people, gives travellers lively, dynamic, authentic and memorable experiences, and maximizes positive benefits for communities.

The travel agency has a visitor reception office and offers accommodation at L’Escale Lam-Air in Rivière-au-Tonnerre. Its packages and tourism services cover Côte-Nord, particularly Minganie, Anticosti Island and Basse-Côte-Nord. ‘CoSte contributes to the growth of local communities by encouraging sustainable, responsible and equitable tourism,’ Lachance says. It offers a wide range of services: flight reservations, cruises in the golfe du Saint-Laurent, tailor-made packages and à-la-carte products.

 

Initially housed in a small building near the church, the cooperative received an unexpected ‘gift’ in 2013. The owners of the motel in the centre of the village were retiring and, recognizing the importance of CoSte’s work and achievements, donated the property to the cooperative. The waterfront complex offered an ideal opportunity to expand its services and packages.

With Alberte Marcoux arriving as the new executive director that same year, CoSte established its head office in the front section of the building and also took over management of L’Escale Lam-Air’s dining room and 13 guest rooms. The gift certainly acted as a wonderful boost for the organization and its members.

   

‘Voyages CoSte received start-up funding, but the cooperative has been completely self-supporting since 2016,’ Jacques Lachance explains. ‘We have received no public operating funding for nearly 10 years. The assistance we do receive is essentially tied to specific development projects, such as purchasing a minibus or carrying out a collaborative digital transition with 40 member businesses.’ The collectively owned enterprise supports itself through sales and belongs to members based mainly in the MRC du Golfe du St-Laurent and MRC de la Minganie, including Anticosti Island.

CoSte has received support and encouragement from Tourisme Québec, the ministère du Développement économique, de l’Innovation et de l’Exportation, the Centres locaux de développement (CLD) in Minganie and Basse-Côte-Nord, the Conférence régionale des élus de la Côte-Nord and Emploi-Québec. These partners contributed in various ways to the start-up phase. The cooperative also works with other local and regional partners to deliver projects and its diverse range of tourism services.

They see this community-born initiative as an enterprise that could, over time, become a model of collective development and local empowerment for northern Québec communities.

Many Canadian agencies, meanwhile, believe CoSte opens a vast and little-known territory to travellers in an original and respectful way. Without it, the region would remain difficult to reach and offer relatively few options for trouble-free travel. CoSte places the experiential character of its packages at the forefront, matching the expectations of a new generation of travellers seeking experiences.

One thing is certain: CoSte occupies an increasingly important place in Minganie tourism. Guides GQ representatives saw this directly and used a few of its services and packages last August and September. (See ‘Eight Days Exploring Minganie.’)

Voyages CoSte
voyagescoste.ca
454, Jacques-Cartier
Rivière-au-Tonnerre, QC G0G 2L0
1.877.573.2678 or 418 465-2002

Republished on March 20, 2026

Life is made up of various experiences, which we generally hope will be positive and enjoyable. Some come to us of their own accord. Others must be actively sought out, and those are often the most exciting, such as dining at a Montréal institution more than 19 years old where the meal is served in complete darkness. It is genuinely SENSational, with every sense except sight heightened.

Alejandro Martinez conceived and founded Montréal’s O’Noir restaurant in 2006, the first of its kind in North America. The concept, already established in Europe and Australia, appealed to Alejandro and several family members, who became his partners in the venture. Originally located on rue Sainte-Catherine ouest, the restaurant moved in 2016 to a larger, more suitable building on rue Prince-Arthur near Carré Saint-Louis, where it could meet all the requirements of such an operation.
It has two dining rooms, one on the ground floor and another upstairs, and can accommodate up to 170 guests in an evening. A summer terrace offers a different, more bistro-style menu without reservations. O’Noir serves a range of starters, main courses and desserts, as well as drinks, cocktails and wines. Diners choose a fixed-price menu of two, three or four courses regardless of the dishes selected; drinks and wine are extra. The menu changes three or four times a year according to the seasons and special events.
Beyond the darkness that envelops diners as soon as they leave the entrance hall, where they are warmly welcomed and select their food and drinks, the experience is fairly conventional. A server leads guests to their table (how do they even find it?!) and explains what is on it. Once seated, diners become familiar with the contents: utensils and a napkin. That is all.

