Charlevoix

• Charlevoix Regional Municipality County
• Charlevoix-Est Regional Municipality County

• — a charming small town with several art galleries
• — home of the historic Manoir Richelieu Hotel, the town has been drawing visitors since 1760
• — a group of villages in the centre of the Charlevoix crater
• — a gateway to the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park and to the Saguenay Conservation Park, and a starting point for whale-watching cruises

• — an island in the St. Lawrence River about 6 km south from the mainland known for its historical sites, tourist accommodations, and craftspeople
• — hamlet in Saint-Siméon municipality
• — in Saint-Siméon municipality, it offers marine and forest environments, marine mammals such as seals, beluga whales and whales can sometimes be seen

Covering 6000 km² in the Canadian shield, Charlevoix has a magnificiant mountain scenery caused by a 6.8-million-tonne meteor 350 million years ago. The earliest vacationers came to Charlevoix as early as 1760.
The region was named after Pierre François-Xavier de Charlevoix, a French Jesuit explorer and historian who travelled through the area in the 18th century. The community of La Malbaie was known as the first resort area in Canada. For much of its history, Charlevoix was home to a thriving summer colony of wealthy Americans, including President William Howard Taft.

By car

Baie St-Paul and La Malbaie are the major cities of this region. You get in by car using Highway 138. It is about 4 to 5 hours from Montreal and 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes from Quebec City.

By ferry

Rivière-du-Loup—Saint-Siméon, duration: 65 minutes, +1 418 638-2856 or +1 418 862-5094.
Baie-Sainte-Catherine—Tadoussac, duration: 8 minutes, free, +1 418 235-4395.
Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive—Isle-aux-Coudres, duration: 15 minutes, free, +1 418 438-2743.

By bus

Intercar, +1-800-806-2167 (toll free), offers the service from Quebec City (Gare du Palais, 320, rue Abraham-Martin) to Baie St-Paul and various cities in Charlevoix along the St-Lawrence River. Discounts for students and seniors. Reservations are mandatory for some cities.

By train

• Train de Charlevoix

  phone: +1-844-737-3282
  This tourist train runs between Montmorency Falls and La Malbaie with a shuttle bus between Québec City (Gare de Palais) and Montmorency Falls leaving Gare de Palais 40 minutes before train time.

The best way to go around in Charlevoix is by car. However, you can get to many locations by bus with Intercar (see above).

For those interested in history and art, there's the Musée d'art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul, a contemporary art museum, and the Musée de Charlevoix, dedicated to folk art, regional history and culture in La Malbaie.

National parks

There are two Quebec national parks in this region:

• Parc national des Grands-Jardins

  phone: +1-866-702-9202
  address: Route 381, km 31
  This park has 134 lakes and 7 rivers. You can do hiking (hike on Mont du Lac des Cygnes is a must), cycling, canoeing, kayaking (rentals available on-site) and fishing (brook trout). Camping available.

• Parc national des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie

  phone: +1-866-702-9202
  address: Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs
  Spectacular sight for canoeing or kayaking on the river. Nice hiking on Acropole des Draveurs.

• Alpine skiing: Massif de la Petite Rivière Sant-Francois, (toll free). Alpine skiers, don't miss out this mountain, the highest drop east of the Rockies Mountains. Incredible ski conditions. $41/day for 1 adult. Discounts available for students and large groups.
• Hiking: Parc National des Grands Jardins, Parc National des Hautes-Gorges de La Malbaie

• A visit to Les Quartre Vents

  address: La Malbaie
  One of the finest residential gardens in North America and an object lesson in how to relate a garden to the landscape and create a viable growing condition within.

• Les Mésanges, Baie-St-Paul

• Fairmont Manoir RichelieuHotel and casino overlooking the St. Lawrence River.

• Hôtel-Motel Castel de la MerLocated in the historic district of Pointe-au-Pic in La Malbaie.

• Immeubles Charlevoix

  address: 20, rue Leclerc
  For a weekend or a longer stay. Villas, country homes, and four-star cottages available.

The two regions to see after visiting Charlevoix are Quebec Region and Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean.