This small county is a therapeutic paradise for Canadian city dwellers (PHOTOS)
The True North is filled with scenic little towns and cities with so much to offer you won’t even need to hop on an international flight to have a brilliant vacation.
In May, I had the pleasure of exploring such a hidden paradise in Quebec, located a short drive from Quebec City, or a brief plane ride from Toronto.
Enter Charlevoix, a region with such a striking balance of dreamy natural beauty and quiet luxury, it has got to be on your bucket list.
I live in the core of downtown Toronto, where everything is far too congested, loud, or unsafe for pedestrians and drivers. That may be why driving and walking around the charming county felt even more like a brain massage.
I was travelling with a group of people in SUVs from Chevrolet’s latest Trax lineup. With umbrellas, raincoats, and luggage tucked away in the spacious trunk, we were on our way from Quebec City to hilly Charlevoix.
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The ride, which normally takes just over an hour, felt like 30 minutes. The roads were smooth and scenic, I could not stop taking photos and videos, rapidly depleting my phone battery.
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We made our way to beautiful Baie-Sant Paul. Even though the area was recovering from flood-like conditions, its people were warm and hospitable.
Maridav/Shutterstock
At La Chocolaterie Du Village, a busy little chocolate shop, we bought intricately created, handmade wares for friends and family, and crunchy snacks to fuel up on the go.
I even got a free scoop of mango sorbet at the upper-level ice cream shop! That kind of thing has never happened to me in Toronto, okay? Let a girl feel special.
La Chocolaterie du Village/Facebook
After getting our fill, we headed to the jaw-dropping Repère BorĂ©al, where we could “glamp” in stunning tiny cabins fitted with all the creature comforts you miss when you go camping.
Mine had a rain shower with a view of the woods, a full stove, a comfortable bed and a lounging area — it was practically a deluxe studio apartment but with the added benefit of a whole deck, complete with a bonfire.
Sitting at the floor-to-wall glass window at night to gaze at the night sky was unreal, especially because you can only see, like, three stars in Toronto’s polluted skies.
A short walk away from the dwellings was what I can only describe as a theme park for spa lovers — a cold plunge, a hot pool, a massage and yoga area, and much more, tucked away in the wilderness.
Repère Boréal
On the Chevrolet Trax drive to my next destination — a quaint pottery studio away from the city — I stopped to look at the natural scapes and local architecture. We must’ve spotted a waterfall nearly every 10 minutes.
And some of the churches you’ll see in the area give stiff competition to European cathedrals.
I mean, look at that. The camera does not do this fountain justice.
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By this point, I had forgotten about the crunchy snacks in my bag because I was having way too much fun to be peckish.
We made a stop at Les Ateliers Charlevoix, where I managed to craft my first pottery project under the guidance of local artist and pottery extraordinaire Stéphane Bouchard.
Let’s just say he is as talented as he is patient. My first two “bowls” came out looking like a preserved camel’s stomach, but his encouragement was unending.
He even ended up mailing me my travesty later.
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We parked our Trax at Hotel Saint Germain, where you can take a dip right next to a field of highland cows (!), for a locally sourced lunch.
I headed back to the airport, wishing I had booked more time to check out Charlevoix in its full glory. But I will be returning to the region again in the near future, perhaps with a larger group of friends, for another breath of fresh air.
The author of this story was hosted by Chevrolet
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