One important point: the serving staff are people with significant visual impairments who have been specially trained for the work. O’Noir partners with Horizon Travail, an organization that helps train and prepare visually impaired people to enter the workforce. The staff demonstrate exceptional skill, courtesy and attitude.
Every effort is made to ensure an enjoyable experience and ease any concerns that may arise on a first visit. Naturally, people with claustrophobia or severe anxiety would find little pleasure in it. Drinks and dishes are brought and placed on the table with precise directions from the server. This helps prevent accidents or sudden movements that could have unpleasant consequences. Alejandro also notes that a staff member remains in the dining room whenever guests are seated, ready to respond to any safety issue or emergency.

Alejandro is very proud of what he and his partners have created. Because this is not a “normal” establishment, safety, hygiene, food quality and other aspects of its layout and operations require rigorous rules and standards. Staff training is also essential and ongoing. All carefully selected employees are bilingual; they must learn the premises inside out and practise moving through the darkness with dishes, then serving them to the correct guests. It is genuinely impressive.
O’Noir employs about 25 people in total, although its kitchen and bar staff are sighted.
There has also been an O’Noir restaurant in Toronto since 2009.

Restaurant O’Noir
onoir.com
124, rue Prince-Arthur Est
Montréal, QC H2X 1B5
514 937-9727

I had dreamed of it for so long. See Le Bout du banc and die? Not quite, but almost.

Le Bout du banc, also known as Sandy Hook, lies at the eastern end of the Havre-Aubert dune. It forms a white-sand spit, or hook, extending toward Île d’Entrée. This spectacular beach stretches for nearly 12 kilometres and has a striking shape where two ocean currents meet.

Le Bout du banc also contains a fragile and precious ecosystem: the Sandy Hook dunes. The site provides a natural refuge for migratory birds, drawn by the dunes and the stable shores of the sandy spits. Dunes are constantly evolving environments that are essential to coastal biodiversity.

This unique setting is both an aesthetic and sensory wonder: a sandbar, an ocean breeze, converging currents, a panorama of Île d’Entrée and warm, shallow water around the bar. Its vulnerability, however, is real. Visitor pressure, trampling, limited infrastructure, changing tides, erosion and rising sea levels all require careful, sustainable management.



Protecting Le Bout du banc means placing its preservation within a thoughtful framework of marked trails, monitored access and visitor education. This concern helped inspire Madelinot Clermont Poirier to begin offering guided outings in 2015 aboard a long, tractor-drawn platform styled like a hay wagon, departing from the Sandy Hook beach parking lot at the end of chemin de Sable. He fitted the platform with school-bus seats, surrounded it with a safety railing, added storage for bags and chairs, and installed rear steps for easy boarding.

 

Clermont Poirier’s Balade du bout du banc saves visitors a 13-kilometre round-trip walk. After a 40-minute ride, passengers reach the end of the sandbar, where they can spend 90 minutes to two hours before boarding again for the return journey. Dogs and beach chairs are welcome.

The immense panorama and beauty of the setting are very likely to inspire deep contemplation. At the end of the sandbar, where the sea fully reasserts itself, it feels as though the end of the world has been reached. This is also the closest point to Île d’Entrée.

 

Balade du bout du banc has become so popular that reservations must be made in advance for outing days when the weather cooperates. Departures are usually at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Clermont Poirier is supported with bookings and administration by two team members, Josée and Colette.

For me, the outing on Saturday, July 19, was a true gift after several days on the road and encounters between Bas-Saint-Laurent and the Îles de la Madeleine, by way of Gaspésie and Acadie. Perfect weather, 22°C under brilliant sunshine, with a steady wind, made the ride unforgettable.

Balade du bout du banc
Chemin du Sable
Plage Sandy Hook (Havre-Aubert)
facebook.com/boutdubanc
Reservations: (581) 453-1310

July 18, 1980. A group of dreamers named Jean-Marc, Claude, Henri and Fernand kept this place, already rich in history, alive and opened its doors to art and music. La Grave, after all, is a site that profoundly shaped the development of the Îles de la Madeleine.

I arrived in the archipelago on that same date 45 years later, after a night aboard the ferry from Souris, P.E.I., to Cap-aux-Meules, and discovered that the evening’s celebrations promised to be memorable.

Until the end of the 1950s, La Grave was the gateway to the Îles and the centre of commercial activity. The former general store played its own part in Madelinot history. Its first owner, Jersey native John Phillip Savage, settled in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine around 1865. People took the time to hear the news, whisper gossip, share worries and hopes, and speculate about the country’s future.

Within the walls of this storied place grew a strong sense of belonging, a deep attachment to local culture in all its forms and a festive spirit that has endured through every era since its founding. A new breeze swept through the café in 2007. Three dynamic entrepreneurs, Sonia, Francine and Denis, brought their vision and determination to carry the institution forward as its reputation spread far beyond the Îles. Café de La Grave was becoming an essential stop for anyone visiting the archipelago, with freshness and whimsy defining the new team.


In 2015, Marie-Claude Vigneault and her mother, Nathalie, took the reins and assembled a strong team to continue the institution’s work. Over the years, a history has grown around Café de La Grave, shaped in different ways by thousands of people.

On July 18, 2025, dozens of long-time patrons, visitors, tourists, relatives and friends filled the café to take part in the anniversary. By 6:30 p.m., the dining room was alive with anticipation. Two former owners from the founding group made a special point of attending because memories are what keep history alive.

  

At the piano, Suzanne Richard evoked the period when music stood at the centre of café life. Many people still hold quite vivid memories of those animated evenings, a tradition that continues today.

 

Alongside these inspiring ‘traditional’ nights, the café presents a wide range of visual-art exhibitions, performances and spontaneous jam sessions. It also sustains local culinary traditions while encouraging partnerships with food and agricultural businesses across the region. Café de La Grave’s menu rewards diners who enjoy unexpected ingredients and flavours: mussels, scallops, lamb, veal, poutine topped with pulled seal, cod and much more. There is something for everyone. At Café de La Grave, as one can see, nothing is ordinary.

At the time of writing, the celebrations were continuing. May the people behind the café and its entire team enjoy many more years carrying this wonderful, emblematic place in the Îles forward.

Café de La Grave
cafedelagrave.com
969, Chemin de la Grave,
Havre Aubert, Îles de la Madeleine (Qc) H4T 9C8
418-937-5765
.

On August 1^st, 2016, writer and poet Anne Hébert would have turned 100. Her centenary was to be commemorated in 2017 in Kamouraska, the village where her novel Kamouraska is set. The book made her famous and put the village on the map. Adapted for the big screen by Claude Jutra, with music by André Gagnon, the film introduced her work to the general public.

Anne Hébert was born in Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier and spent her childhood in Québec. But as a descendant of the seigneurial family of Kamouraska, she spent several summers there, where she became familiar with the famous crime of passion involving her ancestor. After publishing various poetry collections from 1942 to 1953, in 1958 she published her first novel, Les Chambres de bois, with Éditions du Seuil, and in June 1960 was elected a member of the Royal Society of Canada.

In 1965, after her mother’s death, she moved to Paris. She finally achieved success with the publication of Kamouraska in 1970, which earned her the Prix des libraires de France. In 1975 she published Les enfants du sabbat, her third novel, followed in 1980 by a fourth, Héloïse. Her fifth novel, Les Fous de Bassan (1982), made her the fourth French-Canadian woman and the second Québécoise to win one of France’s major literary prizes: the Prix Femina. She was preceded only by Gabrielle Roy, also a Femina winner, Marie-Claire Blais, winner of the Médicis, and Antonine Maillet, winner of the Goncourt. Between 1969 and 1983, she received honorary doctorates from the University of Toronto (1969), the University of Guelph (1970), UQÀM (1979), McGill University (1980) and Université Laval (1983).

In 1988, her sixth novel, Le Premier Jardin, paid tribute to the women who founded Nouvelle-France. A seventh novel, L’Enfant chargé de songes, appeared in 1992. In 1995, at the age of 79, she published Aurélien, Clara, Mademoiselle et le Lieutenant anglais, a story midway between poetry and prose. Her fifth and final poetry collection, Poèmes pour la main gauche, was published two years later.

Early in 1998, after 32 years in Paris, she returned to Montréal. In 1999, her last novel, Un habit de lumière, was published, a few months before her death in Montréal in January 2000.

Anne Hébert always remained discreet about her private life; she never married or had children. Living in Paris, far from home, enabled her to keep her artistic and private lives separate, as it did for her friend Mavis Gallant, an English-speaking Montréal writer who had also moved to the City of Light and with whom Hébert shared a long friendship.

The Musée des beaux-arts de Mont-Saint-Hilaire has a mission that distinguishes it from most Québec museums. Correlieu retrouvé, an exhibition by painter and author Mathieu Laca that opened on June 20 and runs through September 27, strongly advances that mission. It is a rare opportunity to mount a show directly aligned with the museum’s mandate, which includes preserving and showcasing the cultural legacy of Mont-Saint-Hilaire’s three masters: Ozias Leduc (1864–1955), Paul-Émile Borduas (1905–1960) and Jordi Bonet (1932–1979).

Mathieu Laca and Jean Comeau at the opening.

As part of the institution’s 30th-anniversary programme, painter Mathieu Laca’s exhibition brings these three major figures in Québec and Canadian history into dialogue. It draws on the legendary Correlieu studio, built by Ozias Leduc in 1890 and described as ‘a place where the heart is in everything’. The studio unfortunately disappeared in the 1980s after serving as a true meeting and exchange space for the artistic community from the late 19th century through the first half of the 20th. It also evokes the studio-homes of Bonet and Borduas through poetic scale models.

Together, the three artists lived in Mont-Saint-Hilaire across a span of 110 years. Leduc was born there and spent most of his life in the town. Borduas, also born there, became Leduc’s student as a teenager and later returned to build a house that still stands and is now part of the museum’s permanent collection. Among other works, he wrote Refus global there, denouncing the stifling narrow-mindedness of a Québec constrained at the time by traditional Catholic values. Jordi Bonet, born in Spain and established in Québec in the early 1950s, later fell in love with Manoir Rouville-Campbell and its Tudor Revival architecture beside the Richelieu. He acquired the badly deteriorated property in the early 1970s, lived there with his family and restored it room by room before having it classified as a historic monument in 1977.

Following a 2024 dinner in Saint-Hilaire with Jordi Bonet’s children, Sonia and Laurent, Mathieu Laca and his partner, Jean, fell in love with what he describes as an almost hypnotic environment. ‘When I arrived in the town, I was also struck by place names that make it feel like an open-air museum. You cross pont Jordi-Bonet and travel along chemin Ozias-Leduc, rue Paul-Émile-Borduas and rue de l’Heure-Mauve. I then discovered that the property where Ozias Leduc (1864–1955) lived for almost his entire life was only a stone’s throw away,’ he explains, setting out the origins of the project that followed.

Through this original exhibition, Laca sought to offer a renewed perspective on the three artists and identify a defining theme in each body of work. Long, rigorous research allowed him to enter into their lived experiences and influences. In Leduc, he finds goodness, a quality that, according to the artist, might offer a path toward the divine. It seems to appear in the humility of Leduc’s subjects, including L’heure mauve, a half-snow-covered branch with dead leaves, as well as in his enveloping light and gentle brushwork. Borduas’s trajectory, in Laca’s view, was guided by a quest for freedom. Seeking release from the narrow morality embodied by religion, he continually pursued a pure, universal language through which to express the depths of his psyche and escape the constraints of figurative tradition. His work still resonates as a lesson in authenticity and sacrifice. Jordi Bonet’s life, meanwhile, was marked by profound tragedy: the Spanish Civil War, which ravaged his homeland from 1936 to 1939; the amputation of his right arm; and the death of his young son after he was struck by a car. Bonet developed part of his work as a way of transcending the limits of his condition, making visible what is hidden and what survives disappearance. Laca therefore assigns him the theme of mystery.



‘Through these three central themes, Mathieu Laca directs his work toward new interpretations and techniques while delving into art history to nourish his research, demonstrating the rich potential of a heritage that remains as significant as ever,’ says Etienne Ardaens, assistant curator at the Musée des beaux-arts de Mont-Saint-Hilaire.

An Unexpected Discovery
While conducting extensive research on Leduc, particularly in his archival fonds, Laca made a discovery that transformed his perception of the artist. Numerous clues tend to point to a forbidden love between Leduc and a young Saint-Hilaire poet named Guy Delahaye, a biographical possibility not previously addressed in books about the painter. Leduc’s marriage at age 43 to an older first cousin, abandoned by her husband and later widowed, had first raised his suspicions.

Guy Delahaye, Leduc’s alleged lover, painted by the artist. (MBAM)

The absence of any portrait of Leduc’s wife from his work also led Laca to consider the marriage one of convenience. Alongside the exhibition, he began writing a book on the subject, knowing the information opens an entirely new interpretation of an oeuvre whose symbolism may be less mysterious than it appears.

The prohibitions of the period prevented any love between Leduc and Delahaye from being fully realized. In 1910, homosexuality was condemned by the Church, criminalized by law and characterized by psychiatry as a form of ‘mental illness.’ Despite that climate, Leduc painted superb portraits of Delahaye, with dedications inscribed directly on the canvases. Laca was overwhelmed on discovering the portrait held by the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal, in which the young poet appears in profile like a medallion of Ovid, accompanied by Erato, muse of lyric and erotic poetry. To him, it resembles a barely concealed declaration of love.

Although the relationship developed into friendship, the two continued corresponding and meeting regularly throughout their lives to discuss art, philosophy and science. Leduc later produced imaginary landscapes expressing his inner states.

 One of the religious frescoes painted in churches by Leduc

A Journey Toward the ‘Genius of the Mountain’
Having explored Québec art history in this way and translated it through the works shown at the museum, Mathieu Laca feels he has experienced it from within, through action rather than contemplation. He has absorbed its psychological forces and the inflections of its language. ‘My body retains the memory. The misunderstood symbolism of Ozias Leduc’s paintings now comes into new focus in light of the feelings he experienced for the poet Guy Delahaye. His painting appears as the sublimated expression of a forbidden love, something that resonates powerfully within me,’ he says. Paul-Émile Borduas, for his part, taught Laca the fierce desire to free oneself from everything that constrains creation. The underground stream whose gates he opened will not soon run dry. Jordi Bonet, that dazzling human poem, brought him into contact with the sacred. ‘Death has seemed less frightening to me since he tamed it,’ Laca concludes.
-------------

With this exhibition, Laca, a Laval native who still lives there, reaches another stage in his artistic vision. ‘I summarize my approach this way: portray people differently; write and paint simultaneously; paint portraits of writers and write about visual artists. This creative interweaving interests me profoundly because it carries new resonances. For me, the two arts operate as communicating vessels, allowing me to cross their respective boundaries freely by moving endlessly from one to the other.’

Curiously, the house Laca shares with his husband, Jean Comeau, faces a cemetery where a stone angel watches over the grave of Marc-Aurèle Fortin, another major Québec painter. ‘On misty days, I like to imagine the landscape artist on his bicycle, a canvas under his arm, searching for the ideal view of the great elms that have since disappeared.’

Correlieu retrouvé
Musée des beaux-arts de Mont-Saint-Hilaire
150, rue du Centre-Civique
Mont-Saint-Hilaire (Québec)
from June 20 to September 27, 2026

Artist-guided tours available:
Sunday, July 19, 2 p.m.;
Saturday, August 1, 1 p.m.;
Sunday, August 16, 2 p.m.;
Saturday, August 29, 1 p.m.;
Sunday, September 13, 2 p.m.; and
Sunday, September 27, 2 p.m.

Information: https://mbamsh.com/exposition/correlieu-retrouve/

The team behind Clorid’Art just announced the symposium’s fifth edition will happen in Cloridorme, right in the l’Estran part of Gaspésie, on July 31, August 1, and 2, 2026. Everything takes place in the village school gym, a spot where the landscape, the people, and the art all seem to click. This year, the honorary president is Philippe Roy, an artist who grew up in Cloridorme.

It’s the first time they’ve picked someone who’s already taken part in three earlier editions. “We wanted to thank Philippe for everything he’s brought to the event,” says Marc-Alain Marticotte, one of the founders, “and also celebrate his 80th birthday in 2026.”

Artists from any discipline and any region had until June 14 to send in their applications. They were asked to talk about their own way of working and to let the place, its rhythm, its people, guide them.
The committee will reveal the chosen artists in early July. Last year, about twenty creators showed their work at Clorid’Art, and more than 125 visitors stopped by.

Want more details or the list of 2026 participants? Check the Clorid’Art Facebook page in the next few weeks. 

Since 2019, Val d’Or has hosted the Festival Fierté Val d’Or, a celebration of sexual and gender diversity in Abitibi. It’s the only LGBTQ+ festival in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region.

The 7th edition runs from June 5 to 7, 2026. Expect comedy, live music, glitter, and three days of parties to honor sexual and gender diversity.

On Saturday, June 6, Fierté Montréal presents Community Day starting at 1 p.m. at Place Agnico-Eagle. It’s a chance to spend an afternoon together, festive, inclusive, and full of good vibes. Meet local organizations, learn about different experiences, and celebrate diversity in a relaxed, family-friendly setting.

For the eighth year running, the festival wraps up with the Diversity March, hosted by The KaraoKings. On Sunday at 11 a.m., LGBTQ+ folks and allies are invited to gather at Place Agnico-Eagle in their brightest rainbow gear. Together, they’ll march through Val d’Or’s streets to stand against homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia.

 

After the march, the Aqua-lition Family Picnic starts at 1 p.m. at Plage Lemoine. The event is put on by the Coalition des familles LGBT+. Plage Lemoine is a small, sandy, free beach on Lac Lemoine, just a few minutes from downtown Val d’Or. 

For the full schedule, check out the website of Fierté Val d’Or 
or their Facebook page .

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

By Gaëtan Vaudry

During our brief stay of a few days in the city of Saguenay, we couldn’t help but stop at Café Cambio on Racine East Street four or five times. Firstly, to enjoy the atmosphere of this downtown Chicoutimi solidarity cooperative, and secondly, to savor affordable and healthy dishes that showcase products from various local producers.

As soon as Virginie Simard-Dufour starts talking about the products available at this fair-trade and organic micro-roastery founded in March 2005, her eyes light up. She speaks passionately about the tireless teamwork of 32 members, including 10 worker-members: “ Under the label, we embody a vision of a better world—one where farmers and workers sit at the negotiating table as equals ,” proudly notes the service manager, restaurant coordinator, and barista.

Café Cambio, a key gathering spot for students from the Chicoutimi CEGEP and the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC), is also a venue for showcasing young Saguenay artists. The establishment regularly hosts art openings and intimate acoustic concerts of emerging music.

During my visit last November, I had the chance to enjoy some excellent dishes at this establishment, which was the brainchild of two young Montrealers and childhood friends, Guylaine Pelletier and Geneviève Demers. To start, I had a comforting mushroom soup, perfect for that time of year. I followed it with the spicy Bedi panini (Cajun-seasoned chicken, caramelized onions, spinach, mozzarella, and vegenaise), served with salad, corn chips, and salsa. For dessert, I enjoyed the daily special, all accompanied by one of their excellent fair-trade coffees. To my surprise, the bill for this delicious three-course meal was very affordable!

What also struck me during my first visit was their “Pay it Forward” concept, where customers can anonymously donate a soup or coffee to someone in need. Given the growing issue of homelessness in downtown Chicoutimi, this gesture of generosity is truly admirable and meaningful.

Café Cambio’s coffee and products are available at various points of sale across the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region, including Chicoutimi, Jonquière, La Baie, Saint-Ambroise/Saint-Honoré, MRC Lac-Saint-Jean-Est, MRC Domaine-du-Roy, Bas-Saguenay, Saint-Fulgence/Sainte-Rose-du-Sacré-Cœur, Tadoussac, Les Bergeronnes, Les Escoumins, and even the Côte-Nord!

Café Cambio
414, rue Racine Est, Chicoutimi
418 549-7830
cafecambio.ca